Jools Holland At Middlesbrough Town Hall

Jools Holland

Middlesbrough Town Hall

24.5.2014

Jools Holland and his fabulous Rhythm and Blues Orchestra rocked Middlesbrough for nearly two hours last night.

The show, featuring a range of vocalists in addition to Jools himself had more people on the stage than Wells Fargo ever managed. Guitars, bass, keyboards, an enormous horn section and, of course, the mighty drums of Gilson Lavis all had their moments in the spotlight alongside Jools's piano. The solo highlight was probably the drums, with Gilson Lavis - the only person never the leave the stage throughout the set - alone on the stage for the duration.

The absolute highlights of the evening were provided by special guests Melanie C and Mark Almond, with the latter shading it, with a particularly energetic performance that included knockout versions of Say Hello, Wave Goodbye and Tainted Love.

Elsewhere, the band went through the card: blues, boogie-woogie, soul, Gospel (mainly belted out by Ruby Turner) - you name it. There was even a piano duet that saw Jools joined by his brother - on the same piano.

They have already announced the dates and guests for their next tour (Autumn 2014). Head to the official website for further details.

T-Rextasy At The Middlesbrough Theatre

T-Rextasy

Middlesbrough Theatre

23.5.2014

It was great to see T-Rextasy back on Teesside. It's been a while since I saw them (2007, in fact) and I've been very keen to experience their show again ever since.

T-Rextasy - ''the world's only official tribute to Marc Bolan and T-Rex'' - always put on a great show.

Danielz continues to strut his stuff in the style of Marc Bolan as the group run through two blistering sets of T-Rex's finest songs. All the hit tracks are there, plus a few of the slightly more obscure ones.

The pace never lets up and the whole evening provides a massive dose of the feel good factor.

Any T-Rex fans who have yet to T-Rextasy in action should rectify the omission at the earliest possible opportunity. It's definitely the closest to the real Marc Bolan and T-Rex we'll ever see. 

Keep up to day with the latest news and tour dates over at the T-Rextasy website.

Bridie Jackson And The Arbour: New Video

We reviewed the new album by Bridie Jackson and The Arbour - New Skin - here at the start of the month.

The indefatigable quarter have now released a brand new video for We Talked Again which was, in the words of Bridie and The Arbour, ''directed by ABPhotography and funded by you lovely people, through Sponsume.com.''

An emotional roller coaster! Care to comment? Just head for the Bridie Jackson and The Arbour Facebook page.

Royal Southern Brotherhood: heartsoulblood

heartsoulblood

Royal Southern Brotherhood

The Royal Southern Brotherhood are back! Following hard on the heels of their live CD/DVD set - Songs From The Road - they are all set to release their brand new CD.

heartsoulblood features the band (Cyril Neville, Devon Allman, Mike Zito, Yonrico Scott and Charlie Wooton) on blistering form, from the first riff of World Blues to the final beat of the drums on Love And Peace.

Track List

World Blues
Rock And Roll
Groove On
Here It Is
Callous
Ritual
Shoulda Known
Let's Ride
Trapped
She's My Lady
Takes A Village
Love And Peace

heartsoulblood is described by the band themselves as ''the record they really wanted to make'' and it's easy to see why. The band draw on their extensive set of influences to deliver 12 high-powered songs, crossing - and sometimes merging - the genres of soul, funk, blues and, of course, good old rock 'n' roll.

The songwriting credits feature all five band members (in varying degrees) and the lead vocals are shared, more or less equally, between Mike, Devon and Cyril. This works well, adding different textures to the songs and providing a fine contrast of styles right across the album.

It should go without saying that the musicianship is exemplary.  After all, Cyril Neville, Devon Allman, Mike Zito, Yonrico Scott and Charlie Wooton are all accomplished, class acts in their own right and together they are even stronger.

Highlights of this very impressive album include World Blues, Rock And Roll and Trapped, but that's from a rock point of view; others may well prefer the soul side of things with Shoulda Known and She's My Lady, or the funkier offerings Groove On and Here It Is.

heartsoulblood will be released on 16 June, closely followed by a tour of the UK and Europe that should win Royal Southern Brotherhood new fans wherever they go.

