Don’t forget that you can see the all new Tommy Allen Band featuring Johny Hewitt at the Academy in Buckley tonight.
See the original post for more information.
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Tommy Allen Band - The Academy Buckley
20 June 2009
This month, the beautiful venue in Buckley The Academy features The Tommy Allen Band. This is Tommy’s new venture, more electric than his duo gigs with Johny Hewitt but more bluesy than Trafficker.
I heard on the grapevine that the aforementioned Johny Hewitt is in the band a playing a mean harp. So you can look forward to lotsa guitar, lotsa harp and two great vocalists. Tommy always has a good rhythm section so I am certain that it will be a great night.
A beautiful room with lots of close parking.
0871 288 7287. £10.
Eddie Gartry Blues State UK
The Academy Buckley
22 May 2009
This week sees mid Wales British RnB outfit Eddie Gartry Blue State at the Academy in Buckley.
A SURPRISE FROM THE HEART OF WALES…… Amidst the scenic hills and picturesque landscape along the Welsh/English border, (where the magic mushrooms grow and beer is still £1.80 a pint) a very interesting secret has been harboured. Until now, that is. Recently, this area has been reverberating to the sound of a particular brand of blues music. Coincidentally, this same locality appears to be the home ground, and meeting place for a band of very dedicated musicians. A group it seems, who have one important and mutual obsession in common, a lifetime of devotion to playing blues music; their way. Apparently, these guys have all toured the World, individually backing many famous names along the way, but for them to congregate in this obscure neck of the woods seems peculiar. However, to their local fans, their unique brand of hard blues is extremely welcome. Pretty young boys, brought up in a world of karaoke, they are not. But their reverent approach to blues music, irrespective of fashion, sets them aside from most of today’s ‘programmed’ entertainers.
The Academy, located in Buckley, Flintshire, is a venue that caters for dance instruction, fitness and entertainment. One of its strands of entertainment is a regular blues gig, which has been attracting an increasingly large audience. The Stumble was the latest band to grace the Academy, which gives some indication of the high level that organiser, Ellie Jones, is targeting.
The pride of Preston certainly lived up to their ever-rising reputation with a beautifully balanced programme of blues, much of which can be found on their two excellent albums, The World is Tough and Houngan. They opened their account with the upbeat shuffle, “Small World, Baby” and “You Upset Me, Baby” before delivering their first rumba of the evening, “Saturday Night”. The slow blues, “All Over Again” was, as ever, particularly well-received, featuring the superb vocals of Paul Melville and fine solos from Colin Black on guitar and Simon Anthony on sax. The rest of the first set comprised a splendid mix of mood and tempo, which included a brilliant version of the Wolf’s “Who’s Been Talkin’” and culminated in a superb performance of the aforementioned “Houngan”.
The second set began with “Bus Stop” and a terrific rendition of “Ain’t Nobody’s Business”, complete with another belting guitar solo. “Your Love For Me” introduced a Bo Diddley beat into the proceedings, which was followed by a taste of rock and roll in the shape of “Little Maudie”. Rumbas and shuffles vied for prominence while drummer, Boyd Tonner, assumed lead vocals on Chuck Berry’s “Oh, Carol” drifting seamlessly into “Bee-Bop-A-Lula”. “The World Is Tough” completed the set and the magnificent show was concluded with the rousing “Gimme Back My Wig” by way of an encore.
A standing ovation appropriately hailed the quality of the performance and indicated that the Academy is well on the way to establishing itself as a serious blues venue.
The Stumble Website
Buckley Academy Website
Lionel Ross
The Academy welcomes ‘The Stumble’
Playing Live in Buckley on April 18th, One of the UK’s best Blues bands visits the Buckley Blues Club.
The Buckley Blues Club, at The Academy in Buckley, has recently seen the Jive Aces, The Jalapenos, and Big Boy Bloater grace the stage… now has another treat for us all… THE STUMBLE !!!
SO WHO ARE THE STUMBLE ?…
If you’ve seen them before then you will know that they are all about live rapturous Chicago style rhythm & blues. If you are new to the band, then allow me to explain….
