A very good crowd indeed showed up for this, the first anniversary event. The fact that it was the first anniversary was among a raft of things I forgot to mention on the night, not that anybody’s life is the poorer for that. The truth is that I’m not only no good at so-called multi-tasking, I am also bitterly resentful of the existence of it. I happen to know that there is compelling research evidence that multi-tasking greatly reduces the efficiency with which you do any of the multi tasks.
In this case, the multi-tasking involves working out what I’m going to play, who’s going to play it with me and how that’s going to work, watching Charles set up all the mics and sort out the sound, sorting out who’s come to do sets, when they’re going to do them and who they’re going to do them with, being on or making sure someone’s on the door, and dealing with anything else that may come up, such as people who’ve shown up to play but mysteriously not brought an instrument. There was, unusually, a fair bit of the latter on this occasion.
It isn’t a big deal in itself but it gets to be a thorny issue when the people in question can’t seem to deal with the response. In essence, they appear to expect you to magic an instrument out of your ear and the information that they will have to ask someone if they can borrow theirs is often hard to get through. This seems to strike them as a very confusing response and they look at you as if you have told them to build one themselves.
What made it even harder to solve on this occasion was the fact that there wasn’t one single ‘normal’ guitar in the room, by which I mean a six-string steel-strung acoustic. There were numerous other kinds of guitar, but not one of those. And, curiously enough, the offer to play washboard instead wasn’t taken up by any of the instrumentless musicians.
Lots of multi-tasking then, right up until the end, when I was being followed around by a bassless bassist who’d shown up at 10.30 expecting somehow to be accommodated. As I was at that point dealing with a broken string prior to doing the evening’s closing set, some of my politeness systems may have broken down at that point.
Anyway, among the things that I failed to mention while doing my compere impersonation was this very blog, thereby ensuring that its readership does not expand beyond the smallish inner circle that (I’m guessing this) scrolls down to see their names mentioned and then heads off elsewhere. And I didn’t mention that it’s OK to talk at a normal volume but not to bellow and shriek – not a major problem by any means, but some people were getting annoyed with others on that front early on and then I had to try and deal with it without being rude. Multi-tasking? Not a box I can tick.
Anyway, it was great to have such a large audience (i.e., people who’d come to listen not play) and that’s what we need every time. So the instruction to musicians to bring at least two people with them each time stands – add them to the people who come anyway and you’ve got a full room and a great atmosphere. And while you’re about it, if any of them want to play but don’t have an instrument, under no circumstances say ‘Mark’ll sort you out’.
I did the first set as usual, starting off with the 12-string for a couple of numbers and then onto the National for a couple more. After the first one, I was joined by David Atkinson on mandolin (he walked in the door and within a minute was on stage just about being told what key we were in) and it was a welcome return for his fine playing. I was also joined by Charles Benfield on double bass, Dave Forristal on keys, Mick Paley and Dave Johnson on various percussion, and Martin Holloway on drum. Among the evening’s highlights was Dave Forristal’s playing, this time on a smaller keyboard than his usual one – not only did this sound great, particularly the organ, but it also allowed on-stage musicians to be a whole lot less intimate with each other than they care to be.
Dave and Mick then did a fine duo set, Dave on a nylon-strung guitar and Mick on harp. They’re really good musicians and performers, with great non-standard repertoire and they’re a boon to any event they play at.
Next up was Graham Hine, playing at the event for the first time. Now Graham Hine’s a notable name in the blues world, as he is the main man in the legendary Brett Marvin And The Thunderbolts. For those of you who don’t know, this band was (and indeed still is from time to time) one of the more individualistic bands on the late 60s/early 70s British blues scene, with a wholly distinctive sound based to some degree on a pogo-stick sort of device that provided a unique percussive sound. Graham is a fine solo act in his own right and he proceeded to demonstrate that to an appreciative audience, who stayed quiet and attentive throughout. He did a couple on his own on a battered resonator and was then joined by Dave Johnson on washboard and Rick Webb (also making a welcome return) on harp. This was a fine combo. Hard to imagine too many other places where a kind of impromptu Brett Marvin And The Thunderbolts could be formed and it was a pleasure to hear it.
Simon was on next for another of his quiet and reflective sets. An assortment of house band musicians joined him during the course of this, and Danno Sheehan was on harp. His typically animated set went down well, grabbing the audience’s attention, at least partly by the simple expedient of shouting at them. There’s always something happening when Simon’s on and afterwards people feel like they need a bit of a lie-down.
Phil Thorne was next up, for another set of typically excellent country blues, this time on a 12-string. He played solo to start with and then with various house band personnel. It was good stuff and much enjoyed.
Graham Hinton did the next set, joined by various band members and I think on Goodnight Irene by Guy Bennett, former host of Blues at Green Note, on piano. Nice to see him back for a visit. Danno played on this, and David, getting plenty of mando action. I’m not 100% sure of the line-up as I was out back attending to my string and the bassless bassist.
To round things off I got up again, and here my maths fail me. How come, with two regulars missing, I ended up part of an 8-piece band? Double bass, mandolin, drum, two percussionists, organ and harp, plus me. Pretty damn good sound it all made, to my ears anyway. The harp was played by a visiting American called Harry, who slotted right in. And in the final number, I managed to remember my gravest omission from earlier, .......
..... jug. Yep, Dave Johnson, having introduced the washboard last month, followed it up with jug. I threw it a solo in the last number and it acquitted itself very well. Now this is what should be regarded as experimental music, not some twee poser fiddling about on a synth.
So, a good time was had by all.
Next one: Wednesday 11th August.
Mark Harrison
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