Jim Jones And The Righteous Mind/Ming City Rockers – York, The Fulford Arms – 19th September 2019

Jim Jones And The Righteous Mind/Ming City Rockers – York, The Fulford Arms – 19th September 2019

It only seems two minutes ago that Jim Jones And The Righteous Mind released their fantastic sophomore long player ‘CollectiV’ on the world. But after a three month break they are back with a new stand alone single entitled ‘Get Down Get With It’ on hot pink 7” and they are doing a run of live dates to support its release. The first date happens to be at my favourite local gig venue The Fulford Arms. Having only witnessed this band in full flow supporting in larger venues and festivals, it would be rude not to attend a full headline show, right?

 

Immingham’s finest exports Ming City Rockers open the evening’s entertainment in fine form to an already packed out room. The core of singer/guitarist Clancy and guitarist Morley seem to be keeping the good ship Ming flying, yet it seems every time I catch them they have a different rhythm section. That seems to be beside the point though, as whoever they have on bass and drums this week are pretty much up to scratch. The band’s sound is raw and ramshackle, but tight and punchy as fuck. In fact this is the best I have seen them and playing to a full room where the temperature is rapidly rising, can only be helping.

It’s not long before Clancy is stripped to the waist and shouting in-between songs at the crowd like Zed from Police Academy. The garage punk cool of ‘Sell Me A Lemon’ and ‘She’s A Wrong Un’ go down well and are perfectly delivered with the style and attitude that many of their peers can only dream of.

Clancy demands a volunteer from the audience to come and play his guitar for the final number or he will jump in and pick someone himself. Luckily some hapless punter steps up to the challenge, removes his shirt and straps on Clancy’s guitar as the smiling singer disappears into the crowd to sing the final song and bring their set to a chaotic climax.

They came, they saw, they conquered. Someone give these dudes a support tour sharpish.

The atmosphere is electric and the anticipation high as the headliners finally takes to the stage and Jim Jones peels off the opening riff to ‘Boil Yer Blood’. The familiar tribal beats fill the room as the song builds and the singer has the attention of every man, woman and child in the room. To his left Matt Millership bangs the keys, to his right Gavin Jay brings the low end, and just out of sight guitarist Mal plays some sweet pedal steel.

‘No Fool’ follows, drummer Andy Marvel beats out the most powerful of regimental beats as the frontman matches with dirty guitar and a deep bluesy hollerin’. If you thought Jim Jones And The Righteous Mind needed a gig or two to brush off the cobwebs after a 3 month live hiatus, you would be sadly mistaken. Dressed all in black, with matching turtlenecks and necklaces, the band fire on all cylinders for the next hour and a half and the energy levels do not diminish whatsoever. Even the claustrophobic confines of The Fulford Arms cannot hold back the raw power of the JJATRM machine.

‘Till It’s All Gone’ is all mad tribal percussion, maracas and cool as you like full band backing chants.

Jim and Mal ring seven shades of shit from their guitars, licks and riffs are peeled off with ease as the pair and the bassist aim their instruments to the crowd and to the ceiling for the majority of the set.

This is how live rock ‘n’ roll should be; raw, loud and sweaty… sublime. None of this Liam Gallagher ‘staring at the floor’ shit! This band gives everything they’ve got and they deliver songs, without pausing for breath, like they are unloading the magazine of an AK47 on an unsuspecting crowd.

 

The likes of ‘Satan’s Got His Heart Set On You’ and ‘Sex Robot’ from the recently released ‘CollectiV’ fit the set perfectly,  as the singer struts the stage and hollers from the depths of his soul, channelling rock ‘n’ roll from another era. The aforementioned new single ‘Get Down Get With It’ is suitably raw and powerful and a highlight of tonight’s frantic set.

I thought I had already witnessed the hottest gig of the year, but tonight Jim Jones And The Righteous Mind turned it up another notch. You could say tonight was a near religious experience, but whether Jim and his band took us to church, or towards the gates of Hell is up for debate. One thing’s for sure though, tonight was a lesson in how to fucking deliver and raise the stakes for all who follow.

Author: Ben Hughes

Tyla’s Dogs D’Amour /The Dirty Strangers – York, The Fulford Arms – 1st August 2019

Tyla’s Dogs D’Amour /The Dirty Strangers – York, The Fulford Arms – 1st August 2019

Christened as ‘A Long Weekend Of Empty Bottles’, Tyla and his Dogs announced a short run of dates celebrating the 30th anniversary of ‘A Graveyard Of Empty Bottles’ recently. Dates in York and Birmingham to be special shows previewing acoustic and electric shows that will form part of the following two nights of celebration in London.

Classed by some as the best acoustic album ever released (me included), ‘A Graveyard Of Empty Bottles’ is a timeless snapshot of the classic Dogs D’amour line up at their peak. Recorded in December 1988 over a 10 day period, the album captures the essence of a band riding on the tail end of a whirlwind year and the comedown that followed a sold out, end of the year Astoria show.

