Nine Below Zero
Saturday December 23rd 2006, Ripley Blues Club

Original and still the best!

The penultimate gig of the year for the Ripley Blues Club saw NBZ, the first R&B group ever to play this venue, return for a triumphant eighth time. Having wowed the audience at Ripley's 'sister' venue (Coopers in Guiseley), the night before, NBZ served up notice of another blistering show, with their second number - a marvellous version of 'Don't Point Your Finger'. Having been tipped off by that doyen of doormen Ken Reeves that NBZ were the best band ever to play Ripley, it was no surprise as one tremendous track followed another. Particularly outstanding were 'Three Times Enough', Down In The Dirt Again' and 'I Got My Mojo Working'.

Dennis Greaves heads up the band and is singing and playing guitar better now than at any time in a career that goes back to 1977. Mark Feltham is a natural showman who contributed some fine singing and harmonica playing, as well as entertaining the sell-out crowd with some one-liners (often at the band's expense). The rhythm section consisting of Gerry McAvoy on bass and Brendan O'Neill on drums, provided a powerful, driving sound throughout the show.

The group played their full set without an interval break and presented all the tracks on their Sights and Sounds DVD/CD, plus a few more.

At the end of the gig, organiser Andy Herrington struggled to serve everyone wanting the Sights and Sounds and other CDs. A group considered good enough to open for superstars like The Who and Sting, just seem to go from strength to strength.

There followed a rousing finale to the set including enthusiastic singing from the audience; the medley of songs included 'Sugar Pie Honey Bunch' - yes, a first for this reviewer as well.

With just the New Year's Eve party to go (Little Stevie and the Business returning after last year's triumph), it has been a great year for the Ripley Blues Club. If anyone wants to join for '07, they will receive a marvellous free CD of some of the best acts to play the venue (Blues Band, Ian Parker, Dr. Feelgood, The Yardbirds, etc - oh and 'Go Girl' by the great NBZ).

Happy New Year to all music fans and we'll see you at Ripley and Guiseley in '07.

John & Barbara Hughes, Ripley

Promoter's Note:

Thanks very much to John and Barbara for that review and I can confirm the Guiseley gig on Friday was equally well received. Many thanks also to Jed Thomas (support Friday) and Dave Arcari (support Saturday) for opening up for NBZ and to James Brown (this one is still alive!), Mick and Pete for the sound this weekend and throughout the year.

Andy

Georgie Fame
Thursday November 23rd 2006, Ripley Blues Club
+ Sam Payne

A SPECIAL night in a special venue brought to us by those miracle workers at local promoters RipleyBlues.

It's tricky finding organiser Andy Herrington in these tight corridors and stairways but isn't that the excellent support singer squeezing past me on her way to her dressing room? And who's that familiar face with the full head of now white hair walking just past the table with the raffle prizes?

The Hammond organ on stage inside the intimate surroundings of Ripley Town Hall quickly gives the game away. Stickers and flight tickets from every part of the globe festoon every inch of the giant box-like instrument.

The opening strains of a Booker T and the MGs track are as instantly recognisable as the man himself. What a treat, and surprise, it is to see Georgie Fame bringing the blues to one of our district's most historic and lovely rural villages. It's a long way from his early days in 1962 in the backstreets of Soho when he first built his reputation as a phenomenal keyboard player and vibrant singer with the Blue Flames amid the smoke of the Flamingo Club.

Tonight the still slim and wiry Fame has opted to play as part of a small three-piece. No orchestra, no big band, no co-stars, just himself and his sons Tristan and James on guitar and drums.

It's the real deal and from the start the packed crowd gets the best of Fame, a living legend's favourite songs by his favourite songwriters and performers plus some of his own hit singles of the 60s - Yeh Yeh, Getaway, Get On The Right Track.

Each performance is preceded by a lengthy history of the track's origins, where the good-natured Georgie first heard or played the song, why he likes it so much. It's like being allowed a glimpse inside a long-lost history, the early years of r' n b and blues and jazz in the 1950s - Betty Carter, Louis Jordan, Fats Domino, Mose Allison and Ray Charles, the late, great Ray Charles.

At the age of 63 this man still lives and breathes music and he wants all of us to share that love. His playing appears to be as dazzling as ever, that warm sound of the Hammond burbling at rapid pace, singing its own song in an energetic but easy flow.

Versatile to a fault, Fame's interpretations of tracks from his collaborations on Hoagy Carmichael songs with the singer Annie Ross or his days with Bill Wyman in The Rhythm Kings are just as impressive as the more familiar material. Occasionally a hint of what was to happen to his beloved blues later in the 1960s bursts through, the occasional stinging guitar solo from the other side of the stage suggesting the rise of Hendrix and Clapton, Jimmy Page.

