Rebecca Downes (Page 1 of 2)

Rebecca's Headline gig at Sedgefield Rock an' Blues Club on Nov 27th has now Sold Out (returns may be available before the night).

However, other dates are still available,

Nov 04 Wed
King King, Rebecca Downes
Hull    Fruit (HU1 1TU)

Nov 06 Fri
King King, Rebecca Downes
Frome    Cheese And Grain (BA11 1BE)

Nov 07 Sat SOLD OUT
King King, Rebecca Downes
Shoreham-By-Sea    Ropetackle Arts Centre (BN43 5EG)

Nov 15 Sun
Ilfracombe Blues, Rhythm And Rock Festival
Ilfracombe    John Fowler Holiday Park (EX34 8PF)

Dec 02 Wed Vonnies Blues Night:
Rebecca Downes, Matt Woosey
Charlton Kings    Vonnies Blues Club (GL53 8AP)

Dec 21 Mon Dual Header Christmas Show:
Rebecca Downes, Chris Bevington
Wolverhampton    Robin 2 (WV14 7LJ)

Feb 23 2016 Tuesday Blues: *ALBUM LAUNCH*
Rebecca Downes, Little Devils, Greg Coulson
London    100 Club (W1D 1LL)

Feb 25 2016
The Blues Band, Rebecca Downes
Wolverhampton    Robin 2 (WV14 7LJ)

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/l … sic_venue/

Nice piece in our regional newspaper on Rebecca's gig at Sedgefield.

Cluny 2 - 29th April 2016         The Leopard ROARRRED…..

Well, Geordie tried to be clever on Friday night, holding Rebecca Downes & her band’s gig in the nearest he could find to a nuclear bunker, i.e. Cluny2 but with the band firing on all cylinders and that awesome voice of Rebecca’s, I bet they called in a structural engineer the next day after such a powerful performance. It may only have been Cluny2 but she’s got voice would fill the Metro Arena. Rebecca is certainly doing her groundwork round the N.East; just over a year ago debuting the region with a semi-acoustic support set with partner-in-crime Steve Birkett, then over-the-water with the full band supporting Ryan McGarvey and holding a Sage audience before a couple of headline shows at local Blues Clubs and gaining plenty of notice; Friday’s set was another reputation setting show; and the folk who were there would be tweeting friends, “where were you?”

The band came on and quickly built up the opening double salvo Never Gonna Learn & Fever in the Night and is was apparent even then that they were “road-tight” and out for a great night.  In there also were a couple of personal favourites, Walking with Shadows & Basement of My Heart as well as projected single Night Train from the new Believe album

Good to see Sweetness making the set-list in the 2nd half of the set, on the album it’s a funky, fun piece but live, it’s tight and has an “acid drop” sharpness to it. I was really bowled over also that Sailing on a Pool of Tears made the set too, it really carried over well in the band’s arrangement though I’d still love to hear a full Bond-theme orchestration. In fact, the 2nd half of the set was mostly given over to the new album with the title track, Believe,  Momma’s Got A Gun & Long, Long Time being the filing between Etta James’ Rather Go Blind and Ike & Tina’s Baby Get It On the latter being a steamin’ duet with Steve Birkett. Finally; the encore, With A Little Help From My Friends where Rebecca really digs deep and goes for it, hitting the sort of power that launches jet fighters heavenwards, like homesick angels.

Rebecca is full of surprises and for a good part of the set, played some filling rhythm on a telecaster: Rebecca may not be the guitarist that Joanne or Chantel are, but she’s more than a match with her 2 vocal chords for their 6 strings. This extra rhythm not only beefed up the backing of the songs, but allowed Steve and Rick to enjoy some stunning call & response between slide guitar and keys. And you can’t forget the backline, Dan & Lloyd; Dan has the sort of bass style that you don’t readily hear but you know everything would fall apart if it wasn’t there weaving through everyone else; Lloyd has a crisp, sharp style, not unlike Wayne Proctor but this guy is hard to miss, smiling through the set like he has a £100K lottery ticket in his pocket…. Together, these guys have fused into a tight, fluid R’n’B unit, second to none. Getting away from the guitar-shreaders, this is a band you must check-out, soon; the range, power and control of Rebecca’s voice is staggering and with Steve Birkett, they’re building a catalogue of numbers that really showcase these qualities and have fun doing it. This leopard knocks the spots off any others…..

1. NEVER GONNA LEARN
2. FEVER IN THE NIGHT
3. ANOTHER PIECE OF MY HEART
4. ITS THAT EASY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUhocQEXZM4
5. WALKING WITH SHADOWS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcyHhbHX8Z0
6. BASEMENT
8. NIGHT TRAIN
9. BACK TO THE START https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udue1OdEQxY

1. MOMMAS GOT A GUN
2. RATHER GO BLIND
3. SWEETNESS
4. LONG LONG TIME
5. SAILING ON A POOL OF TEARS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmiStCyNMOE
6. BABY GET IT ON https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4JevTGQxQo
7. BELIEVE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BlF2aeyfos
8. 1000 YEARS