Tour Dates

June 20 UK Chichester, Blues On The Farm

June 21 UK Durham, Blues Festival

June 22 UK Cleethorpes, Blues Festival

June 23 UK Clitheroe, The Grand

June 24 UK Cardiff, The Globe

June 25 UK London, O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire

June 26 DK Odense, Posten

June 27 DK Haderslev, Klöften Festival

June 28 CH Rapperswil, Jazz & Bluesfestival

June 29 I Piacenza, Del Mississippi al Po

July 1 I Ameno, Ameno Blues Festival

July 3 UK St. Ives, Guildhall

July 4 UK Kent, Hop Farm Festival

July 5 NO Skanevik, Bluesfestival

July 6 NO Bremanger, Opplev

July 31 NO Notodden, Bluesfestival

Aug 1 NO Notodden, Blues festival

Follow the Royal Southern Brotherhood news and tour dates over at their official website.

The Bills: Yes Please

Yes Please
The Bills

The Bills - the quintet from the West Coast of Canada - are back in the UK for a series of tour dates. They have released a new album too.

Track List

Hallowed Hall
The Plant Song
Shining Face
After Music
Not The End
Little Tribune
Scotch Bonnet
Pandora's In Flames
Love's Medley
Gale In My Sail
Quarter Century Mazurka
Blackberry Ivy And Broom
The Gardenton Waltz


The Bills have one foot in the folk genre, with the other planted firmly in roots music. They have been described as a ''Canadian acoustic music supergroup'' and, having listened the Yes Please several times, it's easy to see why. The list of instruments utilised by The Bills is impressive and should give an indication as to what one can expect to hear.

Personnel


Marc Atkinson: Vocals, guitar, piano, percussion, mandolin, mandola
Richard Moody: Vocals, violin, viola
Adrian Dolan: Vocals, piano, fiddle, accordion, viola
Scott White: Vocals, upright bass
Chris Frye: Guitar, percussion, lead vocal

The songs all contrast greatly. The two stand outs for me are The Plant Song and Shining Face. The former sounds a jaunty little number at first impression, about a man neglecting a plant, but on closer inspection it is perhaps several shades darker than it initially seems to be. Shining Face is a much simpler song, with love conquering all being the theme of the day. It's upbeat and catchy.

Five of the tracks are instrumentals, not needing lyrics to convey their message. Of these, the one I enjoyed most is The Gardenton Waltz, which starts with a simple - yet highly evocative - piano piece, before the other instruments (starting with the violin) are introduced, one at a time, as the tune builds into something very intricate indeed. It eventually comes full circle and ends with the simple piano bringing about a fitting conclusion.

It was a good decision to include several instrumentals. As good as the lyrics of the songs are, it is good to be able to really focus on the instruments and their intricate interactions.

The Bills are certainly no strangers to the UK, having already notched up noteworthy appearances at events such as Celtic Connections and the Cambridge Folk Festival. Starting this week, they are all set to win new fans and reconnect with existing followers at 15 different venues.

UK Tour Dates


Fri May 23: Hothouse, Morecambe

Sat 24: Ireby Festival, Cumbria

Sun 25: Playhouse 2 Theatre, Shaw, Oldham

Mon 26: The Gulbenkian, Canterbury

Tues 27: All Saints Church, Hereford

Wed 28: The Met, Bury

Thurs 29: Swaledale Festival, St Andrew’s Church, Grinton

Fri 30: The Ropery Hall, Barton upon Humber

Sat 31: Selby Town Hall

Sun June 1: Brookfield Hall, Renfrewshire

Tues 3: Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline

Wed 4: Eastgate Theatre, Peebles

Thurs 5: The Sage, Gateshead

Fri 6: The Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal

Sat 7: Gate to Southwell Festival, Notts

Head to their official website for further information.

Coco Montoya: Songs From The Road

Songs From The Road

Coco Montoya

Songs From The Road is a series of live recordings from RUF records. We have previously reviewed similar cuts from Oli Brown, Royal Brotherhood of Soul and Savoy Brown. Today sees the release of the latest album in the series, this time featuring bluesman Coco Montoya.

Track List

CD1

I Got A Mind To Travel
Hey Senorita
Too Much Water
The One Who Really Loves You
Love Jail
Don't Go Makin' Plans
I Wish I Could Be That Strong

CD2

Fannie Mae
I Need Your Love In My Life
Good Days, Bad Days
I Want It All Back
I Won't Beg
You'd Think I'd Know Better By Now
My Side Of The Fence

The recordings were made on 2012 and 2013 at The Triple Door, Seattle.

