11/3/2022 The Sam Walker Band @ Club 85

It's been a long time since I've been to a gig out of town, but this Friday night finds me hitting the road and driving out to Club 85 in Hitchin. This is a surprisingly large and rather good music venue - much better than you would expect to find in a Hertfordshire town. The event is a night of female fronted music to celebrate International Women's Day.

Unfortunately I don't arrive in time to see the first acts - a shame as Andrea Wilde & the Whiskey Chasers sound like they might have been right up my street. Cara Beard goes on soon after I arrive.

She sounds pleasant enough in an inoffensive pop kind of way. She can sing well enough and has decent stage presence.

However, with no bass player and a guitarist who spends much time fiddling with a keyboard or laptop much of the music we are hearing doesn't sound like it is being played live. Personally I find that unconvincing.

Samantha Walker is probably best known to most people as the former bassist/singer with JoanOvArc, and previously was in The Suffrajets with her sister Shelley on guitar. Sam left JoanOvArc around three years ago due to other commitments, but has now found time to launch her solo project.

Although billed as the Sam Walker Band and playing her own new songs, the whole band are either ex or current members of JoanOvArc and are no strangers to Club 85.

In fact bassist Keira has played at this venue before with her previous band Syteria with Girlschool guitarist Jackie Chambers. Girlschool have played here in the past too. And talking of guitarists, it's no surprise that Sam has got her sister Shelley involved with her new project.

Like Keira, Shelly is a current member of JoanOvArc, and no doubt pleased to be playing a 'hometown(ish)' gig as the sisters originally hail from nearby Stevenage. As well as being interested in seeing what Sam Walker has been doing musically since leaving her last band, I was also keen to see a reunion of sorts of the early lineup of JoanOvArc - especially as I suspected the amazing Debbie Wildish might be behind the drumkit. I was excited to find my suspicions were correct!

It was terrific to see Debbie the 'smiley drummer' playing with the Walker sisters again after she also left JoanOvArc due to other commitments. She really drives things along with an urgency and energy few drummers can match and it's always a pleasure to see and hear her play as she so obviously loves what she is doing. The same very much applies to Shelly - especially when she gets an opportunity to really tear it up in a solo!

However, this isn't a JoanOvArc show. Sam has switched from bass to guitar for her solo material, leaving bass duties in the more than capable hands of Keira - who is a terrific player in her own right.

Sam's solo songs are less out-and-out rock than JoanOvArc, but highlight her amazing vocal range and more commercial songwriting style - very much an artist to keep an eye on.

Sam also puts the guitar down for a while to concentrate on putting her new songs over with her voice.

As the evening draws to a close some covers are thrown into to mix and Keira gets to show off her slap bass skills during a Stevie Wonder cover.

Then the ante is upped with a version of Led Zeppelin's 'Whole Lotta Love' - featuring an exceptional solo from Shelley.

By this time the crowd are getting whipped into a frenzy and there is a lot of very energetic dancing going on.

By now the band are starting to move into full-on all-out ROCK JoanOvArc territory and the energy level is rising rapidly.

The girls give it the 'big rock ending' to the show. No actual JoanOvArc songs have been played by the end of the set, but the crowd are screaming for more.

Although this is billed as a Sam Walker Band show everyone on the stage is a current or ex member of JoanOvArc... Rather than leaving the stage and coming back for an encore the band respond to demand from the crowd to do 'Just one more' - a familiar rumble comes from Debbie's drums and the band launch into JoanOvArc's 'Live Rock 'N' Roll'. It's one of their older but best songs - a real hard rocking crowd pleaser.

It really is the perfect song to end the evening on a high energy note.

Sam's solo stuff sounded excellent and everyone played well as they always do - every member of this band is a superb musician, but it wasn't until halfway through this song that things really fired off big time and it was like JoanOvArc at their best.

It really was a terrific way to end the night! The actual current lineup of JoanOvArc should be back in action later this year with their new singer who is currently having to take a break for health reasons. And Sam Walker will also be back with her band for more live shows and more new music....

3/2/2022 Jack J. Hutchinson @ Islington Academy

It's only about three months since I saw Jack J. Hutchinson at The Black Heart in Camden promoting his latest single Halo from the then forthcoming album. Now he is out on tour to promote the album The Hammer Falls and Jack is playing his largest London gig to date at the Islington Academy. Having seen on Twitter earlier that Marshall just delivered a massive stack to the venue for tonight's show I was keen to get in and hear it. However, there was a problem...

