TAMWORTH FOLK CLUB GUEST NIGHT REVIEW
January 2003

 

Picture the scene dear reader. Outside a cold January night, with icy roads, a cutting wind and a forecast of snow. Would you leave the comfort of your armchair to drive to a windswept plateau in an isolated area of a country on the brink of war. Well that's just what I did last night and so did another 50 people all holding the now familiar blue ticket to another guest night at The Gamecock. And what a night it turned out to be.

Inside it was warm and welcoming with a good guest beer and the promise of a night of entertainment. After all the audience was settled and shoe horned into their seats, Steve (head cold) Edkins introduced the fairly new, well used, boy band going under the name of The Steve Robinson Band. This is a return booking for this talented group, who always come up with a good solid performance, interjected with funny jokes from the lead singer. ( hang on I was supposed to say that for the main guests, oh well I will leave it now it's written, it might result in a free pint in the future).

I have to say they were very good and the rehearsal was worth it. Steves voice did not reach its full potential, but I don't know if it was his cold or the p.a. to blame.

Their fifteen minutes done and the "stage" re-arranged, Steve introduced Mad Jocks and Englishmen. It was their first time at The Gamecock but they have appeared almost everywhere else. Andie Brownlie, George Gallagher and Nick Watson make up the hugely popular band that has been wowing audiences for the past 25 years. Their first song, Like a Fox involved audience participation from the start, split into three sections with me in the contralto part, Dave Standon behind me really got into it. With other songs like The Dawning of the Day, Caledonia, Day Dream Believer (with rousing audience support) and to finish the first half, Stepping Out Mary, to Bob Bulls delight, they received a well deserved reception.

Liz and Barbara were soon mobilised selling raffle tickets to the great many strange faces in the audience, another clue to the great support Mad Jocks have, and the bar was busy with re-fills before the second half began.

As the lights dimmed, or I should say the room went black, someone turned off the wrong switch, the Steve Robinson Band gave us many more fine songs, with Graham on keyboard showing his dexterity , Steve Swoffer's usual professionalism and Malcolms haunting whistle on re-furb, Steve Edkins sang an unusual Celtic/Blues arrangement of Summertime. Well done guys.

Mad Jocks second half was equally balanced with songs and tunes, Killiecrankie, Some Walls, and Dueling Banjo's to mention a few, and the jokes brought great laughter.... "the difference between a Scotsman and a coconut is you can get a drink out of a coconut".... It all proved great entertainment, even Bob Bull stayed in his seat all night. At the finish Steve thanked them all , and they in turn thanked the resident band, at this point Bob left.

It was worth the effort to leave my armchair, and am looking foreword to the next one. Once again thanks to the organisers, and in Steve's words, mind the horse road.