Well it's not often that Glasgow can host the winner of four BMA awards the week after the ceremony, but last night Tommy Castro and his band arrived in the city for the first date of their first ever European tour. Before they started I was having a chat with trdb when we spotted Tommy talking to a couple of fans. I was unable to resist going over to say hello. As mentioned elsewhere, I interviewed Tommy for Blues Matters magazine as although that was done by email, he immediately recalled it and was happy for me to ask a couple more questions to update the interview - to be published. He's a really friendly guy and even invited me into the green room to meet his band!
Tommy's a really team player and said the award that meant most to him was the one that recognised his talented band.
Memphis was still on his mind as the band hit the stage for Make It Back To Memphis, an upbeat rock n roll song which immediatly indicated the tight nature of his band which includes a tenor sax player and trumpeter. We where then given two highly energetic sets by him and his band which centred primarily on the songs from Hard Believer and Painkiller, but also a few earlier classics too, like the James Brown with blues guitar style Nasty Habits. Wilson Pickett's 99 and a half was an old fashoned soul styled song, My Sister's Transister's Radio was swing blues, while there were blues boogies in Tripping Fat and a raw extended jam of Hooker's Serves Me Right To Suffer. A funky version of Dylan's Serve Sombody saw Tommy walk through ever nook and cranny of the venue to play before everyone. A great night of toe tapping tunes and good time music was brought to an end through an expansive version of Sex Machine in which each band member was given several minutes to show their individaul talents before the closing Can't Keep A Good Man Down. In summary, a really great night of music from the blues entertainer of the year. If you're in the UK, make sure you see him on this tour! 
"The recently formed Edinburgh Blues Club has identified an appetite for the personal communication between musicians and audience that the blues long ago perfected." The Herald Newspaper (Scotland)
http://www.edinburgh-blues.uk