Review: Backwater Blues Band – BJs Rock In The Blues at The Hop Pocket, Chorley: 31.10.13

On this dark spooky night when the spirits where wandering the skies the Backwater Blues Band from the Stockport area appeared, making their debut at Chorley’s number one venue for live music.

They sent a shiver down one’s spine with their excellent musicianship and the crowd they were left baying for more. The master and front man Colin Walker on lead vocal and lead guitar was frightening, he weaved a spell of riffs and solos that made the hair on the back of your neck stand up, and his vocals were just superb.

Driving the thundering ghost train like they were possessed was drummer Mark Isherwood – a splintering faultless performance like a bat out of hell, and raising the dead the rumblings of the dark lord on bass guitar, Arthur Cowdrey.

Classic covers from Neil Young, Jimi Hendrix, Bad Company, The Allman Brothers, Free, Stevie Ray Vaughan and many more something for every blues/rock fan. There was also a sting in the devils tail as a special guest and friend of the band was introduced, guitarist Jeff Makor.

This musician/ singer /songwriter produced some black magic of his own; a boiling cauldron of talent was created, I wasn’t the only one to be spellbound.

KEITH BLACKLEDGE

National & international music reviewer