Unusually for a gig in the Attic at the Forum Hertfordshire, The Shirt Tail Stompers managed to generate a large turnout. The promise of a large dose of swing pulling in a wider audience than usual. Though I had expected more students, especially as there’s a swing society. Unfortunately the gig fell during the Easter holidays when many students return home. But initially I thought it was nice to have a full room.
It turns out busy wasn’t an improvement. Especially if those people turn out to be swing dancers who insisted everyone vacated a big space for them to dance (badly). Maybe I’m just sick of the whole swing / lindy hop scene because the proponents of the scene who seem to think that everyone should enjoy it. But I should have guessed they would monopolise the night. After all, it’s swing music, and swing music means dancing. But I was there to listen to the music, not dance.
As it turns out, the band on the night weren’t actually very good. I’m not sure if I’m being fair as looking at the pictures of the band on their website, the band seemed to consist of different band members and the band’s leader kept introducing people in the band but didn’t seem to be sure of where they had come from. Although swing isn’t my music, I’ve seen a few swing bands, and it felt to me that although everyone was playing ‘correctly’, the music felt pedestrian and lacking and kind of ’swagger’. I’m sure once the new members gell, the swagger will be back. But tonight, as somebody there to listen to the music, everything was flat. But saying that, the people dancing didn’t seem to mind.
A double up evening at the Forum Hertfordshire. Blues evening in the Attic and Metal in the Auditorium. So I bounced between the two rooms catching as many of the performances as possible.
Both headliners, Chantel McGregor (blues) and Mordecai (metal) were thoroughly enjoyable.
Another poor turnout at the Forum Hertfordshire. I really don’t know why the Uni continues with these nights. In total there were only about 5 paying guest, plus the support act. Despite this, he put on an excellent show.
What’s likely to be my last gig of 2011, something different, blues, hard rock, two gigs, five performances, two rooms and one location, the University of Hertfordshire.
My regular Blues Night at the University was interrupted by heavy rock in the main auditorium courtesy of the Young Guns and Jack Daniels. Upstairs in the ‘Attic’,Hokie Joint, were the headline act for this month’s Blues evening. So a great opportunity to see two different styles of music without much effort without getting rained on in a field. (and with a chance to take some photos with a proper camera).
The rock night, was as I expected, fairly predictable. I don’t really like the Young Guns’ material. It’s high energy but fairly bland but I thought I’d give them a try. Their performance was the same, lots of energy, but not much interest. For me, good rock bands have some ‘light’ in their music. The Young Guns material has no light. Great for moshing, but little else. But the kids loved it. But then I’m not a kid anymore.
Upstairs, however, Hokie Joint were excellent. Fantastic blues rock with a front man with a good stage presence (and lots of black eyeliner), who manages to be slightly freaky without overplaying the part. Of course without a good band around him, his act wouldn’t work. But the rest of the band were more than capable of holding their own. Easily the best band who’s performed at this year’s Blues evenings and easily the best band by miles playing the University tonight.
The Blanks are better known as ‘Ted’s Band’ from the US comedy ‘Scrubs’. If you’ve not seem Scrubs (and why not?) it a comedy set in a hospital and Ted is the hospital’s downtrodden lawyer who sings in an acapella band that crop up at times on the show.
‘The Blanks’ played the University last year and the reception was very good so I thought I’d give it a go. To be honest, I didn’t think they were that good. The comedy aspect was ‘student review’ level and lacked any real sophistication and although the singing was good, the choice and arrangement of some of the songs I didn’t feel was too strong. That’s not to say they were bad. I suppose inoffensive is probably the best description. I also didn’t find the prolonged ‘buy our album’ sketch to be appropriate. I believe they’re touring Students’ Unions and this is really where their UK market is. Our students seemed to enjoy the performance and there were long queues to meet the guys.
Personal journal of Paul Hudson, collecting my pictures, videos and the occasional review of the gigs I attend. If you want to use photos and videos from this site, please do.
