Hokum
Hotshots: Jim Murray (guitars & vocals) & Pete Mason (guitars &
vocals) + George Shovlin (guitar & vocals) & George Lamb (guitar &
vocals)
(Review by Russell)
Sunderland Blues Club meets
fortnightly in the upstairs room at the Head of Steam’s Dun Cow on High Street West . The
club’s lynchpin George Shovlin was mighty pleased at the turn-out; the small
drawing room-style layout with a trademark Head of Steam twist to an impressive
Edwardian building, a photographic still of Stan and Ollie (the legendary duo
performed at the adjacent Empire Theatre) at the bar.
Shovelin and fellow Radar George
Lamb opened the all-acoustic show with a superb set of blues standards ranging from Slim Harpo (Got Love If You Want It) to Muddy Waters
(Long Distance Call) to Jimmy
Witherspoon (Evenin’). Shovelin
possesses a voice hewn from Wearside’s proud, defiant industrial heritage. The
big-drinking blues crowd (a jazz club could but dream of such patronage!) had
heard them all before and no one objected to hearing them one more time.
Murray and Mason do Hokum. Old
timey, jug band exponents, the Hokum Hotshots gave a master class in the genre.
Self-effacing (Two fat b******* from Shields), the duo, in the most
appalling Hawaiian shirts (they’ve been wearing the on-stage clobber for
years), do more than play a song – as
historians of the music they entertain and inform as they go. A collection of vintage
guitars so rare (National slide, Dobro lapsteel, a mandolin c1950) they’re
probably uninsured (premiums prohibitive), the Hokum Hotshots have the hardware
and the talent to make the most of it by way of Casey Bill, Tampa Red and many
others.
Sunderland Blues Club is a
welcome addition to the north east’s flourishing live music scene. Next up at
the Dun Cow (January 30, then fortnightly) is another double bill – Struggle
Bunny and George Shovlin and Gary Lamb. Doors open at eight o’clock, admission
£4.00. If you want a seat get in the queue before eight. Future guests include
Mitch Laddie (Feb 13) and the Dave Whiffin Band (Mar 20). Mr Shovlin is onto a
winner.
Russell.
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