Review – Garstang Unplugged
Thursday, 21st September, 2006.
I didn’t know what to expect from Jon Brindley. I’d seen him briefly making a guest appearance elsewhere, but I really had no idea how his style would hold up for a much longer set. In the event, the outcome more than exceeded expectation.
At first, he seems a slightly diffident chap, slightly absent minded even, but behind that façade lies a consummate performer. Jon sings with such a passion and energy that you think he can’t keep going at that pace for the whole evening, but he does. He’s never quiet, never still, always moving the music forward.
Most of this set was sung to Jon’s guitar, with one fiddle tune, his own ‘The Dogs of Kilkee’ where the audience were invited to ‘pant’ along in a chorus like a pack of over heated dogs. The songs were widely sourced including seven of Jon’s own. ‘I Used to Pretend’, ‘I Find It Amazing’ and ‘Twinkle In His Eye’ stay in my mind, the latter a song about inspiration derived from another’s performance.
The sources of the other songs were wildly diverse. Stan Jones ‘Ghost Riders in the Sky’ probably best remembered from Frankie Lane in the 1950’s, was performed quite exceptionally. We had Noel Gay’s ‘Leaning on a Lamppost’ in a style removed from George Formby, a pretty faithful version of Nanci Griffiths’ ‘Lone Star State of Mind’, and Gordon Lightfoot’s ‘Early Morning Rain’. Other songs came from sources as diverse as Gnarls Barclay, BB King, and Oasis. It’s an eclectic mix, but one handled with rare skill.
Dave Alderman, familiar as one of the organisers of St Annes Acoustic Roots, provided the support. Dave has a completely different style. A rippling guitar, expertly picked, with extravagant counterpoint and a mobile left hand characterises his playing. The set included a couple of Dave’s own songs, including the ‘Minstrel’s Lament’ about the player’s efforts to please the ever critical audience. We got really fine versions of other songs too, including ‘Autumn Leaves’ and the traditional favourite, ‘The Water is Wide’, in Dave’s wonderfully rippling arrangement.
An excellent evening. We almost had to switch Jon off at the end…. And we wish him luck in his application to the Wigan Tourist Board for a grant, assuming he didn’t make that one up as well.
Review by Don Moore.
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Date - 01/11/06
Hello Mike / Dave and everyone at St Annes Acoustic Roots.
We would like to say a BIG thank you to everyone who made us so welcome last night and say how enjoyable the experience was.
We hope your club goes from strength to strength.
The time that Mike and Dave put in to accomodate everyone is truly marvellous and we appreciated your efforts very much.
We look forward to seeing you again in the near future.
KEEP MUSIC LIVE!
Best wishes,
Mike & Sarah Turner.
(Oldham, Lancs)
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