The Mentulls (Page 9 of 11)

Storming performance at Darlington Free Blues Festival by the lads yesterday. For once, the event was bathed in glorious autumn sunshine making a perfect foil for the melodic numbers such as Reflections, once the rockier riffs drew the crowds out the pubs.

Great to see them stepping up to bigger and better stages.

Time To Focus - The Mentulls + Aynsley Lister got some airplay on Monday (12th Oct) on Paul Jones Radio show.

Ni-ice......

Well, the lads closed their 2015 account on Saturday night with a compact, but powerful set opening for Aynsley Lister at what was their Cluny "baptism" proper.

Okay, I know they played Cluny2 earlier in the year, but this is the main room on the main stage and Andrew, Jamie & Nick really won over a packed Geordie house with their no-compromise performance.

I hope that you will come soon back to Belgium and The Netherlands.
Walter

The 'Reflections' Tour 2016 (Confirmed dates):
16th Jan - The Citadel - St Helens, UK
12th Mar - Legends Of Rock Festival - Great Yarmouth, UK
20th May - The Forum - Darlington, UK
21st May - The Stables - Milton Keynes, UK
27th May - Cafe Drummond - Aberdeen, UK
28th May - Backstage@The Green Hotel - Kinross, UK
2nd June - The Maltings - Farnham, UK
3rd June - The Tropic@Ruislip - Ruislip, UK
17th June - The Limelight Theatre - Aylesbury, UK
26th June - Linton Festival, Ross-on-Wye, UK
5th Aug - Cambridge Rock Festival (Main Stage), UK
7th Aug - A New Day Festival - Faversham, UK
15th Sept - The Musician - Leicester, UK
16th Sept - Harbour Rooms, Blakeney, UK
24th Sept - Kent Bluesrockfest, Gravesend, UK
25th Sept - The Horn, St. Albans, UK
10th Nov - The Haven Club, Oxford, UK
11th Nov - The Woodlands Arts Centre, Gillingham

More to be announced so please check all social media including website for updates:
www.thementulls.com

Well, The Mentulls Spring/Summer offensive kicked off this week-end with a (near) home-town gig at Darlington on Friday night, followed by a drive to Milton Keynes on Saturday. First time seeing the guys since last December, for all that they are "local" and have to say, they seemed well rested and champing at the bit to be back on the road and eager to deliver their own brand of rocking, melodic, proggy blues.

Andrew was in fine. kinetic form, stomping round every inch of Darlington Forum's stage as he wrung the neck of his guitar from the driving anthems of Can't Slow Down and Silver Bird, through  the pure Blues of Red House to the hypnotic Reflections pt2 and tearing lose on a medley tribute to Philip Sayce. Big brother Jamie was just as keen to blow the dust off his Hammond keyboard and musically, not literally, chased Andrew round the stage in his usual left-hand bass and filling keys role, and then mid set, delivered a long time due, powerful and sepulchral solo, tapping the "inner Keith Emerson". And then there's Nick behind the drums; where many a band's sound is built on a sledgehammer for a drummer, Nick is like a planishing hammer, skilfully working and shaping into complex and pleasing contours; each stroke measured and while he has fast hands, no stroke is superfluous as his solo closing Time Flies demonstrates. However, it's together where these three really tap into something special, and their set closing double-whammy, building from Theme From An Imaginary Western through to Starship Trooper, really picks you up and carries you off. And then they do it again for an encore with their own After The Rain.

The Reflections tour continues:-
27th May           Drummonds; Aberdeen, UK
28th May           Backstage@The Green Hotel; Kinross, UK
2nd June           The Maltings; Farnham, UK
3rd June            The Tropic at Ruislip; Ruislip, UK
17th June           The Limelight Theatre; Aylesbury, UK
26th June            Linton Festival; Ross-on-Wye, UK
5th August          Cambridge Rock Festival (Main Stage); Cambridge, UK
7th August          A New Day Festival; Faversham, UK
15th September  The Musician; Leicester, UK
16th September  Blakeney Harbour Room; Blakeney, UK
23rd September Stockton ARC (guests of Danny Bryant)
24th September  Kent BluesRock Festival; Gravesend, UK
25th September  The Horn; St Albans, UK
10th November   The Haven Club; Oxford,UK
11th November   The Woodlands Arts Centre; Gillingham,

For those in The Netherlands and Luxembourg (or surrounding countries) next week below is a short European Tour for THE MENTULLS.....

6th Oct - Blues Café, Apeldoorn, NL
7th Oct - Café-Zaal de Reunie, Geleen, NL
8th Oct - Brasserie Le Neumunster, Luxembourg, LUX

See there are changes afoot down in Guisborough; while in the midst of a sabbatical from touring, the band have announced that the following Autumn gigs have been shelved, to rescheduled next year:-
6th Oct - Back Room @ The Green, Kinross, UK
20th Oct - The Kite Club, Waterloo Music Bar, Blackpool, UK
9th Nov - The Maltings, Farnham, UK
10th Nov - Woodlands Arts Centre, Gillingham, UK

The reason, Andrew has decided to step down from vocal duties and the band are searching & auditioning for a vocalist and they feel that it wouldn’t be right to tour until they’ve found the right person and that they’ve settled in. Now, some would ask, will the new member also play bass. That, I don’t know and can’t say either way; that’s up to Andrew, Jamie & Nick. All I can say is that I haven’t heard back after sending in my demo tape…. guys?  Guys?

28/9 Edit - PS, Happy birthday to Mentull snr, Keith.......