Other CDs in the series have included a DVD of the show as the second disc. I wondered why we needed two discs just for the audio version on this occasion but it soon became apparent: Good Days, Bad Days runs for over 15 minutes and three more tracks crash through the 10-minute mark (with a number of others not too far behind).

Yes, Coco Montoya - a former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers - pulls no punches as he unleashes a double helping of powerful blues, drawing on his lifetime of experience to deliver a pulsating set of extended songs.

Personnel

Coco Montoya - Vocals and guitar
Rena Beavers - Drums and vocals
Nathan Brown - Bass
Brant Leeper - Keyboards and vocals

It may 'only' be a four-man band, but the richness of the sound and the quality of the musicianship makes it sound like a stage full of people.

Stand out tracks include the scene-setting I Got A Mind To Travel, the big, bluesy Too Much Water and the final rock-out of My Side of the Fence. Audience reaction has been retained on the recording and they sound like they are having as much fun as the band. The whole thing has a definite feel good atmosphere, which can't fail to lift the spirits of the listener.

Keep up to date with the latest Coco Montoya news over at his official website.

Black Coffee

Black Coffee

Forum Theatre, Billingham

14.5.2014

Hercule Poirot was on Teesside this week, exercising his ''leeetle grey cells'' on a particularly baffling case featuring a corpse, some poisoned coffee and numerous suspects all acting suspiciously to a greater or lesser extent.

Initially called in to solve a theft of an important document, Poirot - finely portrayed by Robert Powell (not the first time he has appeared on Teesside) had his work cut out to pick his way through the thickets of clues and red herrings. Naturally he succeeds, although not without difficulty, or the help of his eternal friends Captain Hastings and Inspector Japp. There's a good portion of humour to go alongside the fatal potion. Indeed, the play sometimes feels like a light-hearted Noel Coward outing at times, but it never makes the mistake of going over the top.

Written in 1929, Black Coffee was Agatha Christie's first play and the only to feature her famous Belgian detective. It's also the only Christie Poirot tale not to be made with David Suchet in his most famous role. This new version features a strong cast and an impressive set.

Black Coffee is a very entertaining play. Perhaps we will see Robert Powell back in the Poirot role again some time?

CSC Teesside Training Day

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Our next CSC Teesside Training Day will be in Middlesbrough on Monday 7 July 2014.

Anyone can enrol and it's free to people currently involved with any of our CSC Teesside schools (teachers, TAs, parents...)

For further details and the online enrolment form, please follow this link.

For reports on our previous CSC Training Days, please follow this link.

Morecambe

Morecambe

Gala Theatre, Durham

8.5.2014

Based on the life of comedian Eric Morecambe, this is the same play I saw at the Duchess Theatre (London) back in 2009. Written by Tim Whitnall and starring Bob Golding, this one-man show starts with Eric's death and his arrival in heaven. Immediately engaging with the audience, he retells the salient points of his life story from the start of his career as a child star, through his meeting and subsequent partnership with Ernie Wise and on to their phenomenal rise to unparallelled success as the nation's favourite TV stars.

''Little Ern'' is somewhat controversially (albeit affectionately) represented by a ventriloquist's dummy. The one-liners come thick and fast and there's an abundance of genuine laugh-out-loud moments, tempered by the stark, shocking  episodes of Eric's heart attacks.

It's a fabulous play and fans of Morecambe and Wise will love it.

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Follow the news and tour dates over at the official Morecambe play website.

Memories Of Mike: The Lion

 Memories Of Mike: The Lion

It's that time of the year again, when we look back at my dear departed friend, Mike Closs.

Last time I presented games between us, we examined two connected games featuring the Sicilian Defence. I had more than my fair share of games with the black pieces against him. It was only towards the end of our chess battles that the balance started to level out.

One game sticks in my mind because we had both been preparing the same opening in anticipation of being black. It was in the Cleveland County Championship - a tournament we were both desperate to win. When the pairings were announced, I was given a rare White and prepared a little surprise in the opening. Instead of playing 1 d4 and heading for the usual King's Indian or Benoni Defence I decided to try 1 e4 (Mike's favourite moves as White). If I'd have been given black I was going to surprise Mish by giving a debut the Black Lion.

