| |
Whiskyfun
Home
(Current
entries)
Concert
Review
Index
(All Reviews
Since 2004)
Leave
feedback
 |
Copyright
Nick Morgan and crew
|
|
|
Concert
Review by Nick Morgan |
|
 |
 |
|
NINE
BELOW ZERO
100 Club, London, May 5th 2005
by Nick Morgan
Serge,
as you know I’m behind with my reviews,
so in keeping with the electric pace that this
gig was played at, I’ll try and keep this
one short and quick. |
| Oh
yes – band background for the uninitiated.
Well, established in 1977 by a South London (Tulse
Hill of all places, hardly the Delta) bloke called
Dennis Greaves (guitarist) and his pal, shy yet
Ace harmonica player Mark Feltham, and two others.
A few decent albums, notably Live at the Marquee
(1980), then lots of people leave, other join (e.g.
Barcodes harpster Alan Glen), band does not a lot,
then sort of reforms with Greaves and Feltham and
ex Rory Gallagher rhythm section Gerry McAvoy (bass)
and Brendan O’Neill (drums), various CDs (including
the not bad 2004 Hat’s Off) and this gig at
the 100 Club. Phew! Read the rest on what is even
by my standards the somewhat anal band website (“Brendan
has his own special sticks made to his own specification
by Shaw Stix, which he is very satisfied with”
– I mean to say!) |
 |
|
Anyway
if I was confused at being here – it wasn’t
my idea I should say, but a treat for a Scottish
Pal and Big Fan who almost cried when his name was
read out on stage by Dennis, “This is a song
for a bloke from Furnace who wants to buy us some
whiskies” – my confusion was nothing
compared to the Japanese couple transfixed in front
of the stage. |
| “Albert
Hall not as big as expected” confided the
man to me, “and Ginger Baker, he look much
better than expected”, “Why there four
not three?” Well, I suppose that’s what
you get if you get your Cream tickets from touts
– but I can’t help thinking that we
(and the Japanese couple) had more fun than the
staid middle aged liggers who filled the AH for
four nights or so on vastly overpriced corporate
entertainment beanos. |
| For
the 9
Below 0 boys played their hearts out
– worked through all their (and everybody
else’s) classics – and had the place
absolutely humming. They have a truly British turn
on the Blues greats – try out their version
of Muddy Walters’ Willie Dixon special, ‘I
wanna be loved’. And Feltham – with
his wonderful collection of harps - was something
very special – at least until he sang –
which was probably the weak spot (not just him,
but Greaves also) of the whole band. |
|
 Mark
Feltham's harmonica collection on stage |
| I
would also have to observe that although we had
the photographer and another lady in our party this
was really boy’s R&B. So I was hardly
surprised that when it kicked off in front of the
stage (as it had too) John yelled “Let’s
rumble”, and only failed to join the fray
when no-one volunteered to hold his beer. Meanwhile
the Japanese guy was giving it off to all-comers
shouting ‘No show disrespect to Eric like
that”. The band grinned, turned up the volume,
and once the casualties had been removed cranked
it up for another half an hour or so. Oh what a
night – and I’m so glad we were there
paying our dues rather than down at the crossroads
with the toads and politicians getting it all for
(I feel) free. Nick Morgan (photos by Kate)
|
Check
the index of all reviews:
Nick's Concert Reviews
|
|
|
|
|
There's nothing more down there... |
|
|
|
|
