News

The eclectic final night (Sunday) of LBB9 this year proved once again that we can all get on, with a musical journey from northern soul to psych and everything in between. The Crossfire allnighter also welcomed 70-year-old American R&B performer, Bill Bush, who was unable to perform on the night but took a bow when his record, ‘I’m Waiting’ filled the floor in the main hall. Nutsmag editor, Scotch Martin, was Bill’s guide for the night. 

Remarkably, LBB9 was my first visit to Crossfire, with my other half usually getting the ‘pass out’ for this event while I babysit. But I had a very special reason for going this time as American Hammond player, Bill Bush, was over visiting Caroline and me and wanted to drop in to see what all the fuss was about.

Also travelling with us was Cassiobury Soul Club DJ, Martin Harland, and when we arrived the bands had already started in the main hall prior to the allnighter. Two live bands appeared and fellow Glaswegians, The Beatroots, were first to take to the stage. My old friend, and extremely talented, Groovy Graham, was playing sitar, which really added another dimension. Graham and vocalist Neil were previously in Figure 5, the fantastic power pop ensemble who brushed so close to fame they could taste it. But despite appearances across Europe, festivals, gigs at the Albert Hall and Camden’s Electric Ballroom, and an American TV advert major commercial success eluded them.

If you were lucky enough to pick up their free CD, you’ll already know that those years of training has produced a highly competent, psychedelic super group that are already making swirling, shimmering waves everywhere they play.

A big buzz followed for young Dutchman, Jacco Gardner, whose elf like persona fits well with his early Floyd / Sid Barrett-style cosmic sounds. A laid back affair with songs from the new album plus the singles. We were all curious to see if he could create the well-crafted studio sounds live.

I was bowled over with the musicianship, quality and imagination of both sets and although it’s not my ‘thang’, being more of a soul fan, I thought both bands impressive and talented.

The R&B room, at first freezing, later boiling, was hosted by long-running R&B club Mousetrap and DJ’s included Roger Banks, Alberto Valle (Barcelona) and Bill Kealy (Ireland) plus residents Rob Bailey & Chris Dale. The atmosphere is all very mod, with the whole black music spectrum covered from late fifties blues and R&B to late sixties Latin, boogaloo and reggae. That was where Bill and his entourage settled initially, signing autographs and meeting people before his appearance later. It all goes on at LBB!

Bill was particularly fascinated by the energy of the pysch room, where a DJ line-up from all over Europe had belted out the rarest and wildest garage, freakbeat and psych for two nights already and said it reminded him of New Orleans in the 60s. Special guests Sunday were Irish lads Paddy & Sarge, joining Miguel Ygarza (Spain), Carlo Espero (Italy) and NUTS own Dr Robert. The last record rang out at 6.15am with the lights on and a stage full off fun seekers still looking for kicks and shouting for more.

The Crossfire allnighter has a ‘London oldies’ music policy and didn’t disappoint. Most of the tunes from Sean Chapman, Ady Croasdell, Chris Dale, Derek Mead and Roger Stewart were guaranteed floor fillers, and the crowd showed their appreciation with a packed dance floor.

At 1am Chris Dale’s prized copy of ‘I’m Waiting’ shook the floor and Sean Chapman introduced Bill Bush, who thanked the dancers for supporting his music. It turns out that, at 70, it was ‘all a bit loud’ for the guy who played with Bobby Bland, Jerry Lee and Eddy Giles amongst others back in the day – but he left having fulfilled an ambition, to watch his obscure b-side from 1965 pack a dance floor in London, England in 2013. Job done.

Thank you to Ramees Farooqi, Esther Bellepoque & Cloat Culterior for all the great photos. You can see the full LBB9 Photo Albums from Ramees Farooqi & Esther Bellepoque here and from Cloat Culterior on Facebook here. You will need to login to see them!

The Aardvarks/MFC Chicken

Le Beat Bespoke Weekender, 229 Great Portland Street, London - Saturday (afternoon) March 30 2013

Out of all the bands that have graced the LBB stages over the years, legends from five decades and several continents, the one that would deliver the goods head and shoulders above all others for Nutsmag regular, Darius Drew, was West London’s very own, The Aardvarks.

First of all a few words for the barnstorming (if somewhat cartoonish and parodic) R’n’B support, MFC Chicken: equal parts Sonics, Feelgoods, Shondells and Ram Jam Band, with a touch of sweet Gene Vincent crooning, but adept writers of their own material, their earthy delivery provides the ideal aperitif for the upcoming sonic psych banquet, and unlike most of today’s pretenders found lurking around Hoxton fashion boutiques throwing this stuff on for kicks, they’ve been putting a fungus among the denizens of the Holloway Road for a good two decades.

And so on to the Aardvarks. I’m sure Gary – alongside his brother Mark on guitar – Jason Hobart on bass and Ian O’Sullivan on drums – believed that loads of old friends would come out of the woodwork for this special event, their first London show in almost a decade!

The LBB audience witnessed a heroes return, with even lesser-known numbers like the superbly Townshendian ‘Bad Clothes’ received like old friends (lest we forget, they were the band that helped unite the once-divided Mod scene in the 80s after all, bringing psych, garage, soul and pop strands together). The assorted members of the London gangs - The Masonics, Wildebeests, Of Arrowe Hill and even heavy rockers Leaf Hound, who (technically) predate them by a decade and a half, have come to bestow good wishes.