Imagine my surprise when he eschewed his usual defences (Sicilian, Pirc and Modern) and played instead...the Black Lion! It turned out we had both been preparing using the same two books, namely The Black Lion and An Explosive Chess Opening Repertoire For Black. The former is a classic (subsequently updated for New in Chess) and the latter, although mainly concerned with the Pirc Defence in response to 1 e4, nevertheless contained some material relevant to the Lion.

Mish had apparently been carting the books around with him for weeks (studying chess while at work) and more than once resorted to bending back the covers of the big, hardback Lion book so I wouldn't be able to catch a glimpse of it in his bag.

Sean Marsh vs. Mike Closs
Cleveland County Championship, Round 6
25.3.2002

1. e4

Surprise! This was the first time I'd played 1 e4 against Mike since our very first game, back in 1982, when we played for our respective school teams - Warsett and Westfields.

1 ...d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nbd7

Counter-surprise! I had been expecting 3 ...g6 - the Pirc Defence. 3 ...Nbd7 is one of the branches of The Lion. I had spent my time preparing the other variation for Black, starting with 3 ...e5. I knew little about the main lines after 3 ...Nbd7 and Mike admitted he was having trouble remembering them too.

4. f4 e5 5. Nf3 exd4 6. Qxd4

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We both knew the line up to here but then we struggled to recall the critical moves.

6 ...Be7?!

6 ...c6 is the best move here. 

7. e5! dxe5 8. fxe5 Bc5 9. Qh4

White is doing well here. 9 Qa4 may be even better, because it would avoid a trade of queens.

9 ...Qe7 10. Bf4 Ng4!?

10 ...Bb4 was a safer alternative, winning some central squares for the Knight on f6, but Mish always preferred to drum up tactical chances rather than play positionally.

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11. Qxe7+ 

After 11 Qxg4, Nxe5 lights the tactical touchpaper and gives Black the better game. We were both using up lots of time on the clock already and the game was very tense.

11 ...Bxe7 12. Nd5?!

An inaccuracy. White has the advantage and 12 h3 Nh6 13 0-0-0 would have preserved more of it. I probably missed that Black would gain an important tempo with a subsequent ...c6.

12 ...Bd8 13. h3 c6!  14. Nc3 Nh6  15. O-O-O  Nc5 16. g4 Ba5 17. Be3 Bb6 18. Kb1 O-O 19. Bc4

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It still looks good for White, but the resourcefulness of the Mighty Mish could never be underestimated.

19 ... Na4! 20. Nxa4 Bxe3 21. Rhe1 Bf4 22. Nc5 b5 23. Bb3

23 Bd3! is also good. It wouldn't be a target for Black's queenside pawns and it would have the option of going to e4 to apply strong pressure along the h1-a8 diagonal. At the time I thought the pressure on f7 would be more important, but when it came to the crunch I chose the wrong path.

23 ...Bg3 24. Rf1 a5 25. a3 Re8 26. Ng5 Ra7

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I think the best chance for White to turn the advantage into something  serious is 27 e6! when 27 ...Bxe6 28 Ncxe6 fxe6 29 Bxe6+ Kh8 30 Bd7! would appear to win at least the c-pawn and probably (eventually) the game. Yet at the time we were both so short of time on the clock that it was difficult to play anything committal over the board.

27. Nxf7 Nxf7 28. Ne4 Be6! Equality at last! The most likely continuation here is 28 Bxe6 Rxe6 29 Nxg3 Rxe5, so we agreed to a draw at this point.  1/2-1/2

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Related posts

2010 
Memories of the Mighty Mish Part 1

2011
Memories of Mike Part 2
One Year On

2012
Memories of Mike: 1 e4 c5

2013
More Memories of Mike


Memorial Tournament Reports

1st Mike Closs Memorial Tournament

2nd Mike Closs Memorial Tournament

3rd Mike Closs Memorial Tournament

4th Mike Closs Memorial Tournament

The 5th Memorial Tournament will take place later this year.

Suggs At The Civic

Suggs: My Life Story
Darlington Civic Theatre
30.4.2014

Suggs brought his entertaining, funny and moving show back to the North East and played to an absolutely packed out Darlington Civic.

This was the third time I had seen his show, following on from the King's Head Theatre, Islington in 2011 and The Arc in 2013. Repetition does not dull the experience.

This time, the written version of his book is finally available after a lengthy delay so his current tour should provide plenty of publicity to push up the sales.

The book - and the show - are both highly recommended. The book expands considerably on the story but the show has the obvious benefit of Suggs himself relating the anecdotes directly to the audience.

