|
|
|
|
Menu
Hors d’oeuvre: Andrea Ferguson Main Course: Sam Harrison, John Brightman, Arnie Steve Jackson, The Shantymen with Steve Lealand John Ecob, Milly Dessert: Karl Svarc & Bob “Easy” Reid
Despite a damp and rather dismal October evening, there’s quite a little gathering of valiant souls as Andrea sets us on our way with her own gorgeous “You Forgot To Say Goodbye”. Andrea takes part in the finals of the LCCSSC at the end of the month and maybe, just maybe, this beautiful song will bring her the success she deserves. Andrea then rounds off with the Indigo Girls’ “Closer To Fine”. We’ve always relied upon the popular Mike Steele to provide us with the odd curio but now he has a serious ‘rival’ in the shape of young Sam Harrison who really can conjure up some “headscratchers”. Sam begins with Kula Shaker’s “Mystical Machine Gun” and then follows up with an original composition, “Crossfire” before finishing off with Gomez’s “Whippin’ Piccadilly”. The fact that schoolteacher and masterful guitarist John Brightman deems it worth his while to make the 36 mile round trip to be amongst us, can only be seen as a serious vote of confidence for what Andrea, Tracy and Pete have created down here. John’s greatest influence is probably the Dutch guitar maestro Harry Sacksioni and he fittingly commences his spot with a Sacksioni tune, the beautiful “Thee Bij Tante Josefine”. John follows with his own “He Said, She Said”. There’s no substitute for experience and Paul, our hard-working resident sound engineer is well prepared for the fortissimo section this time. To end with a bit of a bang, John plumps for a Sacksioni tune that he hasn’t played for quite a while, “Nonna’s Nachtmerrie”. Regular followers of open mics will no doubt recognize young Arnie but it’s the first time that we’ve had the pleasure of welcoming here at the GEOM. Arnie doesn’t feel up to singing tonight so instead he treats us to a couple of presumably original instrumentals before finishing off with a guitar improvisation. Another popular OM regular, Steve Jackson, is up next on his Lincolnshire Strummer in G for Woody Guthrie’s sing-along “This Land Is Your Land”. Pub regular and talented percussionist Steve Lealand is then invited to join in to provide soon superb locomotive rhythm for “Truck Driving Man”. A change of tempo now as Steve picks up his “careworn” guitar for his lovely ballad “You” to round off another super spot. It would be hard to imagine an open mic night down here without the Shantymen who immediately launch into a boisterous shanty, “Sailor’s Prayer”. With John on his banjo-ukulele and Steve L. on laptop, Steve A. gives another magical performance on spoons before the boys take us to the break with the rousing “Mighty Storm”. Whilst tucking into our tasty fayre after an excellent and varied first half, a perusal of the Beer Menu will reveal a sumptuous array of real ales including two quality beers from Lancaster Brewery, “Giant Axe” and “Dark Side Of The Lune”, but surely the beer connoisseur choice tonight must be Newby Wyke’s superlative “HMS Victory”. Unsurprisingly, Andrea’s a Taurus and having tried to put her cover of David Bowie’s “Five Years” ‘to bed’ for a little while now, she duly does so as she opens the second half. Within the last half hour a hardy smattering of Lincoln City’s faithful supporters have been drifting in. After another disheartening defeat on a pretty foul night, they’re possibly surprised but probably delighted to discover such a warm atmosphere here. One avid Lincoln fan who will not be surprised is GEOM regular John Ecob but surely he must be delighted as Andrea graciously affords him the opportunity borrow her treasured guitar. John strikes up with his first ever composition, “Play It Again” before finishing with his familiar “Long Way To Heaven”. Andrea has recently opined that the GEOM ‘feeds itself’ these days and happily, you can’t really argue with that. As if proof were needed, we now have the opportunity to welcome Milly. Although he’s a well known and popular performer on the pub circuit, Milly is making his debut down here. Ironically his usual musical partner, Andy, who can be spotted down here on occasions, isn’t down tonight. That’s hardly a problem though, for Steve A. is only too willing to step in Andy’s shoes for “Rocky Road To Dublin”. Following a straw poll, Milly chooses a ‘happy’ song, the somewhat tongue-in-cheek tale about the misfortunes of an Irish brickie, “The Sick Note”. Our final act, Karl and Easy, treat us to lovely laidback versions of “Don’t Let Nobody Drag You Down” and “Cocaine” before Andrea and Steve J. join in on the familiar medley “Rock Me Baby/Crossroads/Got My Mojo Working”. All in all, another good night and with due respect to all the artists who performed so well tonight, it has been really encouraging to welcome Arnie and Milly down here for the first time. Hopefully they’ll be back and everyone else too, of course! |
|
|