Forget all the legends told to me over the last two decades by various London faces, what I witnessed here was a show from a truly great British rock ‘n’roll band, period. They were even generous enough to share the good vibrations with some fat git from Aylesbury (I wonder who that might have been?) who they dragged up to play tambourine during a clutch of encore covers that included Easybeats’ ‘Sorry’, the Wimple Winch’s ‘Save My Soul’ and the Sorrows’ ‘Take A Heart’. In one hour they kicked the arse of practically everyone I’ve ever seen or reviewed here.

From the familiarity of such standards to the underground thrust of their own ‘You’re My Loving Way’ and ‘Girl On A Bike’ they really do sum up the feelings of a whole generation who were born too late to experience the greatest era of music first hand, yet decided they were going to try their damnedest to live in it anyway. Good on ‘em. But this is not simply a nostalgia trip. In fact, by some twist of bizarre logic, it would appear that after nearly three decades, the Aardvarks have not only finally become as much of a “classic” psych act as the 60s originals that influenced them, but a contemporary one. The future promioses collaboration with Adam Easterbrook and the Arrowe Hill chaps sounds promising. Watch this space, eh la.

So has the definitive retro band of the recent past finally arrived at their designated stop, coming round in a complete circle to meet themselves walking the other way? Possibly; and if that sounds like acid-drenched gibberish, then that in itself only stands as further proof that they’ve achieved their objectives and had precisely the level of influence they wanted.

Thank you to Ramees Farooqi, Esther Bellepoque & Cloat Culterior for all the great photos. You can see the full LBB9 Photo Albums from Ramees Farooqi & Esther Bellepoque here and from Cloat Culterior on Facebook here. You will need to login to see them!

Le Beat Bespoke 9 split the atom once again with a great weekend featuring the full spectrum of mod / 60s music and Nutsmag’s Graham Lentz was there for (almost) the whole event. He joined Cerys Matthews, Chris Difford and Jeff Beck, to name just a few of the celebrities who realised something special was going on down Great Portland Street over Easter.

After the disappointment of Cornershop pulling out due to illness a hastily re-jigged line up saw the opening night (Thursday) get underway with indie/psych outfit the See See. I hadn’t seen them before.

Stand out tracks were the title track from their latest LP, Fountayne Mountain, including ‘Painted Blue’ and the haunting new single ‘The Rain and The Snow’. The vacated headline slot was taken up by Alpha 9. I championed their latest LP ‘Gone To Ground’ in the most recent edition of Nutsmag but what I was interested in was whether they could get close to recreating the sophisticated sound and harmonies evident on the album – they did and LBB9 was off to a great start.

The Friday, arguably the most hotly anticipated night of the entire weekend, saw up-and-coming headliners, the Strypes, almost literally raise the roof with the cheer at the end of their frenetic performance.

My guess is that the packed venue (it really was rammed) was quite surprised by the in-your-face full-on Australian garage onslaught from the Frowning Clouds. As it turned out, most of the their set was made up of new material from their forthcoming LP, sounding like an equally impressive follow up to last years ‘Listen Closlier’.

The last time I saw the Strypes, they supported the Sorrows at 229 for the New Untouchables Crossfire back in late October 2012. Much has happened for the lads since then. A record deal with Mercury, a management deal with Elton John’s agency and a new single out, it’s all been going on. The Strypes are possibly the hottest ‘organic’ (as in NOT Simon Cowell created) band anywhere on the planet. These boys have genuine talent, they can play, they do it because they love music, not for 15 minutes of fame, and they have a massive future ahead of them.

I was elated, as were the crowd. It was clear to me that a lot of work has gone into sharpening the live show and what a show it was. Along with the now familiar R&B tracks we got the new single ‘Blue Collar Jane’, which I might add is fantastic. In all my visits to 229 The Venue, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a roar like it at the end.

Two of the three bands on Saturday had been reviewed in a previous edition of Nutsmag, so I had a very good idea what to expect, but even I was not prepared for the high-octane output of three of Wild Records extraordinary stable of rocking R&B artists.

First up was Omar and the Stringpoppers, they warmed up with numbers from their back catalogue and a few choice rockin’ covers. I found myself glancing around at an amusing sight of rockin’ ladies and gents, all of whom were very nicely turned out, at the front with curious mod-types, equally dapper, gathered at the back.

If anyone (like me) had relaxed a little too much after Omar’s session we certainly got a jolt from the Rhythm Shakers. With a set comprising many tracks from their current LP ‘Flipsville’, Marlene and the guys really did rock the joint. ‘But Still You Left Me’, ‘Rockin’ Daddy’ and ‘My Sweet Revenge’ really were outstanding. Marlene’s presence on stage is a sight to behold.

The audience barely had time to gather itself before the headliner. Gizzelle is also something special. She is the ‘Etta James’ of this generation. Power, subtlety, emotion and finesse – she has it all.

I handed over the batton for Sunday, but, there you have it, three nights, seven top quality bands and a lot of very happy customers. Le Beat Bespoke 9 could possibly be the best one yet.

Thank you to Ramees Farooqi, Esther Bellepoque & Cloat Culterior for all the great photos. You can see the full LBB9 Photo Albums from Ramees Farooqi & Esther Bellepoque here and from Cloat Culterior on Facebook here. You will need to login to see them!