Follow the Suggs news and tour dates over at the official website.

The Voodoo Sheiks: Borrowed & New

Borrowed and New

The Voodoo Sheiks

The new album by The Voodoo Sheiks is released today. Borrowed and New takes the unusual approach of adding five new songs to seven cover versions. As they themselves put it:

''We rocked up at Platform Studio with a plan which was simplicity itself:  Record five brand spanking new tunes and then have a bunch of live covers recorded, mixed and mastered at the same time. After sprinkling voodoo dust over the mix, a musical cocktail of studio-creativity and live urgency would breathe and take form...''

The Voodoo Sheiks is a four-piece band, consisting of the following personnel:

Slowblow Dave: Vocals, harp

Adrian Thomas: Guitar, backing vocals

Andy Pullin: Bass

John Coombes: Drums

Their genre is firmly in the rhythm and blues department, as the track list happily confirms.

Track List

The New

Spirit
Lone Star Groove
Lucky So and So
Bitter (and then some)
I Wouldn't Treat A Dog That Way

The Borrowed

Boogie Man
Don't Lie To Me
Boom Boom
She Does It Right
Hog For You Baby
Looking Back
I Can Tell

Of the new songs, Spirit and I Wouldn't Treat A Dog That Way are the highlights. Both are fast-paced blues rockers that tear along very nicely.

The covers are all of well known songs, played at a fast pace, complete with drumstick count-ins to emphasise the live status if the recording. The pick of the bunch is She Does It Right, admirably capturing the authentic Dr Feelgood sound and offering a timely tribute to the song's writer - the great Wilko Johnson - who last week underwent a ground-breaking nine hour operation in his ongoing battle with cancer.

The balance of songs doesn't seem quite right. The new songs are outnumbered and generally overshadowed by the covers - a sort of ''starter'' before the ''main''. Offering more of the New and fewer of the Borrowed would have given the original songs more room to breathe and helped to give the Voodoo Sheiks more of an opportunity to showcase their own creative talents.

Nevertheless, this blast of good old British rhythm and blues, while breaking little in the way of new ground, will blow away the cobwebs and keep the toes tapping.

For further details regarding The Voodoo Sheiks, please head for their official website.

Bridie Jackson And The Arbour: New Skin

New Skin

Bridie Jackson and The Arbour

Today sees the official release of New Skin, the brand new album by Bridie Jackson and The Arbour. New Skin was, of course, showcased during the most recent tour, which culminated in a triumphant launch evening at the Old Town Hall (Gateshead) at the end of April.

Hearing songs played live is one thing but the turnover of tracks and the essential meshing of the old with the new leaves little time for moments of contemplation. Now there is time to listen carefully to the whole of the album and to fully absorb the content.

Track List

New Skin

Ellie

Prolong

Peace

Diminutive Man

We Talked Again

Sandgate Dandling Song

Scarecrow

Crying Beast

One Winter Evening

Personnel

Bridie Jackson: Lead Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Belleplates
Carol Bowden: Vocals, Cajon, Percussion, Belleplates
Jenny Nendick: Cello, Double Bass, Belleplates
Rachel Cross: Fiddle, Five String Viola, Vocals, Belleplates

Long-term Arbourites will already be familiar with some of the material on the new album, albeit in quite different forms. For instance, New Skin and Prolong have had previous airings on the Live At St. Ann's album (probably a rarity now - but track it down if you can). The former was once described by Bridie as ''the only tender love song I've written'' and the latter is about the fragility of the soul caused by a breakdown of a relationship. Both have been considerably improved and embellished, now carrying the full force of the unique Arbour soundscape. And that, I believe, is the key characteristic of the new album; the fully immersive environment, based on a perfect weaving of extraordinary lyrics and unusual sounds to create small new worlds one can be almost afraid to visit.

We Talked Again is a brand new version of the classic Arbour song that opened their previous album, Bitter Lullabies. It now starts with a beat, travelling through various musical phases before ending with the group's trademark harmony vocals. In many ways it is the group's archetypal song, based on the deep emotions formed during a breakdown of a relationship (and communication), but with hope offered by the very moment ''we forgot to be strangers''. It's makes for a typical bittersweet listening experience. The song will undoubtedly draw the listener into its beautiful, moving world but the penalty (if you like) is to be confronted by things (memories, emotions) that one would usually prefer to avoid. In the words of David Bowie, ''she opened strange doors that we'd never close again...''

