Rob Heron (vocals, guitar); Tim
Bloomer (guitar); Tom Cronin (mandolin, harmonica, vocals); Colin Nicholson
(accordion, vocals); Ted Harbot (double bass)
(Review by Russell)
A standing-room-only King's Hall
welcomed the return of Newcastle University alumni Rob Heron and the Tea Pad
Orchestra. So full was Armstrong Building's concert hall some sat on the floor
in front of the stage. Ten numbers, all written by Heron, (Drinking Coffee Rag co-written with
Tom Cronin), plus an unusual encore, the lunchtime set flew by.
Bandleader Rob Heron doesn't care
what label is attached to the Tea Pad Orchestra - Western swing, blues,
country, rock 'n' roll - as long as you understand that they're '100% sincere
and 100% immersed in it all'. For three quarters of an hour a capacity audience
immersed itself in the music.
Still Go Honky Tonkin' sang Heron,
insisting he had a right to play American music despite hailing from the other
side of the Atlantic. Songs about love - Holy Moly (I'm in Love Again);
a song about drinking - Drinking Coffee Rag; a piece of
jump-jive gibberish, a la Louis Jordan - Cats and Chickens; a
rockabilly-style timely political reminder about taxes and rent and going after
the one percent; a song from student days in the form of a jazz standard
'utilising the circle of fifths chord progression' - Hot Bath, the
set list kept things moving, never a dull moment.
Heron's vocals referenced the
Americana tradition (Woody Guthrie, a plaintive Hank Williams, the tomfoolery
of Louis Jordan) as his Tea Pad band mates covered the waterfront - the
aforementioned Western swing, blues, country, rock 'n' roll and a nod to Hot
Club-esque jazz. The musicianship spot on - guitarist Tim Bloomer mightily
impressive, Tom Cronin's mandolin at times doubling up as a Hot Club rhythm
guitar, accordionist Colin Nicholson adding an exotic twist to the Tea Pad's
heady brew and Ted Harbot's slap-bass anchorage - the King's Hall roared its
approval.
To conclude a thoroughly entertaining
afternoon the Tea Pad Orchestra returned to the stage to play an encore. Heron
informed the audience that if he had brought a capo with him he would have gone
out on a yodelling song. Quick as a flash someone in the front row leapt up and
produced a capo from a coat pocket. Heron's eyes lit up. Taking loan of the
capo he dismissed the band, its work done for the day. The Tea Pad's main man,
good to his word, went out yodelling!
Russell
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