Fame has always been as much at home with jazz as the blues, and at this stage in his career sounds better when trying less hard, natural talent shining throughout without the work rate. His vocals aren't naturally loud, better suited to the understated undulations of jazz when times were gentler. He's no shouter or belter; but every time he has to hit a peak moment in a song his head tilts up to the sky and his eyes close in total concentration.

Georgie Fame is doing this intimate venue and RipleyBlues crowd the courtesy of meaning every word. He's no youngster in the dives of London anymore and he's operating at the limits of his power with few traces of the unspent energy of youth behind his blue eyes. All that's left to Georgie Fame are those magic fingers and an enduring passion for great music.

Graham Chalmers
Chief Sub-Editor (Gig Scene Editor) Harrogate Advertiser

Connie Lush and Blues Shouter
Sunday Nov 19th 2006 - Coopers at GUISELEY

A first visit for Connie and the lads to our Guiseley venue attracted a decent crowd of almost 100 and as always they did not disappoint.

Connie deserves all her awards for her superb vocals, but this is far from a one woman show. John Lewis is superb on guitar and Terry Harris on bass and Carl Woodward on drums make up an excellent rhythm section.

The band performed songs from their new CD "Live at the Cavern" and, as always, the Nina Simone numbers were a highlight for me.

Andy Herrington

Catfish Keith
Sunday Nov 12th 2006, Ripley Blues Club

Some friends and I heard an excellent set by Catfish Keith at Ripley Blues Club on the evening of Sunday 12th November. The day was fitting as the upstairs room in Ripley Town Hall where he played provided the unique backdrop of a magnificent gothic window, rather like you would find in a church! Catfish Keith's set mirrored the warmth and enthusiasm of the audience, and he fully merited the encore and generous applause.

Another great night at Ripley!

Kevin Wharton

The Nimmo Brothers
Sunday 8th October 2006 - Coopers at GUISELEY

Regular readers of this part of the site will know that it is more a record of the ups and downs of RipleyBlues than a technical gig review (except when I can find a guest reviewer). The reason for this is that the writer hasn't a clue about the technical side of a live performance. Fortunately our type of music is about feelings and emotion rather than technique and so it is with the Nimmo Brothers - couldn't stand still through the whole performance, not a weak track.

For those unlucky enough not to have seen the band they comprise Alan and Stevie Nimmo on guitar and vocals, Matt Beable on bass and Dave Raeburn on drums The last time we saw Dave at Ripley he was with Danny Bryant and it was good to see him back with the Nimmos. Alan and Steve are ridiculously talented singers and guitarists and add Stevie's suberb song-writing and they really should be playing to very large audiences. As it was there was an excellent attendance from the Harrogate area and a big party from Halifax but where were all the Guiseley people?

Andy Herrington

The Blues Band
Saturday Sept 16th 2006, Ripley Blues Club

I made a trip up from Hertfordshire on the 'bike last Friday, to stay with friends in Harrogate and fulfil two objectives: 1) to re-visit a really fine, welcoming club [first discovered at the Ian Parker gig], and 2) to see the Blues Band in action in a club setting, rather than the larger venues in which I'd already seen them perform. Was it worth the trip? You bet - in neither respect was I disappointed.

The band completed sound checks well ahead of time, and at 8:30 set off on nearly 3 hours of solid entertainment, including a short break midway. It was clear from the first notes that we were in for the expected treat, which duly evolved as a blend of standards (Jefferson, Burnett, Hopkins, Crudup, Berry et al.) from past TBB albums and their recent "Thank You Brother Ray" tribute to Ray Charles, along with numbers written by the band (e.g. "The Other Side of the Street" from Gary Fletcher). A nice touch was introduced by Tom McGuinness, in keeping with his laid-back style, by slowing down and savouring some old friends such as "It's all Right Now Mama" - more familiar in the Elvis version.

This is such an accomplished body of musicians, who have done it all so many times before in the most illustrious company, but don't mind sharing it all again with Joe Public. The individual performances, and understanding among the players, are exemplary: Tom McGuinness so cool and precise with flatpick and fingers, Dave Kelly so smooth on slide, yet both so versatile in style and instrument; Gary Fletcher underpinning his colleagues with real dexterity on bass and Rob Townsend providing robust yet measured percussion. Paul Jones is of course "the name", but his overt self-confidence and showmanship do find their place in a front man, and operate from his true skills as a vocalist (though not forgetting the others in that department) and harmonica player - the latter giving "top" to the band's sound. With all that boyish energy, it's still hard to accept that "the lad" has qualified for his bus pass!