The only way to get a ticket for the show was via Ticketmaster, and it was only possible to buy an e-ticket which only worked via their phone app to show on the door. So a couple of days before the show I downloaded the app to my phone, bought a ticket, and got it loaded onto my phone. I checked it would show my ticket while I was still at home and everything worked fine. I even checked on the train on my way to the gig just to make sure my ticket was still showing on my phone. So I arrive at the venue and get out my phone to show the security guys on the door my ticket - and the bloody Ticketmaster app decides not to work! I'm stuck outside an O2 venue and my phone is also on O2 and apparently I can't get a signal to make the Ticketmaster app work! Normally I just print out my own ticket at home with a scannable bar or QR code and everything works fine - but Ticketmaster decided not to offer that option for this show. Why the hell not? According to the guy on the door other people had similar problems trying to get into this gig. Fortunately the security guy was very helpful and set his own phone up as a Wi-Fi hotspot so I could make my ticket appear on my phone - if he hadn't done that I wouldn't have been able to get in. But suppose it was a big venue and there were hundreds of people trying to get in? If Ticketmaster only offer phone app tickets for another gig I'm interested in going to they can go fuck themselves.

So, after a fashion I eventually get into the venue - no thanks to Ticketbastard. And it's a very good show.

Jack seems to be re-inventing himself from his blues roots into a hard-rock performer.

He certainly has the chops on guitar and is a bit of a showman.

And of course it doesn't hurt that he has a pretty hard rocking band as well.

Things calm down for the almost obligatory acoustic spot and a well received rendition of 'I Will Follow You' - a song with a very personal meaning for Jack.

And then it's time to tread on the loud pedal again and it's back to some seriously heavy riffing.

The new album is a noticeable step in a heavier and harder direction from his earlier blues-rock roots - heavy riffs and shredding solos abound in songs like Call Of The Wild 'Straight To Hell' and World On Fire, but there are some catchy tunes in there as well. What stands out is the well crafted quality of the songs as well as the thick and warm guitar sound. The album is good, but it is as a live performer that Jack J. Hutchinson shines.

Christmas. Or not...

Got all the cards and presents sorted out on Christmas Eve. Got up in the morning on Christmas Day and had a lighter breakfast than normal to leave room for Christmas dinner later. Before leaving for my sister's place for family times with people I hadn't seen since the summer and also the much anticipated Christmas dinner I took a Lateral Flow Test as a precaution as everybody else had taken one and tested negative. Guess what? Although I had woken up with the lightest of sore throats - not even sore, just ever so slightly rough and felt quite normal otherwise my test came up positive. Just my luck after having two Pfizer jabs and a Moderna booster as well as the flu jab - what perfect timing!

So for me at least, Christmas is cancelled. I have to stay at home on my own and isolate. Last year due to the Covid-19 restrictions I had to spend Christmas Day on my own for the first time in my life. Not great, but it was expected and I had time to prepare: A 'Socially Distanced' doorstep exchange of presents was arranged at my sister's house so at least everyone got their presents, and I bought in some seasonal provisions so that I could at least arrange a 'Christmas Dinner' of sorts for myself at home. Not great, but it could have been worse. This year it actually was worse  - no presents given or received as I couldn't leave home or meet anyone. And no Christmas dinner or food of any sort as I hadn't got any when I did my usual weekly shop the previous day as I was expecting Christmas Dinner at my sister's as usual. So no chocolate, cheese, and hardly any booze as I sit here on my own for at least a week. It doesn't feel much like Christmas at all.

Still, at least I should have some time now to work on some more backdated posts about gigs - I'm still over two years behind. Keep scrolling down past my other more recent rants...

15/12/2021 Warner E Hodges Band @ The Dublin Castle

 Although things are starting to pick up a little it's been a sparse year for live music - until just before Christmas and now this week there are gigs I want to go to four nights in a row! And this is during the week when I have to get up for work at stupid-o-clock every morning. This really is the worst possible time for all the gigs to come at once! So in one week I want to go to see the Warner E. Hodges Band, The Darkness & Massive Wagons, Ginger Wildheart & The Sinners, and Duncan Reid & The Big Heads. In normal times I would have attempted to go to all four gigs on consecutive nights. But these aren't normal times...

