Great, great night at Darlington Forum on Friday, Deborah Bonham's 1st N.East gig in a few years (and not for the lack of trying to get here...); she looked glad to be here and a packed Forum were glad that she was; Deborah took to the stage and for the next 2 hours she owned the venue, the street and probably half of Darlington with a voice big enough to have filled the Civic Theatre at the other end of the block.
Imagine if Heart covered The Faces, and for the uninitiated, that's as close to the vibe and feel of Deborah's music; very much rooted in early 1970's rockin' blues with a tinge of Folk. The set covered much of Deborah's 2 previous, strong albums, Duchess & The Old Hyde, tracks like Grace, Jack Past 8 and Pretty Thing as well as a good chunk from the forthcoming The Spirit album, especially with a vocal tour-de-force I Need Love and great takes like Fly and the infectiously catchy Take Me Down.
Deborah's band, Ian Rowley (bass) Gerard Louis (keys), Peter Bullick (gtr/mandolin) & Rich Newman (drums) are well known backing other great artists, but with DB, there's not only a closeness of friends but a real tightness and unity of purpose that propels Deborah's vocals even further. All too soon the main set is reaching it's finale with the moving Old Hyde before the Forum's foundations are shaken by the stomping and cheering of the audience until the band take the stage again and Deborah finds another vocal gear for Stay With Me Baby with surely one of the soul/blues voices that others should be measured by; before the band launches into an explosive Rock an' Roll.
And off-stage, Deborah is one of the most gracious and appreciative performers you'd ever meet; so yeah, great night. Now somebody, up here, get her booked again!!!
Tasters from Kinross, earlier in the month:-
I Need Love - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHs8r_qaef8
No Angel - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CLFLkAv-yI
&
Take Me Down (acoustic) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIyiM6B3ak8 (@Little Rabbit Barn)
Deborah's dates for 2014, anyone interested:-
APRIL
Thurs 10th LONDON Half Moon Putney, 93 Lower Richmond Road, London SW15 1EU 8pm T:020 8780 9383 http://halfmoon.co.uk
Tues 15th MILTON KEYNES The Stables, Stockwell Lane, Wavendon, Bucks MK17 8LU T:01908 280800 http://www.stables.org/Whats_on
Thurs 17th LEICESTER The Musician, 42 Crafton St W, Leicester LE1 2DE T:0116 251 0080 http://www.themusicianpub.co.uk/
Fri 18th NANTWICH Jazz & Blues Fest, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 5AS T:01270 625283 7.45pm £11.50 http://nantwichjazz.com/category/the-cr … ah-bonham/
Fri 25th STOURBRIDGE Moochers, 11 New Road Stourbridge, West Midlands DY8 1PH T:01384 394794 £10 http://www.moochers.co.uk
Sat 26th RIPLEY Ripley Live, Town Hall Ripley, North Yorkshire HG3 3AX T:01423 860340 7.30pm £8 (members)/ £10 (non-members) http://www.ripleylive.com
JUNE
Fri 20th BUILTH WELLS Sonic Rock Solstice Festival, Penmaenau Farm, Wales LD2 3RD http://www.sonicrocksolstice.com/
JULY
Fri 19th FRANCE (18) BOURGES FEST http://www.106db.com
AUGUST
Sat 16th FRANCE LIMOGES FEST http://106db.com
Sun 31st WEYFEST Reeds Road, Tilford, Farnham, Surrey, GU10 2DL http://www.weyfest.co.uk/
OCTOBER
Thurs 2nd BELGIUM Spirit of ‘66, Vevriers
Sat 4th FRANCE (71) CHAUFFAILLES FEST http://www.106db.com
Fri 17th LOWDHAM VILLAGE HALL 37 Ridge Hill, Lowdham, Notts NG14 7EL T:0115 9663596 http://www.warthogpromotions.com
NOVEMBER
Fri 7th ULVERSTON Sports Club, Priory Road, Ulverston, Cumbria LA12 9HT T:01229 582258 £10 http://www.ulverstonlivemusic.co.uk
Sat 8th DEVIZES Long Street Blues Club, Wilsford House, 30 Long Street, Devizes Wilts, SN10 1NW T:01380 725614 http://www.longstreetbluesclub.co.uk
Fri 14th HULLBRIDGE Touchline, Hullbridge Sports Club, Lower Road, Essex SS5 6BJ Essex http://www.touchlinelivemusic.co.uk
When life gives you lemons; don't make lemonade.
Give back the lemons. Why were the lemons free? What's wrong with the lemons?
Do Not trust the lemons...