(Review by Russell)
It was an end of year, sold out triple bill featuring an array of the region's finest bluesmen. The Peacock's first floor room has been transformed into a first rate performance venue and blues fans responded in style with advance ticket sales tickets going off the scale.
George Shovlin & the Radars: George Shovlin (guitar, vocals); George Lamb (guitar, vocals); Stu Burlison (bass guitar); Kev Scott (drums) + Archie Brown (tenor sax, vocals); Pat Rafferty (organ, piano, vocals)
Top of the bill local heroes George Shovlin and the Radars followed sets by Groove-a-matics and Archie Brown and the Young Bucks. Shovlin bossed matters front of stage; seated, acoustic guitar in his lap, the voice, with echoes of Howlin' Wolf, commanding the room. Opening with Hoochie Coochie Man, Shovlin and the Radars put on a five star show aided and abetted by set-long guests Archie Brown blowing tenor sax and Pat Rafferty alternating between barrelhouse blues piano and smokin' organ.
Right hand man (literally and figuratively) George Lamb played blues guitar as few can. As it happens, one of the 'few' was on the premises this evening.* Lamb the featured soloist, Youngbucks Brown and Rafferty the foundation alongside Radars Stu Burlison and Kev Scott, Shovlin revelled in the occasion - musically and as the promoter of the event! As Mr S sang - It Ain't Nothing but the Blues. It had been a hugely successful evening and, to top it off, on leaving the Sunderland city centre pub, a rather historic poster was spotted on a wall in the Peacock's downstairs bar... Memphis Slim Newcastle City Hall February 3, 1970.
Groove-a-matics: Mick Cantwell (vocals, harmonica, tenor sax); John Whitehill (guitar); John Morgan (bass); Barry Race (drums)
* John Whitehill was the 'one of the few' on the premises this evening. Multi award winning guitarist Whitehill, from Ashington, came to prominence with the Blues Burglars before clocking up some twenty years on the road with Paul Lamb and the Kingsnakes. For the last decade or so he has been fronting Groove-a-matics alongside Mick Cantwell. The band is a major draw in its own right, the evening's running order wasn't of much importance and the Peacock's audience certainly appreciated Whitehill's sublime guitar playing and Cantwell's superb vocals with a mid-set standing ovation! Hearing Cantwell's anguished blues voice asking the question: Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? or singing Misdemeanour Boogie is as close to Chicago's South Side a blues fan will get other than by booking a flight to O'Hare International. Tonight's gig marked bassist John Morgan's final appearance with the band. Captain Morgan couldn't have chosen a better way to go out!
Archie Brown & the Young Bucks: Archie Brown (guitar, tenor sax, vocals); Tony Wadsworth (guitar, vocals); Steve Nash (trumpet, vocals); Pat Rafferty (organ, piano, accordion, vocals); Chris Ringer (bass guitar, vocals); Duncan Tyler ?(drums)
Some bands achieve legendary status, they're much talked about, if not loved. Archie Brown and the Young Bucks is one such band. On the go since the seventies, Archie Brown's outfit has seen its share of names pass through the ranks. Tonight's line-up included two characters who were there in the early days - guitarist Tony Wadsworth and multi instrumentalist Pat Rafferty, this evening playing keyboards and accordion.
Tracks old and new (Just a Little Weakness from A Weakness of Mine, All Quiet on the Western Front from Young Bucks in Fancy Shirts to a non-original, Los Lobos' Let's Say Goodnight), Archie Brown and the Young Bucks set 'em up with a fine opening set. Russell
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