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Hors d’oeuvre Gary Rudd
Main Course Richard Bircumshaw, Steve Cooper, Pete Gostelow The Shantymen with Steve Lealand
Dessert Arnie Weavers
Unfortunately, Andrea has had a mishap so Gary has courteously taken over the reins, leaving Andrea safe in the knowledge that her beloved baby is in good hands. To put us all in a nicely depressed mood, Gary begins the evening with a cover of Richard Ashcroft’s superbly crafted “The Drugs Don’t Work”, written at the time his father was dying from cancer. To lighten the tone, Gary then follows up with Bernie Taupin’s “Your Song”. Richard steps up with three original instrumentals, “Taylor’s Revenge”, Rod’s Rag” and “Emily’s Dance”. Steve Cooper begins with a superb original composition, the powerfully descriptive “Ghost Of Grimsby” and then follows with an excellent cover of Lynard Skynard’s blues-rocker, “Sweet Home Alabama”. Pete Gostelow, who treated us to some cracking blues on his mandolin two weeks ago, has plumped for a touch of slide on steel guitar tonight beginning with his own “Learning To Feel Bad Blues”. He continues with Robert Johnson’s superb “Steady Rolling Man” before rounding off with Willie Dixon’s classic, “Little Red Rooster”. We welcome the return of smiling Steve Lealand as the Shantymen, in a complete contrast of styles to our previous, acts blaze a trail with four shanties, “Haul Away Joe”, South Australia”, Blow The Man Down” and “John Knacknaka”, though whether they actually need the PA is debatable. Gary’s back with his banjolele for a short but sweet rendition of Freddie and the Dreamers big sixties hit, “You Were Made For Me”. He continues with George Formby’s rather risqué “Little Stick Of Blackpool Rock”, before treating us to a hilarious Formby-style spoof, “Osama Bin Laden”. Try; ‘Since music is banished in his land, the kids never hear the ice cream van, O-O-O-Osama Bin Laden”. Laughing? We were rolling in our seats. Gary then takes us to the break with two more famous Formby ditties, “When I’m Cleaning Windows” and “Leaning On The Lampost”. Just when we thought we had got over that depressing start, news filters in that Lincoln City have conceded a 93rd minute goal, suffering a 1-2 defeat in their six-pointer relegation clash with Mansfield. Never mind! We’ve got the beer and sandwiches to comfort us. Lucky Mike Steele has popped off to Birmingham tonight to enjoy Steve Earle in concert which inspires Gary to open the second half with a terrific cover of “My Old Friend The Blues”. Gary follows that with “Ring Of Fire”. The Shantymen return with a couple of instrumentals. They begin with John on squeeze box and Steve A., Steve L. and Toby on bodrhan, laptop and tambourine respectively. With John on banjo, Steve A. starts out on Jew’s harp but finding it too painful, switches to bodrhan, while Steve L. calmly and contently just keeps on providing the rhythm. Arnie, who writes some terrific songs way beyond his age, offers us two more worthy original compositions, the first as yet untitled and the second tentatively entitled, “Why Do I Always Go Wrong?” John then accompanies him on guitar as Arnie concludes a very fine spot with “House Of The Rising Sun”. Richard treats us to one of his favourites, John Martyn’s “Sweet Little Mystery” and then John and Steve L. join him for a rousing “Motherless Child” to bring the evening to a close. So, only six artists tonight but what excellent performances they’ve all produced. Many thanks to Paul for a stalwart job on the sound desk and clipboard(!) and to Tracy, Pete and Katherine for keeping us well fed and watered, but surely special plaudits must be reserved for Gary who’s provided us with some superb entertainment and guided us through the evening with aplomb. Andrea will sleep soundly in her bed tonight |
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