Into the second half, things were really tight and motoring, the band clearly enjoying themselves hugely (Tom with his perennial grin, and guitar gymnastics), in tune with the audience responsiveness that's the Ripley tradition, and we all roared along with the chorus when given the opportunity - e.g. on "Shake, Rattle & Roll". The interludes of acoustic subtlety continued, however, with a fine rendering by Dave, on request, of "Cross Roads Blues". The rapport with the audience finally extended to a two-piece encore, bringing the bargain to a close well beyond the 11:00 curfew (Paul checking his watch a few times), but I'm sure the neighbours didn't mind - too much.

It was a pity that lower than justified, or expected, ticket sales (207, I believe) meant that the event ran at a financial loss - no reward for Andy and his team's diligence in securing this major booking. Tough luck on anyone who was too lazy to turn out, and therefore missed a rather special evening. (The only fly in the ointment was the price of CD's - to me, £15 is a bit steep to impose in a club setting). I'll be heading south again now, after a great break, and with memories of a superb band in top form at the best of venues - I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Ian Duncan
Hitchin, Herts

3rd September - AYNSLEY LISTER - Coopers at GUISELEY

Review by Andy Herrington

Aynsley Lister was important in the early development of the Ripley Blues Club playing the second ever gig at the venue back in the year 2000. It was a cracking night as was his return to the club the following year when he invited local 15 year old girl guitarist Chantel McGregor to join him on stage. (Chantel now fronts her own band - check them out at www.kingbz.co.uk)

For some reason his last appearance at the club in 2002 was not as well received so it was going to be interesting to see how he would go down playing the second ever gig at our new venue, Coopers.

A good crowd of about 120 gathered and Aynsley took the stage saying that it was his first time at the venue but that he would be back as "the food is great!". The first part of the show was Aynsley solo showcasing his superb guitar playing skills with some blues classics. He was then joined on stage by his new band of female bass player Jo Nichols and drummer Richard Spooner for what was only their second gig together. The newness didn't show and the audience were treated to a storming set of mainly Lister originals but also including a fine version of "Purple Rain". A good number of members had made there way over to Guiseley from the Ripley area and all were delighted see the band again.

21st July - THE SPIKEDRIVERS + GREEN MAC at Ripley

A balmy evening, a beautiful Yorkshire village, the Spikedrivers. Life doesn't get much better.

The gig was in the 'Hotel de Ville, a village town hall, eccentrically continental'. Andy Herrington, who runs the club hadn't sold the gig out as there was a big Pink Floyd tribute concert at the castle next door.

The support was Green Mac, reliving the music of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac 1967 - 70. They are Dusty Miller, Gary Wood, Craig Jackson and Peter Tallent . A good solid band who gave good value with their brand of rocking blues. One unusual number was 'I'm Crying', played on guitars, a stick and tambourine. They gave me a new outlook on this period of Fleetwood Mac.

You wouldn't usually 'review the raffle' here, but it summed up the club's friendly feel, so here goes. Of the five prizes, three of them were CDs and the others a breakfast pack and a fresh chicken provided by the village butcher!

On came the Spikedrivers. Ben Tyzack (guitars, vocal, harmonica), Constance Redgrave (bass, vocal) and Maurice McElroy (percussion). They smile a lot, enjoy playing and are comfortable with each other and the audience.

We saw two sides of the band tonight. One a silky delta roots side conjuring up hot dusty visions of the Deep South. The other was rockin' blues.

The Delta set contained three evocative .train songs. 'The Ghost Train Shuffle', a ride to Scarborough on a steam train. 'Lay Down Lincoln's', the iron rooster on the Rock Island Line, and 'Train Done Gone' the Yorkshire Pullman. People keep coming but the train done gone!

The other songs featured Ben's beautiful picking and slide work. Constance's bass, never overpowering, subtly tickled the tunes along. Percussion, understated but brilliantly executed, with Maurice using a clay jar, a washboard and a sit on box, thumped to time as well as drums. Other songs were 'Gypsy Wind', summer jazz written in Orkney, 'Where Did the Money Go', 'Blue Trash', 'Goodbye Mr Blues', and a dramatic song based on Constance's grandfather's Californian moonshine stories. The Spikedrivers then rocked with interpretations of 'Stop Breaking Down Blues' (dedicated to the late Syd Barrett) and their encore 'Dust my Broom'.

The club is professional, friendly and worth a visit. - I liked it so much, I joined! The Spikedrivers have a rare talent and played a beautiful set. The people at the gig next door missed a trick tonight.

Kevin Wharton

And here are some comments from a member of Green Mac, the support band.