The Warner E. Hodges Band originally announced one London gig on their current UK tour - at the Hope & Anchor, but this sold out before I could get a ticket, and it also clashed with the Darkness + Massive Wagons show at Shepherds Bush Empire. Then another gig was added the previous night at the Dublin Castle - a venue I feel is less likely to have a Covid-laden atmosphere as it's not in a confined basement like the Hope & Anchor. So this was good news for me. More good news was that Dead Hombres have been added to the bill.

Ex-Gasoline Queens frontman Nigel has put this new band together, but they sound very different to his old outfit. Gone are the Les Paul and Marshal style sounds and now the sound harks back to the 1950's with Gretch guitars and Fender amps - and it sounds very good.

This is the most authentic sounding old school rock & roll combo I've heard in a long time.

And onto the headliners. Jason and the Scorchers guitarist Warner E. Hodges has taken a big chance in these perilous Covid times by coming over to Plague Island for a tour. Individual gigs and whole tours by other artists have been cancelled left right and centre in the UK this year. Things are made simpler by him having his own UK band when he tours here and in Europe, and they have formed a 'bubble' for this 5 date tour to keep themselves and their audience as safe as possible. It only takes one band or crew member to catch Covid and the whole tour is cancelled. With testing and good planning they seem to have pulled it off.

The Warner E. Hodges Band always provide a good night out, and tonight is no exception. Mr Hodges is in Christmas mode and sporting suitable headgear. Although he is perceived as a 'Country Rock' artist, with this band the emphasis is very much on the rock - after all, Warner's favourite band is AC/DC.

There are less covers in the set than normal - after all, Warner and the band do have a new(ish) studio album Just Feels Right to promote - it's very good - you should get it. We do as usual get 'Country Roads' (in more rockin' form than by other artists) and a single AC/DC tune in the form of 'Riff Raff'', but unfortunately not the hoped for 'War Pigs' which this band do a stunning version of - maybe they were saving it for tomorrow night's show at the nearby Hope & Anchor? Still, it was a great night at the Dublin Castle and a fun way to end what has been a less than busy year for live music.

Of the six indoor gigs I've been to in 2021 - every single one has been in Camden.

Oh, and what of the gigs on the following three nights? I didn't go to any of them in the end. I think the Ginger & The Sinners show would have been fun (but packed), and Massive Wagons (who I've already missed once this year) and The Darkness (who I've not seen for several years now) on the same bill would have been great fun night out. The Duncan Reid and the Big Heads show was cancelled due to Corona virus risks, and I thought better of going to the other two in the circumstances - with Christmas and family get togethers coming up I though going to gigs several nights in a row would greatly increase my chances of getting Covid-19 and potentially spreading it around....

17/11/2021 Jack J Hutchinson @ The Black Heart

 Another mid-week gig in Camden, and a quick livener or two in BrewDog first.

Then back down the street to The Black Heart - a tiny venue which has really managed to establish itself on the London rock scene in the past few years, although the quality/quantity of it's real ale has slipped as it's prices rocketed. And we won't even mention the awful unisex toilets which everyone hates. I'm only here for the music, and tonight it starts off with Firekind.

I think they were quite good, but to be honest I can't remember much - I blame BrewDog. I think I sneaked back there between bands as I no longer like drinking (or using the toilets) in The Black Heart.

It's taken me a while to discover Jack J. Hutchinson. Actually he had been following me on Twitter for some time but I hadn't really taken any notice as I had no idea who he was - I don't usually check out 'Followers' who I don't know as many only follow hoping (in vain) for a 'follow-back' and I assumed he was just another acoustic singer/songwriter trying to plug his own stuff - and acoustic stuff just doesn't float my boat. I realised later that I had also missed seeing him support (in solo acoustic mode) the lovely Gabriella Jones at her (full electric band) showcase gig at the Hope & Anchor two or three years ago as I didn't get there early enough to catch his set. Fast forward a couple of years and I'm listening to the much missed Feedback Radio and up pops Jack J. Hutchinson - not acoustic, but in full hard and heavy electric form. Now he has my attention. His own original blues rock songs - with the emphasis on rock, and one or two covers - including a rather good version of Sabbath's 'War Pigs' appear on the station. I also find out he has his own weekly show on Feedback Radio, and it's rather good. Now I am following him on Twitter.