Encore
9. LITTLE HELP

Rebecca & the boys on the road, through to October:-

05/05/16 The Stables with King King The Stables Theatre Ltd; Stockwell Lane Milton Keynes
07/05/16 The Engine Shed The Engine Shed; University of Lincoln; Lincoln, LN6 7TS
14/05/16 Dorchester Arts Centre Dorchester Arts, Corn Exchange, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1HF.
26/05/16 The Iron Road 140 High St, Evesham WR11 4EJ
27/05/16 Blue Touch Live Club V Fareham Fc. Palmerston drive, Fareham, PO141RH
2/06/16 The Robin 2 Bilston;  WV14 7LJ
11/06/16 WolvesFest Castlecroft Road, Castlecroft; Wolverhampton WV3 8NA
25/06/16 Lichfield Blues Festival Lichfield Guildhall, Bore St, Lichfield, Staffordshire WS13 6LU
01/07/16 Keighley Blues Club Keighley Blues Club, Keighley Cougars Hall of Fame Bar, BD 21 3RF
2/07/16 Ripley Blues Club Ripley Town Hall
Ripley, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG3 3AX
07/07/16 Dereham Blues Festival (with Dr Feelgood) Dereham Memorial Hall, Norfolk
9/07/16 Sisters of Soul & Blues Festival Todmorden, Lancashire
17/07/16 Chiddingly Festival East Sussex
23/07/16 Hereford Blues Club Booth Hall, East St, Hereford HR1 2LW
05/08/16 Cambridge Rock Festival Cambridge Rock Festival, Haggis Farm Polo Club, Barton, CB23 7PZ
06/08/16 Mold Blues & Soul Festival Kendricks Field, Ruthin Road
19/08/16 Weyfest Reeds Road, Tilford, Farnham, Surrey, GU10 2DL
22/09/16 229 Club (with Zoe Schwarz) 229 THE VENUE. 229 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 5PN
24/09/16 Mickleton Blues Club Mickleton Village Hall; Nr Barnard Castle DL12 0JY
29/09/16 The Beaverwood Club (with Zoe Swartz) The Beaverwood Club; Chislehurst, London,
15/10/16 Redcar Blues Club Redcar The Citz Club, 104 Lord Street, Redcar, Cleveland. TS10 3BP

24th Nov - Sedgefield R'n'B Club

Well, I can confirm that lightning does strike the same place twice, although in this case it took [exactly] 2 years between strikes.
Rebecca Downes and her guys returned to Sedgefield and once again seared the walls with a blistering set. Last time they were putting the finishing touches to what became the mighty Believe album, and this time we got treated to 2 new numbers from the next album, still in progress, a very ‘Stonesy Take Me Higher and a change in style, heavy, almost ‘Sabbath sounding If I Go To Sleep; proving that Rebecca and Steve are still looking for those creative boundaries.

Only a couple of shows left for 2017; Southport & Lincoln.

Starting 2018 with an appearance at Skegness Rock & Blues in January, then 15 dates supporting Magnum in Feb & March.

I first met Rebecca & Steve (Birkett) a couple of years ago, doing an acoustic gig shortly after Back To The Start was released, and knew then there was something "a bit special". They were recommended to me by my good friend from Sedgefield Blues, John Tate, so all credit to him for talent spotting. Obviously I've met up with them several time now and have even supplied them with some copy, so slightly biased......

I'd highly recommend the follow-up album, Believe or take a listen to it's "live" format, BeLive, and check YouTuber Plunkett777 for ful show video from Sedgefield 2015 & Newcastle Cluny.

Hmm; we've always said that Sailing On A Pool of Tears has been the best Bond song they've never used since GoldenEye.... Impressed Chris Kimsey enough to do a single re-master.
Speaking of a Rolling Stones connection, of the new songs aired last Friday, Take Me Higher has a Stones' vibe to it, not dissimilar to Gimme Shelter: the other new song, If I Go To Sleep is anything but a lullaby, very heavy opening de-tuned SG riff, almost Sabbath-like. Couple to look out for on YouTube.

Darlington Forum 22nd June

Well, we’ve waited and we’ve waited and waited a little more, but after almost 4 years, it finally happened. No; not England winning a World Cup match, better than that, we finally got Rebecca Downes and her band to play Darlington Forum, one of the few venues with probably just enough asbestos to withstand the heat of her searing Blues and R’n'B.

The audience were nicely warmed through by Felix Rabin and the band, but when Rebecca came hit the stage thermostats just exploded with the strain. It was hot enough outside on Friday evening but that was a refreshing breeze compared to inside once Rebecca got started with the appropriately titled double-whammy of new song Take Me Higher and old favourite Fever In The Night. Then the showcase cover of Piece of My Heart before things comparatively settled down through Its That Easy, Basement and Come With Me to the powerhouse Rather Go Blind where Steve Birkett flexes his guitar before winding up, or down, depending on points of view the first set with the driving Night Train.

After a short break to cool off, the band were back with their usual main opener Never Gonna Learn and soon hit their stride with another new track If I Go To Sleep. Some chance of that with these guys. Rebecca took the opportunity here to tease up about the new, upcoming album; seems quite a coup in the production chair as well as a “name” guest contributing some solos - and before you ask, it’s as much a mystery to me at the moment. Anyway, promotion time over and back down to business with the bouncing 1000 Years, the funky Sweetness and the driving Long, Long Time

And then, the gloves were off; Rebecca & Steve delivered their mighty Ike & Tina duet on Baby Get It On, That led into the showboating vocal of Sailing On A Pool of Tears and then, still with power to spare, the epic Believe.

With more awards and accolades these days than you can shake a [drum]stick at, Rebecca is still grounded enough to acknowledge that its friends and fans that put her in the spotlight, so no show would be complete without Little Help From My Friends. And the roar at the end of that was comparable to the one I heard yesterday afternoon at the end of some football match which I think England won….. Yeah, and so did our ‘Beccs…....

Video to follow…...