"Ripley Blues Club, Harrogate, Friday July 21

This was the band's second but my first gig at this smashing place in posh Harrogate. (A little house on the run in will set you back more cash than you can fit in into a council house) - but what a lovely bunch of people up there - proper northern folk with no teeth to grind and no axe to be found. And they like their blues music as we found to our front of the stage where they all were.

The Spikedrivers were great too - very different from our brand of driving blues and tough lead guitar playing - extremely subtle, sometimes rocking, always cooking, a blend of blues made from the best ingredients in the delta larder. Train songs, stuff about growing up in the Mid West (the country some of them lived in) and a lady bass player of the highest order who played a washboard strapped to her chest. We would definitely do another gig with them as they were a great trio and in a funny way I think we complemented each other. "

18th June - IAN PARKER & HIS BAND at Guiseley

Review by Andy Herrington

The first RipleyBlues gig at Guiseley and it was shades of Ripley in 1999 - not many tickets sold before the day and a worried promoter! My main concern was for the evening to be a success musically regardless of the finances as Ian Parker had done me a favour in agreeing to open the venue in the middle of a very hectic period for his band.

"It'll be right on the night" and it was! Unlike at Ripley where most people buy their tickets in advance there was an excellent turn out on the night and the very pleasant room was well filled. Our usual P.A. company made no big deal about dragging all the gear up to the first floor and Ian and the band were superb as always.

Many of the audience had not seen Ian before and the comment most heard was "Why isn't he a star - what a talent!". My daughter overheard one burly bloke saying parts of the performance had brought a tear to his eye and that sums up the difference with Ian - he can convey emotion that makes a grown man cry. As well as his own excellent compositions Ian still throws in a few blues classics and a couple by Buddy Guy and Muddy Waters were particularly well received.

The band were very complimentary about the venue and audience and hopefully the blues is on a roll in this part of West Yorkshire.

- Andy Herrington.

16th June - IAN PARKER & HIS BAND at Ripley

Review by Rob White

It's always special when Ian plays Ripley. There's a good-sized, appreciative crowd, there's a good stage so everyone can see, and there's good beer in the bar. Ian has a couple of "spiritual homes" - The Robin near his real home in the Midlands, and The Bluescafé in Apeldoorn, Holland - and it seems that Ripley is destined to be another one.

Friday's show was special, with Andy having arranged for a two-set evening. The first set was acoustic, mellow, and fairly slow. But exquisite. We were even treated to Sometimes I Wonder from Inside - a track I love but have never heard live before today.

Then after a short break, they continued well and truly plugged in. Of course, the usual dynamics were there, and quite a few of the songs were dance-friendly with several people near the front jigging around nicely. There was a huge age range in the audience - maybe seventy years separating the oldest from the youngest. The one thing they had in common was an appreciation of this special show.

The highlight for me was, as always, Awake At Night (yes, I know I'm sad, but try telling that to my spine). My spine was getting all twitchy in the quiet sections, when I couldn't help myself noticing the little finger on Ian's right hand heading for the volume control... Yeahhh! Spine tingling; brain macerated; job done. Fantastic!

There was some playful banter between Ian and the audience, a far cry from the almost nervous appearances a year or two ago. Extensive touring as the Ian Parker Band and as Blues Caravan has meant they're all much more relaxed now. Nothing to prove any more - they are there, receiving enthusiastic adulation from the crowds. And all that singing, night after night, seems to have done his voice no harm at all. It sounds just even more incredible now.

Talking of Blues Caravan, Ian is now mingling some of the songs he wrote for Pilgrimage into his own set. The only disappointment here was that Time Bears Witness was held over for another day. But we did hear great versions of Heal Me Love and All The Time - excellent songs and very accessible - the audience loved them.

The encore saw Ian doing his lovely version of With Or Without You on acoustic, then the band rejoined him for Green Manalishi. Such a fine version of a fine song which I first heard played live 36 years ago! Peter Green should be very proud that his work still excites crowds after all these years!

And then they were gone, and we'll have to wait until next year for another show from them at Ripley - Ian and the band are now is such demand in Europe and beyond that we hope they'll find time to return to their Northern spiritual home soon.

- Rob White.

20th May - WILKO JOHNSON
supported by The Cahonies

Review by Colin Tait

Wilko Johnson, who as part of the original Dr Feelgood kicked down the doors and paved the way for the musical revolution that became known as punk, can still generate the same kind of energy and excitement 30 years on.
Not quite as frantic as the last time he played here but every bit as entertaining, tonight's set contained a good selection of Wilko classics played in that unmistakable style.

