Abbie Finn Trio: National Mackem Day @ Sheepfolds, Sunderland - Aug. 12

Abbie Finn (drums); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Paul Grainger (double bass)

A once-in-a-generation event. No, not National Mackem Day, rather a near total eclipse of the sun, to be followed later in the evening by a meteor shower. A national shortage of eclipse glasses would mean many would forego the experience of looking directly at the sun. Some took an 'anti-woke' stance, staring straight at the burning orb. After all, it was some 93 million miles away, what harm could it possibly do? Oh, well...

Sheepfolds, standing in the shadow of Sunderland AFC's Stadium of Light on the north bank of the Wear, attracted a capacity crowd for its National Mackem Day event. All manner of performances - music, theatre etc - would entertain the revelling Mackems. In a sea of SAFC shirts (the new season's pink away strip prominent) one or two Geordie interlopers kept a low profile. 

Shortly before their half past six stage time, Messrs Harry Keeble and Paul Grainger were taking five, trying to avoid the glare of you-know-what. HK kindly offered his eclipse glasses. Trying them on, there it was: against an eerily dark background, a vivid orange sun was slowly but surely being obscured the the moon. Thanks Harry! It was time for the 'boys' to go to work.

The boys joined bandleader Abbie Finn on stage. Introduced by Mackem Jeff Brown (of BBC fame), the Abbie Finn Trio opened with So It's True (from On Pink Lane). Looking around the throng, many were imbibing and munching as if no tomorrow, some were actually listening to the AF3. Abbie directing, nudging from behind the kit, bassist Paul the rock solid anchor, Harry blowing tenor, winding it up (lower register, higher register), then winding it up some more.

North Sea Wind (another cut from On Pink Lane), Abbie's N'Awlins feel on Mardi Gras (Stotties for Three), no sooner had the trio built up a head of steam, it was time to sign off. As the imbibers continued to imbibe (and munch) and the moon and the sun continued to do their thing, the Abbie Finn Trio went out on a first album oldie, Paul Grainger's Umlazi Morning (from Northern Perspective). 

The Abbie Finn Trio will be in concert at London's Soho Pizza Express on Monday 19 October. If you're down that way, book ahead to guarantee a table. Top notch jazz and the pizzas are canny good, like (it's the Geordie colloquial). Russell