Welcome back Aynsley Lister!!! (Page 8 of 15)

Aynsley in my sandpit 3 times in one month; it does seem a little like an overdose but worth it. Anyway, I'll be "cold turkey" now until early March 2014, but my table is already booked at Guisborough.

To be honest, didn't expect the 2nd encore at Reeth, caught me totally off guard especially as I was deputising for Steph on the merch stand and setting out the CDs: the one time I'd wished I had a phone-cam with me as I can't find any other record on YouTube of Aynsley playing this, though Blues Sissi thinks he played it at Blues Rhede back in October. I was hoping for a repeat or ANY 2nd encore at The Cluny, the band was firing on 8 cylinders and I know Aynsley had been watching his old Rory Gallagher DVDs while between gigs, but not to be. I have heard word that Balls Of Steel has been dusted off a couple of times. Still, this time he managed to come off stage and still have a voice, unlike last year.

I liked the way Steve Amadeo summed up the Reeth gig when I was chatting with him on Friday, he said it was such a relaxed atmosphere, he felt like stepping off the stage, grabbing a pint and sitting watching the band himself.

I'll pass your request on for more raw blues; I know some look down their noses at Sugar, but it's such a deceptive little shuffle and a great one for guests to jam with; Straight Talkin' Woman I think will be one for a bit audience participation. See what happens in 2014, whether he'll keep the set list pretty much untouched, or whether it'll be tweaked and maybe some older "gems" brought back in now that the band line-up seems pretty stable.

Would've liked to have seen them play together.  "Going Down" is one of my favorite songs.

Interesting new blog from Aynsley on the recording of his HOME album, should appeal to players and technical bods alike; the view from "behind the guitar" as it were:-

http://www.aynsleylister.co.uk/index.php/news/gear-blog

Hot Diggity-dawg!!!

Aynsley & band come out of spring training and hit a sold out Guisborough R’n'B Club for the 1st time this decade (at least since 2008) and knocked the place clean out the park.

Queuing at the door in good time to get a good seat, had a sneaky listen to the sound check and got that vibe that this was going to be a good ‘un. Sure enough, as soon as Big Sleep kicked off, the audience forgave Aynsley his long absence from the venue and just ate up all the new (to them) numbers which probably included Early Moring Dew and What's It All About let alone Inside Out and Hyde 2612. As is becoming the norm, Sugar was a good opportunity to bring on a guest, and who better than Guisborough local, Andrew Pipe, who really shone as Aynsley generously stepped back and gave him lead before stepping forward for some sparring and then the two matched note-for-note for a section.

2nd set opened with what I at first throught was Quiet Boy! revisited, but Maestro later told me it was an instrumental track from an old Bluesbreakers, but it made a great segue into Straight Talkin’ Woman and from there, the rest of the set was mainly built round Home, Free, Possession, Broke and Feelin’ Good. No big changes, but then why change a winning recipe?

Well, there was one big change - on keyboards, a new face called Rob Neally (sorry if spelt wrong….), standing in, one-night-only for Andre who was otherwise committed. Rob did an outstanding job, all the more remarkable considering that he hadn’t rehearsed with the band other than the sound check. And you can’t not mention Steve & Boneto, working in tandem as probably the best backline on the go.

So a packed Guisborough R’n'B club were left baying for an encore and Aynsley brought the band back out for a super treat, the classic Tore Down followed as usual by a searing Purple Rain. After a 6 year absence, Guisborough reward Aynsley with one of the most packed crowds I’ve seen there, probably equalling The Hoax last year, and Aynsley paid his dues with as a tight a rocking blues set as I’ve ever heard him deliver.

Nice review, Mike. More blues please Aynsley.

Phil

Cheers Phil, think the "blues quotient" is on the increase - and some interesting things happen while the band plays as Aynsley changes guitar.

Thanks Anna, make sure you get chance to say "Hi" to Aynsley & band after the show.

Going to see him again next monday at the spirit of 66 Verviers.

Aynsley & Band are also making appearances at Banbury Blues Festival on 22nd March, Tilfest (Tilbury) on May 25th and Linton Festival on 21st June