Highlights for me were the old Feelgood numbers, especially Sneaking Suspicion, Back in the Night, Roxette(!!!) and Don't let your Daddy know (although I still didn't get my favourite 20 Yards Behind - even the Cahonies left it out of their set). If you could drag your eyes away from Wilko's manic performance you saw the ultimate rhythm section in Monty and Norman Watt-Roy, I don't believe there's a better bass player in the world today. It was obvious that these guys are so good at what they do simply because they love doing it.

As with every Wilko Johnson show, the pace was relentless - no chance of a rest between songs, just enough time for a 1-2-3-4 and all too soon "thank you and goodnight". The atmosphere was fantastic and the Ripley crowd almost raised the (nicely refurbished) roof.

A fantastic night out, Andy and the other organisers should feel proud when this kind of event takes place in their own little club - it says a lot about Ripley Blues as a club and venue when more artists such as Wilko keep returning. Thanks guys and keep up the good work.

- Colin Tait.

Promoter's note
"Thanks also to The Cahonies for a cracking opening set, sorry to hear that the bass player, Kev, is leaving the band."

8th April - CONNIE LUSH & BLUES SHOUTER
supported by Steelyard Blues

Review by Ans Dukalskis

GIRL POWER (Now I know what it means)

That's what I thought on Sat 8th April 2006. A real Ripley Blues treat. I remember hearing the opening from Bullfrog being belted out by Sarah from the Steelyard Blues Band. Well to be honest I think most of the Village would have too due the sound initially. From there on the classics came out to the crowd fast and furious. As a band Steelyard have another sound with the help of 2 Belgian guys. Last time we saw the duo back May 2004, I was impressed. But on Saturday it was a blown away.

Quick break for a few more drinks in our little party. Then there was the mass surge to the front of the stage, Boogie shoes had replaced the Standing shoes everyone wore in the first set.

Connie swept on the stage with a look in her eye that said "Stand by Ripley you're in for some entertainment tonight" And we were. As Blues Shouter opened their set we were swept away into another world. With the well honed performance that we saw last year in March.

To be quite honest the set flew by, and Connie connected with us, as always making you feel as if she was singing to you. I couldn't catch my breath as each song seemed to fly by in a second. Connie had as ever her trademark glass of Red Wine (which seems so relaxed for singer) and handed the band over to their own spot as always blown away by the guitar work. Connie then steps back in to the light to finish us off good and proper.

11th March - DAVE KELLY BAND & CHRISTINE COLLISTER

Review by Peter Hustwit

The Band who were joined by the superb Christine Collister performed for two and a half hours with only a short interval to enable them to take a well deserved break.

A mixture of old and new songs were played and they performed original material from their fantastic new album as well as covering some all time favourites. The appreciative audience were treated to some excellent renditions of country music combined with blues/rock numbers and the occasional folk song. The great Bob Dylan and Joan Baez would have been more than impressed with Christine Collister and Dave Kelly's duetting of the well known number - THE NIGHT THEY DROVE OLD DIXIE DOWN. It was sung with the passion that such a timeless classic deserved. Dave treated us to some of his slide guitar playing and he performed some great blues numbers including his covers of John Lee Hooker and Howling Wolf classics.

To show how versatile the Band is we were treated to the occasional pop hit which included their versions of PRIVATE NUMBER and the party favourite - THE CLAPPING SONG both of which attracted audience participation.

Christine has one of the finest voices on the circuit and a personality to match. Her closing performance of the Everly Brothers classic - LET IT BE ME on which Dave duetted with her had to be seen to be believed. You could have heard a pin drop on the hall floor when that particular song was being harmonised by them both.

A lady singer with a wonderful voice supported by five professional musicians with over 150 years in the music business between them. Ripley was once again privileged to have such talent appearing in the village. An outstanding event which will rank amongst the very best that the organisers have put on at this ever popular venue.

PETER HUSTWIT

18th & 19th February 2006 - THE HAMSTERS

Review by Andy Herrington

After selling out our last gig with The Hamsters in 2004 we decided to have a Hamsters Weekend with their regular set on the Saturday and Hendrix/ZZ Top night on the Sunday. This was ambitious but such is the pulling power of this threesome that we attracted 450 people to the Town Hall over the two nights.

How do they do it when other bands struggle to raise a quorum? Well, on the sleeve notes on one of their CDs they give the answer - they work bloody hard and they send the audience home feeling entertained. This band are a promoter's dream, they don't want pampering, they graft to sell tickets and even after 3,500 gigs they always do the business on stage.

Slim cracked the same old jokes, still raising a laugh, and we had the usual trip into the audience and exchange of instruments - a great weekend was had by all!

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