18/4/2008 Chas & Dave + Bootleg Blondie @ the 100 Club

Subject	Chas & Dave + Bootleg Blondie @ the 100 Club
PostedDate	4/18/2008
	This is another one I'd been looking forward to for some time.  I'd only seen Chas & Dave once before, at a local theatre venue a year or so ago - they were great, but the venue was far from ideal.  Obviously the best place to see them is in a pub, but they don't really play proper pub venues any more so I figured the 100 Club would be the nearest I'd get. £20 is more than I'd usually pay to see a band in a venue like this, but Chas & Dave are legends and have so many great songs as well a being top musicians in their own right - so I knew it would be worth it. They are actually playing three nights at the 100 Club this month, so I had to pick the best night to go; Eddie & The Hot Rods were supporting one night - that was tempting, but they cancelled for some reason. I picked this night as there was a Blondie tribute band supporting, so at least I knew I'd like their songs. Bootleg Blondie were playing as I arrived. As a band they weren't really as good as I was expecting them to be - not quite up to the standard of most tribute bands in my opinion, but 'Debbie' was very good. The singer had obviously put a lot of work into her act and performed very well - singing probably at least as well as the real thing. There were several changes of costume on her part, while the band extended the instrumental parts of some songs to cover this. The band wore Parallel Lines era suits, but this was as far as it went visually, apart from 'Chris Stein's' Stratocaster looking the part. Actually, 'Chris Stein' looked more like Dave Edmunds! I was wondering if 'Nigel Harrison' would perform the bass solo in 'Atomic'? I was pleased when he did. I'm not keen on tribute bands as a rule, and although I like Blondie I wouldn't go and see this band on their own. I saw the real thing in their prime, so nothing could compare with that. They were certainly a very acceptable support act on this occasion though. Having seen Chas & Dave before, I knew they would be good and it would be a top night of entertainment.  I was obviously not alone in thinking that as the 100 Club was packed! Unlike the last time I saw the Tottenham terrors, this was a very young crowd - this was obviously not a nostalgia trip for thisaudience. To be honest, I don't think Chas & Dave were as good as last time I saw them - in spite of this being a far more suitable location. Maybe it was because it was so crowded and hot in the club, or because it was the third time they've played the same venue this month? Anyone is entitled to the odd 'off' night though - and even on an off night Chas & Dave are still bloody good! Naturally, we got the obvious hits; 'Rabbit', 'Gertcha',  'The Sideboard Song', and 'Ain't No Pleasing You' - but apart from other crowd pleasers like 'Margate', 'London Girls' and 'Wallop' they have so many great songs like 'Poor Old Mr Woogie' that were never singles. You can't really go to a Chas & Dave gig and not have a good time! Plus you can enjoy a decent pint (a rarity in any music venue) while you watch 'em.  £20 well spent!