The Dad Horse Experiance In Which A German Dominates The Globe

Last night night my friend Lynn asked me to go to a gig to see The Dad Horse Experience. I thought she'd mis spelt it but she hadn't . The gig was at The Globe which is five minutes walk from Gallowgate, and it's a excellent concert area if a little small , but very intimate. There was a good crowd and everyone was talking to each other.

Essential the band is Dirk Ottn , who turned up in a three piece suit and was talking to everyone in the Globe before taking the stage, His instrumentation for the set I stayed for was a couple of banjos , mandolin , kazoo and bass pedals which were used to excellent effect.

A Dad Horse Beer Mat

He is similar to if a little darker than CW Stoneking but they share a lot of common ground , being excellent raconteurs , drawing you into their world of blues and gospel in their own amazing way, his own Keller-Gospel style , and you have to hear. I could see him playing in a bar in a David Lynch film.

The songs were a mix of original and standards such as "St James Infirmary" , "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" and Hank Williams' "Lost Highway".





The crowd loved every song , and this guy  is an absolute must see,. I spoke to him after the first set and he was great and funny to talk to . He also had the bar selling his own cocktail as well.

I came away with a copy of his Live In Melbourne album , and another must see artist on my list.

The Dad Horse Experience proves that despite music consisting 7 notes plus sharps there is always a new twist round the corner to delight you. Go and see him if you can.

The Lion Still Talks

This was my third gig in three days , and once more at the Cluny to see the amazing CW Stoneking's New Orleans Australian Jazz Blues


I walked in on the Monkey Junk Blues band , a geordie two piece belting out acoustic based blues standards with some force , including Robert Johnson , Elmore James , Charlie Patton and more , finishing with a crowd driving version of Muddy Waters "Got My Mojo Working". I spoke to the singer , John Nellist, and he told me about the blues club they run in Heaton at The Butterfly Cabinet which is now on my list to visit.  Andy the guitarist was stunning and played some excellent slide . That's second band in three days with a brilliant slide guitar , the other being the Smoke Fairies.

Gon' Boogaloo

CW Stoneking came on stage with a new band. This is more Primitive Western Swing that Primitive Horn Orchestra.One the early new songs was Zombie from the album Gon' Boogaloo which I immediately added to my collection , the crowd were hooked and buzzing. Seeing Stoneking is like being transported to an alternate 1930's reality and it's great, the band were given rests during the night but Stoneking kept on stage regaling us with tales of how he worked as a handyman , shipwrecks , pygmies and how he can never play his banjo ever again , plus the reason for the existence of the Bermuda Triangle.





The band were amazing , and the two backing singers wonderful adding to a fantastic experience. I'm already looking forward to the next gig , another amazing night in the presence  of a genuine character and genius.

I've Got A Wristband And I'm Gonna Use It - Evolution 2011

Creat A Queue

Spillers Wharf

Finally succumbed to the line up for Evolution and bought a weekend ticket. The organisation is attrocious , designed to make it as difficult as possible for the customer. Once you have your ticket you thatne have to get to the Newcastle side and enter the queue making bit to get your wristband. Once past that the stages are a long way apart (Baltic Square over the Millenium Bridge , Spillers Wharf and UMT Stage way down the North Side of the river , and Ballast Hills , location odf the Jumpin Hot Stage up past the Tyne pub , but at least sited on grass and very civilised.

Some amazing artists such as Iggy Pop , Billy Bragg , Plan B , Tinie Tempah and the food and stalls not too bad . It's just the lack of organisation , the bad siting of stages  that put a downer on the thing , but the music has been superb . You can see all the pictures here.

Step Back In Time

Last night, for the first time in my life I attended the Little Theatre in Gateshead for the first time in my life. The Jumpin' Hot Club were putting on a gig featuring CW Stoneking supported by Brownbird Rudy Relic.

Opener Brownbird Rubdy Relic a Mexican New Yorker , mistaken for a Japanese by misinformed reviewers with a pencheant for Indian Hair Oil and Curries , amazed the crowd with a great percussive guitar display , althoug possibly a little over heavy on the kazoo!!. Still he was so good I bought hit album and he provoked thunderous applause from the crowd. An excellent opened to the gig , which incidentally was almost sold out though entirely seated!! Here he is:





CW Stoneking then took the stage with his Primitive Horn Orchetra looking and sounding like some 30s thowback Jazz Blues artists occupying that odd landscape somewhere between Cab Calloway and Tom Waits. Stoneking is Australian , and his albums are notoriously difficult to get hold of so I had no hesitation snapping up a couple that were on sale in the foyer.

The gig was punctuated by his stories which were immensly entertaing , before he launched into his songs on his (according to the stories) Trinidadian Banjo and 80 Year Old guitar. With a voice than could strip wallpaper while still being distinct and clear almost every song was called something Blues , apart from  "Jungle Lullaby" , the other motif was the Jungle , for me the highlight was the story how he worked Jimm Rodges' yodelling into a jungle blues song resulting in the hilarious "Talking Lion Blues", which he can be seen performing live below:





Stoneking is a definite must see and this is the video that finally persuaded me of the guy's genius: