10/7/2010 - Part 1. Darrel Bath Band @ the Hope & Anchor

Subject	Darrel Bath Band @ the Hope & Anchor
PostedDate	7/10/2010
	I'm attempting two gigs in one night again, but it doesn't help that the first one isn't exactly an early start... So I find myself at the Hope & Anchor to see the Darrel Bath Band. I like this smallish pub venue as it's one of the very few which actually serves real ale (upstairs) and I can get Newcastle Brown downstairs - all at reasonable prices - proving it isn't actually neccessary to rip the punters off at the bar to make a profit at a music venue. (The Gaff is another good example of this, but the real ale pumps are often 'off') Regular readers may have the impression I'm a bit of a piss-artist. And they may be right - seeing as my memory is shot to pieces - which is actually one of the reasons I started taking pictures at gigs, so I could remember where I've been and who I've seen! It works -  up to a point... Anyway, I digress. Last time I saw this band it was at the 12 Bar Club a couple of months ago, and to be honest it wasn't one of Darrel's better gigs for whatever reason. Tonight he is back on form and plays one of his best shows - he says himself after the show that it's the best gig he's played with his current band. I have described Darrel Bath in the past as a 'Guitarist's guitarist' - the musicians amongst you who have seen this man perform (some of whom subscribe to this very blog) know exactly what I mean. Darrel is quite unique in his intuitive style of playing while actually hardly appearing to play at all. There is a musician's saying about knowing when not to play is as important as what you actually play - Darrel demonstrates this perfectly, without appearing to try. His playing is just so natural and fluid that the notes just seem to drip effortlessly from his fingers - almost as if he isn't even aware he's playing guitar as well as singing. He has a knack of seeming to play in and around the song, instead of all over it like most other players do. If you play guitar, do yourself a favour and check this guy out - you might really learn something.  Darrel doesn't seem too concerned when given the signal that he only has time for one more song, and ends up playing two as people start to filter in the the club which follows the bands. The last 12 Bar gig was a bit more laid back than usual, possibly because of the more intimate confines of the venue, but tonight's show was a lot more rockin' - and all the better for it! Darrel & Co finish their set at the Hope & Anchor not long after 11.00 - which is when the next band I was planning to see tonight were due to take to the stage in Pentonville Road, which fortunately isn't too far away. So off into the night I head...