The Stumble are a six piece band based in and around Preston in the North-West and what you get is a classic valve driven back line driven with shuffle and roll. Influences range from B.B. King, Freddy King, Muddy Waters, Maceo Parker, The Allman Brother’s Band,Booker T, King Curtis etc…
Their debut album ‘The World is Tough’ came out in 2006 and received rave reviews throughout the UK blues communities and further afield.
They have been doing a serious schedule of UK appearances since then, with sell out gigs at blues clubs, independent venues and some great festival appearances across the country and in Ireland.
The second album ‘The Houngan’ released Nov 2008 paints a more diverse musical canvas than the previous album. The album is designed to be as diverse, in terms of tones and tempos, as possible. We wanted the listener to understand our influences, yet hopefully appreciate that the sound and style of the numbers are our own. The tracks roll and rumble, but the colour which the soloists add to the melting pot really makes them rich.
If you don’t want to miss out on hearing this fantastic band yourself on 18th April, 7:45pm, then get your tickets for now from The Academy.
—————–
Tickets priced just £10 are limited, and selling fast…
For Tickets, call 07812 369702
www.dance-hall.info for venue info/directions
www.thestumble.com for band info/sound samples
The Jalapenos
The Academy,
Buckley CH7 2JA
Saturday 21st March
The Jalapeños are a blend classic 50’s and 60’s rock‘n’roll and R&B with carefully selected latter-day material and self penned rockin’ tracks.
A Jalapeños show is a spiritual experience for anyone who likes good music –mad, wild fun and above all some great music.
Check out the Jalapeños on their MySpace profile page.
Doors open 7:45pm
Tickets £7.50
The mighty Stumble have just confirmed a date at the lovely new venue The Academy in Buckley.
Sat 18th April.
Check out the website for details.
**TOMORROW**
This may be sold out so please call in advance 07812 369702.
Tomorrow night the Jive Aces will be at the Academy in Buckley.
Smokehouse Blues - Buckley Academy - 22 November 2008
Let me first of all apologise for the writing style and the lack of pictures. Unfortunately Grahame could not make the gig, this means that the review was left to me - not one of my strengths - everyone knows this. My camera travelled to Leicester with my wife who was away having fun elsewhere.
This was the first blues gig at this excellent venue promoted by the venue owners and it was a great event for all concerned. The turnout was acceptable, if not stunning; a great mixture of regular blues faces, locals tempted out by something new in Buckley and swing dancers.
Let me talk about the venue for a little while before going on to discuss the music. Without over enthusing, the venue itself is simply stunning. It is a beautiful original dance hall that has been lovingly restored by the owners. The room is famous for its original sprung wooden dance floor - a feature that is enjoyed frequently by the many dancers who attend the live events and the dance classes that are held there each week.
Smokehouse Blues have gone from strength to strength in their lifetime and, along with The Stumble, they are at the top of the pile of northwest bands. The first set showed just why they are in demand at festivals and the high-class blues clubs of the north. The set featured the classic Smokehouse blend of traditional Chicago blues with a handful of West Coast swing thrown in for good measure. A highlight for me was the classic Sonny Boy Williamson tune “Nine Below Zero” with vocalist and harmonica player Johny Hewitt’s big voice and sweet acoustic harmonica played with beautiful hand expression shaping the sound to sweep through the eaves of the hall. I also very much enjoyed Louis Jordan’s “Early In The Mornin’” a rhumba beat classic enhanced by a lovely Little Walter-style head.
Along with Johny Hewitt the band is “Barney” Barnett on guitar who, as always, was excellent throughout the night really locking in with the rhythm section of Mark Donaldson on drums and in-demand Russ Williams on the upright bass. A special mention is necessary for Barney’s fabulous guitar tone using a vintage-looking right-handed semi-acoustic, strung left handed and played upside down. There are very few guitarists in Great Britain that can really nail the authentic Chicago blues rhythm playing - Barney is one of them.
The second set started in fine style with a bass and harmonica duo with Russ Williams taking the vocal duties and showing us his fine rockabilly vocal style with a flavour of country yodel for good measure - showing just how close vintage country is to vintage blues.
The rest of the show was more of the same top stuff. Featuring a couple of handfuls of shuffles and swings keeping the dance floor in use the whole night. Half way though the second set I was given a great opportunity to sit in with the band - it’s quite a challenge to follow an incredible harp player like Johny Hewitt who was simply superb all night with perfect tone and chops - one of the elite group of great harmonica players that this country has produced. It was a pleasure to use his perfect rig of a beautifully setup Fender Bassman ‘59 re-issue (significantly tweaked for tone) along with an original Shure Green Bullet mike.
