Here’s a quick résumé of Joanne’s gig at the Riga in Southend last Friday so those seeing her this week know what to expect.
The support band were a local act called Crossfire who, I ws told hadn’t played together for around 5 years. I would never have guessed as they were not bad at all, playing some blues standards and SRV covers to a high standard. They were only let down slightly in the vocals dept.
Due to the venue wanting to get as much drinking time as possible in, Joanne didn’t appear on stage until 10.30pm. The set list comprised:
1. Shake ‘n Bake – the SRV instrumental played at a cracking pace
2. Going Home
3. Time Has Come
4. I want You To Love Me
5. White Sugar > Flintstones theme 
6. SRV Shuffle – not sure what this was, could have been Travis Walk
7. Just Another Word
8. Manic Depression
9. Watch ‘Em Burn
10. Kiss The Ground Goodbye
11. Shiver Inside
12. Black Country Soul (new song)
13. Bones
14. Blackest day
15. Going Down
16. Can’t You See (encore)
A great set and considering Joanne and the band didn’t get off stage until 12.15am and had to get to Leamington (150 miles) to appear at the Blues Assembly at 3pm, quite long.
Joanne and the guys appeared to really enjoy performing in front of the 100 or so that were there and judging by the crowd around her afterwards wanting to buy copies of White Sugar, she made a lot of new fans.
Joanne has a great bluesy voice, excellent songs and gets a beautiful tone from her Tele. Added to which, she really “goes for it” in her playing. I’m looking forward to seeing her again soon.
Phil
Ars Longa, Vita Brevis
“The guy who has helped the blues industry the most is Joe Bonamassa and I would say he is more rock than some rock stuff, so to me blues is whatever you want it to be!”
Simon McBride in my interview with him in Blues Matters! Issue #56
