Darnell Cole & The Vibe

Newcastle; Cluny  12-7-24

Bit of a spur-of-the-moment choice, but decided to mosey down to The Cluny to catch Darnell Cole & The Vibe, of who I've been hearing good reports, and come on, a £10 ticket made it a bit of a no-brainer.

Opening the proceedings were Sheffield trio Lightning Threads making their Cluny debut, but no strangers to the area. They started in a fairly sound manner, a little "safe" maybe, but mid-set, as Darnell Cole and the guys drifted out in the crowd, they seemed to kick things up a couple of gears finding a burst of confidence and played like they remembered it was a Friday night. I'd keep an eye out for these lads again. (And yes, the drummer also plays keys on stage.)
(From other shows)
Next Door Neighbor Blues - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um4mXduZjug
The Preacher - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I0UEtUm_HE

If Lightning Threads were a bit reserved at the start, then there was no such hesitation with the headliners California born Darnell Cole & The Vibe. with their heady mix of Blues and Soul, nodding to Lenny Kravitz as much as to Hendrix.
Cole is no stranger to the stage, releasing his first album back in 2011, but The Vibe is his latest project, coming on the heels of the demise of long-term band Porcelain Hill (who stalled due to the pandemic). Really solid backline carried the lead with Funk & Soul as  Darnell worked the crowd with his white SG while stood atop a barrel at the front of the stage. There was soon a great rapport with the audience, even though it was a bit sparse, for a Friday. The set, all 60 minutes of it, for the most part was tight and punchy, though the encore, a take on Whipping Boy, I thought lost it's way in the mid-section, though was pulled back for the climax.

I have a feeling we'll see more of these guys as they have that drive to capture the minds and spirits of a UK audience, and as they expand their set, that won't be a bad thing.

The Station / Take Me By The Hand / Fly On - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My9-3HfRdbI