Despite the growing recognition earned by Bridie Jackson and The Arbour, they (admirably) do not seem at all prepared to forget their roots. Indeed, they nail their North East colours firmly to the mast  with Sandgate Dandling Song, a traditional Tyneside melody written by blind fiddler Robert Nunn a couple of hundred years ago. The tune will be familiar to most, even if the title isn't; Cilla Black  made it famous under the guise of Liverpool Lullaby (a.k.a. Mucky Kid). Needless to say, this new arrangement sticks firmly and faithfully to the grim original, with the full Arbour treatment dragging it kicking and screaming into a brave new era.

Scarecrow will be familiar too, as it blazed an early trail for New Skin when it was released as a single, complete with fabulous video.

Of the new songs, a particular highlight is Ellie - a song about ''having really weird neighbours'' is full of wonderful, evocative imagery, from ''rain on a tin roof'' to ''voices'' that ''rise and fall'' in an ''endless home of fear'' as the music continues to build before taking over completely for the song's denouement. The ''weaving of strings'' between Jenny and Rachel - a big feature of the whole album - is particularly noteworthy here. Ellie is not just about human neighbours; it's a study in how domestic settings can carry emotions too - a theme also explored on Peace, which is another very strong song.

Bridie Jackson and The Arbour have achieved so much over the last couple years and they show absolutely no sign of resting on their laurels. New Skin offers an exemplary showcase of where they are right now and just how powerful their music is. This album is highly recommended to anyone who likes their music to have depth and meaning. To gain the absolute maximum from the experience of listening to New Skin, it is essential to stop doing everything else, to focus on nothing but the songs and listen. Really listen. Three-minute pop songs have their place in the world, but for those you'll just have to look elsewhere.

For ordering details, head straight for the Arbour store.

To ''try before you buy'', advance to the streaming page.

Further Reading

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My latest reviews can be found in the new issue of CHESS Magazine (May 2014). The products covered are Korchnoi Move by Move by Cyrus Lakdawala (Everyman Chess) and the Chess at ICC app.

Ordering details are available here.

Bridie Jackson And The Arbour: ''New Skin'' Album Launch

Bridie Jackson and The Arbour

The Old Town Hall, Gateshead

26.4.2014

With a fine selection of excellent new songs, augmented by prime cuts from their impressive back catalogue and a sprinkling of surprising covers, Bridie Jackson and The Arbour put on a simply wonderful show at their album launch last weekend.

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From the final piece of tuning to the last notes of the encore, the whole evening shone with the special qualities that have taken Bridie and The Arbour on their amazing and highly successful musical journey.

The Old Town Hall (Gateshead) has recently been acquired by The Sage as an extra venue for shows. It's an intimate venue and it was packed to the rafters (they had to open the small balcony because all of the regular tickets sold out completely). 

The lighting (which may - or may not - have been borrowed from another headline act, due to appear not a million miles away from the Old Town Hall) in conjunction with the highly effective dry ice produced an extraordinary effect throughout the entire evening. The lighting was used to the maximum, presenting an ever-changing atmosphere, tailor made to enhance the feel and impact of each song.

Set List

New Skin

Peace 

Fearless (Pink Floyd cover) 

Diminutive Man 

Ellie 

Prolong 

Sandgate Dandling Song (traditional) 

Cry Me A River (Justin Timberlake cover) 

Mucky
Crying Beast 

All You Love Is All You Are 

Scarecrow (Louis Barabbas cover) 

We Talked Again 

One Winter Evening

A review of the whole of the New Skin album will follow next week. Suffice to say, the new songs are universally strong and will definitely not disappoint fans of their previous work.

Highlights...? Well, just read the set list again! ''All killer, no filler'', as they say. Incidentally, the cover of Pink Floyd's Fearless was as fabulous as it was unexpected; definitely a set list ''keeper''.

Frankly, Bridie Jackson and The Arbour have never sounded better. They have worked constantly over the last few years and it certainly shows. Bridie's voice is even more moving and powerful than ever and musically, the band just gets tighter, the playing even more accomplished.

The evening was an absolute triumph.  Bridie Jackson and The Arbour have created a unique sound and they thoroughly deserve their ongoing success.

I'm sure there's a lot more to come too, so stay tuned!

Follow the news and tour dates over at their official website.