A couple of encores sent the crowd home very happy, looking forward to a programme of gigs and events that they venue will be planning for next year. So watch this space for the future events. It is a perfect room for blues events, with good acoustics, good visibility and a great atmosphere. It’s handy for Chester, Wrexham and The Wirral and there is a stack of free parking right outside.
Congratulations to all concerned a great band in a fabulous venue. Who could ask for anything more.
NORTH West blues band Smokehouse Blues are to appear at The Academy, Mold Road, Buckley – a traditional style venue, with licensed bar, large dance floor and comfortable seating.
The Runcorn-based band deliver an explosive mix of West Coast and Chicago blues – led by the dynamite harmonica and vocals of Johnny Hewitt – one of the country’s finest players - and Barney Barnett’s fine guitar work.
The band is completed by the rhythm section of Russ Williams (stand-up bass) and Mark Donaldson (drums) – expect some of their own material, and covers by blues masters such as Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter and William Clarke.
Catch Smokehouse Blue at The Academy, Mold Road, Buckley on Saturday, November 22 – doors open at 8pm, band on stage about 9pm. Tickets £10 on the door, or by phone on 07812 369702.
GIG NOT CANCELLED AS ANNOUNCED ORIGINALLY
I announced that the Smokehouse Blues gig in 22 Nov had been cancelled, this was not true. The original promoter has pulled out of the gig but the date has been kept using alternative arrangements.
So you can see one of the blues highlights of the north west - Smokehouse Blues on stage in Buckley at the Buckley Academy on Nov 22nd.
This was the second gig staged at Buckley Academy by Warrington RnB Club organisers, Ray and Barbara O’Hare, following the great success of the first gig featuring Big Boy Bloater. Sadly, the occasion wasn’t blessed with a similarly large crowd, despite the appearance of one of the country’s best entertainers. Nevertheless, Simon Hickling and his band gave their all, as they always do, whatever the size of the crowd.
The first set bristled with the well-tried mix of shuffles, slow blues and bouncing rockers, which included a generous portion of original compositions. The Honeyboy was on customary good form, providing a sequence of delights on harmonica to supplement his warmly delivered vocals. Bob Wilson played some wonderful guitar licks - those in relation to a slow blues being particularly well received. And keeping everything in place, drummer Tony Baylis and bass guitarist Frank Walker were unfailingly consistent.
The second set effortlessly maintained the party atmosphere. Respite from the largely upbeat programme was provided by a superb performance of Charlie Musselwhite’s “Christo Redemptor” and a fine version of “The Wee Wee Hours” before the onslaught was continued with another selection of foot-tapping favourites, which saw the dance area increasingly occupied. “That’s Alright” and “Mystery Train” evoked the usual enthusiastic response before “Bright Lights, Big City” brought the proceedings to an all-too-quick conclusion. It was an evening graced with top class musicianship, genuine warmth of character and tasteful humour – priceless.
Lionel Ross
The opening blues night last week of Buckley Academy, the new venue in North Wales, was very successful. You can read the bluesinthenorthwest.com pre-gig publicity and the post-gig review.
It gives me great pleasure to publicise the next gigs at this venue.
- Saturday, 18th October - Honeyboy Hickling & The DTs
- Saturday, 22nd November - Smokehouse Blues
Simon Hickling
Harp driven R&B from the very charismatic livewire performer ‘Honeyboy Hickling’ is unbeatable.
Three decades of touring and recording have honed his individual, blistering harp technique and vocal style to earn him an international reputation as a virtuoso player.
He is truly a great front man, singer/ harp player but also a damn fine songwriter of catchy quirky roots tunes.
The musical quality of the man can be judged by the company he keeps. Past credits include three years of touring and recording with Steve Marriott, sharing lead vocals and playing the harp. Recording with Bo Diddley and playing and recording as a member of Anthony Thistlethwaites (ex Waterboys) ‘Blue Stars’ - a band featuring Mick Taylor and the ‘Kick Horns’. He has also toured as a member of ‘Nine Below Zero’ all over Europe.
