Big Ray , Chestwigs another Schooner Extravaganza

A Good Crowd

Well today was a bill to hope you would see once in your life , The Star Spangled Chestwigs and Big Ray and The Hipthrusters on the same bill outdoors at The Schooner in Gateshead.

 For reasons unbeknown the billing switched round and Big Ray opened , a still huge stage presence powering though classics like nobody's business . "No Spittin On The Bus" , "Riot In Cell Block #9" and Shel Silverstein's politically incorrect "Freakin' ant The Freakers Ball" . The weather was brilliant as were the band .

Big Ray , Ratty and a Chicken

When the band had finished the crowd were treated to Chicken Shit Bingo which raised £25 for charity , if you don't know what it is try Wikipedia , but this one involved Big Ray as adjudicator and a man in a chicken costume.





Next up were the Star Spangled Chestwigs , it was good to see them out of doors in daylight , a first for me I think , and for many of the crowd. Shev a master crowd manipulator in his sparkly dress , Adas the powerhouse drummer  driving the guitare and bass of through "Sweet Caroline" , "Hey Rock and Roll" , "Radar Love" and "Take Me Home, C(o)untry Roads" (John Denver will be turning in his gravy, which is a good thing). Any the crowd loved it , another great sunday at The Schooner. 

Lord Rochester Sets Sail In The Schooner

Didnt expect to be writing this post , but my friends Dave and Julie Campbell have taken over The Schooner in Gateshead and last night was the first gig featuring the excellent Lord Rochester. I'd seen Lord Rochester at the Central Bar (then under the tenure of Mr Campbell) on the recommendation of someone or otrh , and he's one striking dude with his Bo Diddley sound and custom square guitar, backed by the equally excellent Lady Muck on bass and Siberian Tim on Maracas driven drums (something you don't see every day) . There's a few tracks from the night on my youtube channel here

Lord Rochester's website is here with all the details of how they came into existence, plus the albums and singles available , though you can grab a copy of the excellent Hey Here. I also noticed the Mods and Rockers EP here and the only download I could find is Deathbed.

Needless to say the venue is excellent and the setlist was just one good song after another mixing originals with Bod Diddly and Chuck Berry classics such as Almost Grown.

If you get a chance to see them , do not miss them,