SANDY TWEEDDALE AND GUS MUNRO
Tweeddale and his usual band , drums and bass, combining with Munro for the opening set. A mix of blues standards and some of Munro's own songs. The latter handled the vocals, and his rough tones are perfect for the material, with the bonus of some attacking harmonica. But the real joy lies in the guitar work, each taking turns to provide the lead, then working closely together. The contrast between Tweeddale's effortless fluidity and Muro's more staccato approach, and his generous use of the slide, provided contrast and harmony. Lots of energy, lots of fun, and a genuine rapport with their audience. A great opener for the afternoon.
GERRY JABLONSKI BAND
Opening quietly, out comes guitarist Jablonski and his drummer, the latter taking the mic and delivering a few vocals of soulful blues... But then it changes. the drummer takes his rightful place at the back, on come the bassist, harmonica player and singer, and up goes the energy, the volume and the craziness. The GJ Band gets into full swing...
A raucous rocking R&B outfit that bring smiles, stage presence and infectious showmanship, with strong vocals, flashy guitar work and powerful harp solos. They're all over the stage, out in the audience, spilling out their enjoyment. Lots of laughter, but also driving rhythms, decent melodies and virtuosity to back up the flash. Tremendous fun.
TRUE STRAYS
The format of these shows is intended to build up the anticipation, and leave the best to last. So perhaps that's why the final act felt a bit of a let down. Objectively there's nothing much wrong with the performance. A conventional 4 piece line up of drums, bass, keyboard and lead guitar, with lead vocals coming from the guitarist and bassist. This pair very much the front men, very much the focus.
Was this blues? Tenuously at times, and some of the melodies and lyrics almost felt poppy at times. They took a while to get going, and struggled to build up a relationship with the audience like the previous acts had had. The singing of the guitarist was off key at times, the bassist much better. The musicianship was good though, and it's always a pleasure to here a steel guitar played with slide. Keyboards contributed a lot to the sound, and he got his own solo towards the end of the set.
The first two acts felt like bands, even if Gus was guesting with Sandy's trio, they felt like proper units. The Strays felt like a duo with a couple of guys added in, and a look at their history (the pair have been best friends since childhood) provides a likely explanation, and that lack of togetherness came through. An enjoyable act, but disappointing as a show topper.
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