The 8 song collection of ‘soft songs for hard people’ has recently been re- recorded by the current Dogs D’amour line up, and while I initially gave it a wide birth, I have to say the new version does bring something fresh to a bunch of songs I always felt should not be tampered with. In fact, I liked it enough in the lead up to this gig, that I only went and purchased the vinyl for the collection.

 

Joining the band on this little adventure are London’s finest rock ‘n’ roll reprobates The Dirty Strangers. Still led by loveable rogue Alan Clayton, a man with more Rolling Stones connections than Mick Jagger’s heart surgeon. In fact Ronnie Wood and Keith Richards both played on their debut album back in 1987, they even roped in The Damned’s Brian James and Joe Brown along the way too.

The four-piece band play no-frills, dirty rock ‘n’ roll, just the way it should be played. The singer, dressed in a stripy top and pork pie hat, a telecaster slung over his lanky frame, leads his band through a selection of bar-room boogie rock ‘n’ roll. The raw and unadulterated twelve-bar boogie of ‘Bad Girls’, with its “woo-hoo’s” hollering and some tinkling of the ivories sounds great and the low slung rock ‘n’ roll of ‘Are You Satisfied?’ goes down a charm. The singer and bassist share a mic for vocals on several songs in full Jagger & Richards style. And it doesn’t get more rock ‘n’ roll than ‘Gold Cortina’ does it? Full of cheeky cockney charm and rock ‘n’ roll swagger, The Dirty Strangers were the perfect band to open proceedings tonight. Great stuff indeed.

 

The Fulford Arms is classed as a hometown show for Tyla and The Dogs these days. It’s intimate, it’s packed and it’s hot… very hot. The band is playing two sets tonight, one acoustic and one electric, the anticipation is high and the atmosphere is electric.

“Who gave him a mic?” says Tyla, as drummer Simon starts with the piss-taking before the singer has even picked up his acoustic guitar. The joking continues for most of the night. With the band perched on barstools they launch straight into ‘Comfort Of The Devil’ followed by the fantastic ‘I Think It’s Love Again’. With the full band treatment these versions of ‘Graveyard..’ tracks are heavier and slower, but still contain those great infectious melodies. The latter particularly benefits from the updated treatment, it’s the little nuances in the arrangements, like where the band hold the note in the chorus just that little bit longer. It sounds ace.

This band have been a unit for a good few years now, live and in the studio, and it shows. The camaraderie and ability is second to none. Tyla plays acoustic, to his right guitarist Gaz rips on a telecaster and to his left the ever cool, vampiric Matty James, all dressed in black, doesn’t even break into a sweat on bass. The guys watch their leader for cues, they play off each other to perfection.

I’ve heard a few of these songs live before, but never all of them together, what a treat to behold! ‘Saviour’ is transformed from heartfelt balladry to a more bluesy, rock ‘n’ roll groover with added tinkling of the ivories and ‘Angel’ is still the sing a long hit single that never was.

The version of ‘Bullet Proof Poet’ they pull off tonight is simply stunning. An extended, tripped out version with Gaz ripping a killer solo. A song to get lost in, it’s over in minutes, yet somehow, it feels like we’ve been lost in it for hours.

Tyla takes over on bass duties and Matty brings out the blues harp for a mesmerising, sweat-soaked blues workout. I think it was called ‘Stealin’ From The Devil’? Correct me if I’m wrong.

A couple of killer tunes from last year’s excellent return to form ‘In Vino Veritas’ album (namely ‘I Don’t Love Anyone’ and ‘Bottle Of Red’) round off set one nicely. As Gaz suggests we all go outside to cool down while the guys prepare the stage for round 2.

 

Tyla’s bottle of red is on its last legs already as he straps on that iconic road worn Gretsch and strikes out the opening chords to ‘Billy Two Rivers’, the first of a small greatest hits set. Songs to sing a long to and songs to drink to, songs that soundtrack our youth and transition into adulthood. It’s nice to see some younger dudes and dudettes in attendance, many who weren’t even born when Tyla first hit the stages with these tunes.

Classic follows classic, ‘Last Bandit’ is as amazing as ever, ‘Firework Girl enthralls and induces goosebumps and ‘How Come It Never Rains’ is the ultimate drunk and sweaty sing along it was meant to be.

By the time we get to ‘I Don’t Want You To Go’ Tyla is visibly struggling in the heat, (as we all are) and finishes the last few songs perched on an amp. The red wine has all but gone and he looks ready for a nap. But he ain’t quite done yet. ‘Satellite Kid’ rounds off the hottest, sweatiest gig of the year so far as we all sing a long and smile for the final time this evening.

