Laura Younger…
Is from Colchester. Brimming
with the confidence of youth, she performs some songs from her debut album
"Notes to Self". Her song writing shows lyrical sensibilities
that exceed our expectations of one so young. The songs are well
constructed and really rather catchy. Of particular note is "City
Girls". The next day - now bereft of alcohol - we debate the use of
the word "beauteous" in this song with her. Is it a real word?
Apparently it is. We retire wounded. The kitten has claws.
Next up
is Big Baby Ernie.
All the way from New Jersey
says our Ben. They seem to be the most experienced band having regular gigs
throughout New Jersey. They play with gusto laying down a solid groove that
gets your feet tapping. Bluesbunny muses on things from the other side of
the Atlantic. Where do they get their drummers? Every one of them different
but each one hits the skins with metronomic precision driving each song
forward. Musicianship of the highest order and that's the truth. Tonight's
man on the beat was Bryan Bosen. The temperature in the room is definitely
rising now.
Big Baby Ernie handles the
audience like a seasoned pro. He compliments our warm British beer between
songs. Songs like "Fairweather Friends" and "Hurricane
Song" stick in the mind. But it's all-good. Damn fine organ playing
from Vince Bergamo too. The band's sound reminds Bluesbunny of Jamiroquai
but without the pretensions. Or the expensive car collection, no doubt.
Foot tapping, hard hitting, lip smacking, solid grooving, floor filling,
enervating solid gold action.
They are the real deal and
that's for sure.
Then came
Kalvin Koolidge.
Hailing from Boston, our man
Ben tells us that they represent the punk contingent. He means punk in an
American way. They have problems with an amp. In a Spinal Tap moment, they
are advised to turn it up to 11. Sounding less polished than Big Baby
Ernie, they deliver an edgy performance. Verging on the shambolic at times,
they possess a raw energy missing from so many bands these days. They run
through several tracks from their rather fine CD "Kill the
Precedent". That'll do nicely.
Laura Younger returns with
"Maybe Never". She gives a touching, sensitive rendition of one
of the best songs on her CD. She more than holds her own against the noisy
boys in the bands.
Big Baby Ernie returns and
delivers a powerful version of "Suffer". Superb. Ah, you think
it's all over? No. Time for a super group. Going under the name "Pants
Party", the stage fills with every musician in the room. This includes
Ben Ruth. And they blow the roof off. They roar through everything, playing
like their very life depends on it. They even do a James Brown medley. And
then they drop their trousers.
By this time, the audience are
dancing on the tables. It's late. The bar runs out of Copper Dragon.
We danced. We sang. We had a
damn good time. Time to go.
Then Bluesbunny found he was
locked out of his hotel.
Bluesbunny did not
care. He was still dancing.
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