Joel Fisk & Jon Amor Electro-Acoustic Duo

Guisborough R’n'B Club 19/8/14

Yeah, that title took a bit of typing, it would have been so much easier to just call it “Hoaxy Joint”, and while songs from both bands were featured, it wouldn’t have done justice to the show overall; this wasn’t a night for tearing it up, but more a semi-improvised jam of sheer quality, both back-catalogues were cherry picked as well as a wide selection of interesting covers.

Both guys were armed with their signature electric guitars as well as an acoustic as they alternated lead on their own and cover material. At first, took a little getting used to, hearing Jon sing his own Devil’s Backyard and then Joel break in with the solo in his crisp, fluid style, while in return, as Joel sang Force Of Habit Jon played solo in his own incendiary style. And that set the pattern for the evening’s show, though the first set was filed more with covers from J.J.Cale, Rob LaMontagne, Robert Johnson, Lightning Slim, et al as well as another from Jon, Stitch In You Party Dress.

Joel opened the second half with a Hokie double-volley, The Way It Goes….Sometimes and a super White Chocolate Cake. Jon’s musical quality is already well known, but the real surprise for me wasn’t just hearing Joel’s guitar shining through, but that he’s got quite a decent voice, but don’t tell JoJo I said that, but he did quite a decent take on a Blind Faith number too. Again, most of the 2nd set was culled from their personal favourites, including some Howling Wolf until Jon let rip with the only Hoax track of the evening, Feeding Time, leading to the closer, Warren Zevon’s classic Werewolf Of London. That meant that Guisborough had to have an encore, Word Up!, since red cod-pieces were missing, maybe this take owed more to Gun than Cameo.

So, maybe this didn’t have all the fireworks of either guy’s “day-job” bands, but it was still a quality evening, watching to superb musicians jam and dovetail their respective styles so effortlessly and seamlessly, as well as hearing another dimension to their respective back-catalogues. Hope they do this again, soon.

Should also say, turn out was around the 50 or so mark, just below a half-house for Guisborough so respectable for a Tuesday night, though Jon Amor is a local favourite.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqukS5dUmgw