 

I feel very lucky to have witnessed this band in this venue multiple times. Every gig has been different, from various album celebrations to just good, old fashioned hits shows. Sometimes I’ve been drunk, sometimes I’ve been sober, but every time it has been a blast. Like a fine red wine Tyla’s Dogs D’amour get better each time I see them, I never take it for granted and I will always come back for more. At the end of the day, it’s one of my favourite songwriters singing some of my favourite songs in my local watering hole. It doesn’t get much better than that.

 

Author: Ben Hughes

Photos courtesy of Neil Vary Gig Photography

 

 

Low Cut Connie – York, The Fulford Arms – 31st May 2019

Low Cut Connie – York, The Fulford Arms – 31st May 2019

Low Cut Connie might be a new name to you; they are a fairly new name to me too. It was just last year they popped up on my rock ‘n’ roll radar after I was recommended their 2017 album ‘Dirty Pictures (Part 1)’.

If I mention the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis, Elton John and Billy Joel for starters, then you might get where this Philadelphia based rock ‘n’ roll outfit is coming from. Led by the piano-bashing Adam Weiner, Low Cut Connie has 5 albums under their collective belts and tour the world extensively. Check out the YouTube footage, it doesn’t lie. This is the sort of band that excels in hot and sweaty clubs, pubs and juke joints. This is the sort of band that I would travel far and wide to see, I can just tell they are going to be worth the admission price and more.

The Fulford Arms is pretty busy tonight and the temperature is rising as the band take to the stage and ready themselves. Singer Adam Weiner is last to take his place by his road-weathered piano, as he is busy hugging and shaking hands with as many people as he can, as he makes his way through the audience to the stage. Dressed in black, with a rather fetching gold and black short jacket, he looks like a cross between Steve Carell, Liberace and a matador.

He immediately beckons to the sound guy, in an effort to turn the lights up on the crowd so he can see every one of his (soon to be) adoring fans. Before they have even played a note, the atmosphere is electric and I can already feel that this could be one of the best gigs of the year.

No messing about, he sits at his piano, which is positioned side on to the crowd for maximum interaction, and the band are straight into ‘All These Kids Are Way Too High’ the opening track of ‘Dirty Pictures (Part 2)’. Low Cut Connie 2019 has a few new faces, and while key members Adam and guitarist Will remain, the new band are a tight unit that seems like they have been jamming the clubs together for years. But its Adam’s show from the off. When he’s not tinkling the ivories, he stands on his stool, he clambers on top of the piano, using it like a climbing frame, an extension of his art.

I couldn’t tell you the name of the players other than backing singer and chief tambourine girl Abi (we met her after the show). The pink haired singer appears to be having the time of her life, smiling her ass off and dancing to the, quite frankly, very danceable tunes.

It’s not long before Adam is stripped down to a white vest and braces, his black hair stuck to his head, drenched in sweat. How his guitar player manages a whole set in a leather jacket is beyond me…must be an American thing!

The countrified ‘Big Thighs. NJ’ sees the singer perched atop his piano, legs crossed, as his guitar player rips out tasty slide guitar over a catchy, hickey melody. A highlight of the night for sure. The following ‘Angela’ sees him balancing on his stool like some crazy ass crane.

Song after song flows as the heat rises. This is high energy, pure and unadulterated rock ‘n’ roll. Adam knows how to work a crowd in a way only years of paying your dues in clubs can teach you. Sure, I get the obvious Elton John and Jerry Lee Lewis comparisons, but for me, I imagine this is what it would have been like to experience Bruce Springsteen working the clubs back in the ’70s. There is something authentic and wholesome about a Low Cut Connie live show. It’s not just the songs, the singer has a way of drawing you in like he is doing a personal performance just for you. There is no going through the motions, he means it. This is blood, sweat, and tears, a full-on performance from a band who play 150 plus shows a year. They work hard, they play hard and it shows.

It helps that they have the songs to match the performance too. ‘Dirty Water’ incites crowd chorus shout-a-longs, and the following ‘Revolution Rock ‘n’ Roll’ is the over-cool radio hit that should have been.

Their cover of Alex Chilton’s ‘Hey! Little Child’ is perfect for this atmosphere. Extended and jammed out, this lost ’70s pop ditty is taken up a level, with its high energy marching beat. The band makes it their own. The upbeat ‘Oh Suzanne’ follows it’s a great tune, fair play. The whole band are loving it and smiling as they play their hearts out for us.

Adam Weiner and his band didn’t just visit The Fulford Arms to play some songs tonight, they came to put on a rock ‘n’ roll show and entertain us. I don’t think anyone here went home disappointed, we sure got out money’s worth and I think this band made some new friends.

Wowing crowds across continents, Low Cut Connie could well be the best American bar band since Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band. Miss them and you miss out.

 

Author: Ben Hughes