Armed Officers in Newport firearms drama may have kept a few behind locked doors but the intrepid music lovers were at the Navy Club in Newport as usual on Tuesday night for another Open Mic session in Bellman’s Yard.

No band names on the board this week so the red drum kit stood resplendent at the back of the stage and was a good backdrop to an evening of varied musical talent. 16 year old singer/songwriter Melissa Severn from Telford has not been heard at the Navy for a few weeks but for good reason. Not only has she been busy writing songs, she has recorded and released an 11 track acoustic album called Melissa Severn Acoustic as well as, mon dieu c’est incroyable, busking in the streets of Paris. Now she is saving up for a trip to Nashville! 3 self penned songs tonight and one I particularly liked called Port Maine, a song about love and loss, this time a boy in converse boots. Her final song was a One Direction/Jake Bugg amalgam with an original twist from Melissa.

Sixth Former from Thomas Telford, Dylan Evans was next up with strong vocals and acoustic guitar singing an original song called Bolder and was then joined by musical cohort Joe Rose. Together they have written a musical over the summer months called Catatonic Matt which should hit the West End of Wellington in January. With a cast of 16 the lads describe it as a zany, off the wall tale of friendship and growing up. The 3 songs they chose from it, School is Fun, Secrets and Goodbye Friend gave us a flavour of their endeavours.

Mellissa Walford is another local young singer/songwriter but tonight sang some great covers by Goo Goo Dolls, Plan B, Birdy and Alex Clare. Wonderful strong vocals and mature stage presence from this young lady.

Cockney and Geordie lads Steve Davis and Alan Lane joined forces tonight and performed a lovely harmonious set with the seldom heard Traction in the Rain by Dave Crosby, Norwegian Wood, Ride On written by Jimmy McCarthy but made famous by Christie Moore and finishing with JJ Cale’s Call Me the Breeze. Steve has a wonderful vocal range complimented tonight by Alan’s lead breaks.

It’s been some time since we have seen Tugboat Pete Nihil out on a Tuesday night but taking centre stage with trademark hat and dark glasses, gravelly Tom Waits voice and unique guitar style together with Tristram Dixon (bearing a passing resemblance to Syd Barrett or a young John Martyn) and a somewhat bemused Ed Harpman Sullivan the unlikely trio finished the evening in fine style. The set included Bob Dylan’s I Shall be Released and some marvellously random ad-libbing  which included such lines as “I got a brand new polecat” and “I was born at the bottom of a septic tank”. A great way to finish and a sure way to send everyone home with a smile on their faces and as ever a splendid night of live music in Newport.

See you next week.

Photos from Laurence to follow.

Jude