In 2001, at the London Astoria, he appeared on the Steve Marriott memorial concert alongside Paul Weller, Noel Gallagher, Midge Ure and many others and performed a show stealing version of Marriotts ‘Big Train’, now released on CD and DVD.
‘Honeyboy Hickling’ is currently working harder than ever on the ‘Never Ending Tour’ with his band. Playing a mixture of tunes from his CD’s plus some Chicago Blues and Chess favourites.
http://www.honeyboyhickling.com/
Smokehouse Blues
If you’re moved by the classic sounds of Chicago, West coast swing and jump blues, the authentic tone of ’50’s guitar, cool rhythms and fat toned amplified harmonica in the style of the greats such as T.Bone Walker, Robert Lockwood Jnr, Fred Below, George Harmonica Smith, Little Walter and William Clarke, then Smokehouse Blues are the real deal. Smokehouse have a deep passion for this music, and their live performances around the country are evidence of their energy and style. Influenced by the blues greats of the 1940s & 50s, Smokehouse Blues work hard to carry on this great music adding their own special touches along the way.
http://www.smokehouseblues.co.uk
Gig Details
£10 on the door or advance ticket, doors open 7.45 pm. Contact 01925 636450
BIG BOY BLOATER
The Academy, Buckley: 27/09/08
The first gig of a new venture from Ray and Barbara O’Hare of the Warrington Blues Club, saw the excellent Big Boy Bloater and his fine band rock the house at The Academy in Buckley - a lovely-looking retro dance hall, which attracted a good turnout of local jive dancers who filled the floor from the first number until the last!
Big Boy Bloater describes himself on his business card as ‘Red Hot Jump Blues, Boogie & Rock ‘n’ Roll’, and that is pretty much what we got over two sparkling sets, with his Ike Turner influenced guitar dominating proceedings, but always allowing the two-sax horn section and Deacon Turner’s piano plenty of scope to solo.
The vocals were shared with ‘Lil’ Lisa Jan - his good lady wife - whose honking baritone saxophone was also a treat. Material came from the brand new “That Ain’t My Name” release, and also his ‘other’ band, the more blues-orientated The City Shakers.
Bloater is one of the finest exponents of the guitar whammy bar, as seen on a rollicking version of Ike Turner’s “Matchbox” and his own “Whammy”, an instrumental on the new album that Mark Lamarr has fallen in love with and is bringing out as a vinyl 45 single.
The band swung like crazy all night, with “Man Or Monkey?” featuring one of ‘Lil’ Lisa Jane’s vocals; and “Hey Little Girl” and the title cut of “That Ain’t My Name” being particularly well received from the packed dance floor.
One of the highlights of the night was a storming cover of the late, great Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson’s “Gangster Of Love”, and Bloater showed his blues prowess on a second-set opener - just him and some boogie guitar; and then delivering some raucous slide guitar on the Elmore James chestnut “Shake Your Moneymaker”.
This must be one of the best British bands on the live circuit, what a pleasure to catch them so close to home at a new venue for live music - a great night, and well done to all concerned!
GRAHAME RHODES
Warrington Blues Club presents an event in the beautiful Academy Ballroom in Buckley, North Wales. A rare opportunity to see the fabulous Big Boy Bloater in the North of the UK.
With his hot six piece band you can expect a night of hot 50s and 60s New Orleans, Texas and West Coast RnB. Details on the Warrington Blues Club site.
With perfect timing, the excellent Blues in London website have recently published an interview with Big Boy.
http://www.bluesinlondon.com/interviews/2008_bloater.html
For those geographically challenged blues fans, Buckley is in North Wales but close to Chester, England.
Ray has published his autumn gig line up. The majority will be at the usual location at the Football Club in Warrington; in addition Ray has a new venue in Buckley, North Wales (close to Chester) for one of the gigs.
September 12th - The Revolutionaires
October 3rd - Paul Lamb & The King Snakes
October 24th - The Cadillac Kings
November 21st - Guy Tortora Band
December 5th - Ian Parker Band.
All at Warrington Town Football Club
September 27th Big Boy Bloater
At The Academy
Mold Road
Buckley
CH7 2JA
Doors open 7-45
£10 Ticket or on the door
All the reports that I have heard of Big Boy Bloater say that he is stunning and has a killer band.
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