Jack has previously been following the blues-rock path, and also venturing into the acoustic singer/songwriter area. However, he is now heading in a distinctively heavier direction. Zakk Wylde certainly appears to be an influence, not just sonically but also in choice of guitar.

The songs are still blues-rock based, but very much veering in the ROCK direction. The band maybe a simple stripped back 3 piece touring outfit, but the sound is thick and heavy.

Tonight's show is to promote Jack's new single Halo from his forthcoming album.

Although Wylde Audio guitars seem to be heavily featured I'm pleased to see a Les Paul does make as appearance as well even if I didn't get a picture of it. Jack has picked two excellent and very metal musicians to make up his rhythm section and the three of them together make a very tight and powerful band - well worth the trip down to Camden on a Wednesday night.

28/10/2021 Last Great Dreamers + The Vulz + Suicide Notes @ The Black Heart

Camden continues to slowly return to life and I find myself back at the Black Heart yet again - this time to see the full blown return of Last Great Dreamers. However, first band of the night is The Suicide Notes.

They seem  a bit of a throwback to the Camden sleaze rock scene of about 20 years ago - decent enough musicians and a good sound, but the vocals left a bit to be desired. Not bad, but I can't remember any of their songs.

Next up are The Vulz. This is more like my cup of tea - good tunes and punk attitude. I've seen these guys two or three times now and they are good fun.

 And so the the headliners. I saw Slyder's offshoot The Oblivion Kids a few months ago at this same venue. That band are effectively Last Great Dreamers without Marc who was having to take some time out for health reasons. However, I'm glad to say Marc is now back and in good form.

It's great to see the band restored to their full lineup and firing on all cylinders. This isn't a one-off gig either - the band are playing a full tour to promote the re-release of their 1994 debut album Retrosexual.

Needless to say, the album is heavily featured in tonight's set - in fact I think they play the whole thing.

The Oblivion Kids are a good band, but the don't have that special chemistry and charisma that Last Great Dreamers display tonight.

Shapes are thrown and great tunes are blasted out - I don't even think their best songs are on that first album...

...so as well as the good pop/rock/Glam songwriting showcased on 'Retrosexual' we also get some newer bangers like 'White Light (Black Heart)' - well they had to play that song at this venue didn't they?, 'Oblivion Kids' and 'Dope School' as well as a handful of other choice cuts. There is nothing not to like.

An excellent mid-week night out, and on my way out after the show I buy the re-released album on CD - and am pleased that unlike at the Dublin Castle the other night I don't find out later that I already have it at home.!

15/10/2021 Pussycat & The Dirty Johnsons + The Electric Shakes @ The Dublin Castle

Camden seems to be slowing coming back to life. So I find my self again at The Dublin Castle to see Pussycat & The Dirty Johnsons. But before the headliners I see a band who are new to me.

This is The Electric Shakes - and they are very good! They are what I call a proper rock 'n' roll band, and they even have a saxophone player - something you don't see very often these days.

How come I haven't discovered these guys until now? Pounding driving riffs, and actual tunes - this is the real deal.

The Electric Shakes are definitely a band I want to see again - this is the best new band I've seen in ages! OK, so I haven't seen many bands in the last year or so - especially new ones, but this is a band with a 100% rock 'n' roll attitude and there aren't many of them around now.

However, Pussycat & The Dirty Johnsons never fail to deliver the rock 'n' roll goods and are full of snotty attitude.

This band have more of a 50's throwback sound - apart from drummer Filfy Antz throwing in the odd disco beat to shake things up a bit. Dirty Jake on guitar keeps the rockabilly flame alive. Puss Johnson seems to have partly re-invented herself with a slightly more Glam Rock look compared to her earlier Catwoman channeling Tank Girl image, but she still spits and snarls with punky attitude.

After the show Puss is on the merch stall and I buy the band's third album as I already have the first two, but when I get home I find I've already got it - so I really should have bought the fourth one instead! I am an idiot. At least that £10 goes towards the band's fuel money for the trip from their home in Basingstoke.