21 June 2013 (gig)
22 June 2013
Two sets from two very different but complementary acts – a lot of VERY good rock and Blues.
First up was the current incarnation of Eddie & The Hotrods and from the first explosivedrum break I was transported back to ’76 and the Marquee and it was all I could do to keep from pogoing around the Garage (not that it stopped a fair few!).
All the favourites showed themselves including a raucous ‘Teenage Depression’, an awesome ‘Power and Glory’ and the inevitable – and very welcome – ‘Do What You Wanna Do’. They closed, as always, with the National anthem of Rock – ‘Gloria’ – and had the crowd singing away like banshees. Eddie & The Hot Rods were never really punk but they were always a great rock band and it was great hearing Barry Masters belting out those numbers again.
Nine Below Zero are a band I have seen time and again in London but the last time was at the 100 Club and Gerry McAvoy was on bass, This time up they had Brian Bethall on bass alongside Dennis Greaves (guitar & Vocals), Mark Feltham (harp) & Brendan O’Neill on drums – pretty well their classic line-up.
Anyone who knows the band will know that they play classic Blues with a smattering of their own numbers and that is exactly what we got. Fast Blues, slow Blues, jokes and clever numbers and always with wonderful harmonica or brilliant guitar in the lead.
The demeanour of the band is one of the things that make this band special – they are the epitome of ‘The Guvners’ – the audience will get what they are given and enjoy it. Greaves in dark suit and white shirt with impenetrable shades avoids the Blues Brothers comedy look by sheer will and the crowd respond to him in turn.
They played just about an hour an a half – cut short by a 10-30 curfew to allow the disco to take over – and gave us calssics like ‘Mojo Working’, ‘Can I Get A Witness’, ‘I Can’t Quit You Baby’ interspersed with numbers like ‘Don’t Point Your Finger At The Guitar Man’ and Wilko’s ’20 Yards Behind’, closing on the wondrous ‘Eleven Plus Eleven’ and gave the crowd a great time.
The place was packed and the bands were on fire – a great advert for live music. Just a shame about the damned early finish.
