We have it all, at probably the best open mic night in the UK

Newport Shropshire ..... The home of live music

Report Jude Paton

Photographs Laurence Gale

You may have heard of Newport’s  “ Town Team” now moving into its second year of operation and whose aim it is to promote Newport’s social, cultural, business and retail trade.  Newport’s heritage and the canal are very much a draw not only for residents but also visitors to the town but have you also considered Newport as providing a major stage for musical talent in and around Shropshire, Staffordshire and the West Midlands.

NEWfest 14 on 28^th June has an impressive lineup of outstanding musicians and singers all of whom have come through Newport Open Mic and despite fewer numbers at Tuesday’s Open Mic at the Navy Club in Bellman’s Yard diversity was definitely the name of the game showcasing just what musical ability comes to Newport providing enjoyment for the listener as well as the performer.

With Darcy Darth Vader Crawford manning the sound desk ably assisted by Ben Garrott as MC for the evening announcing, in the blue corner, Olly Flavell as the opening act with his own unique blend of jazz/funk which included a great version of Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon”.

 

Jobe Spencer and Robbie Pilgrim gel very well despite the fact that they rarely rehearse together. They give great praise to Alison Rushton, Head of Music at Burton Borough School as being inspiring not only to them but to the musical achievements of the school, not least the school’s Concert and Big Band. 
 

 

Darcy Crawford as always delights the crowd not only on the tennis court but also on the musical stage with a country style this week. Great stuff as always.  Following some arm twisting Jim Paton who described himself as a “non performer” stepped up to sing acapella about rotten parsnips at Mountjoy Prison which on further questioning turned out to be an adaptation of a piece of prose by James Joyce, followed by a lullaby by Staffordshire singer/songwriter Gillie Nicholls and finally the traditional song “The Parting Glass”.

Singer, songwriter and pianist Chris Del Manso was next up to delight the audience with an extended set which included tracks from his recently released EP “A Taste of...Chris Del Manso”. With fingers tracing effortlessly over the keys of the piano and powerful vocals Chris opened with “I Won’t Go Back to Gillingham Again”. Tracks from his EP included “Goodbye Captain America” and “Photographs” – both outstanding with a lovely line from the second song “photographs of you in my heart and in a drawer, and I take them out when I don’t know what I’m doing anymore”. Obviously Elton John is one of Chris’s musical heroes and influences and he is going to see him later this year for the 26^th time. Tickets for Elton start at around £60. We shared the pleasure of hearing Chris play and sing for just £1. “Bennie and the Jets” and” Your Song” by Chris were faultless. MC Ben Garrott stepped up to the keys saying “How do you follow that?” “Admirably” I would say with a couple of his own compositions followed by an outstanding instrumental version of “Sweet Child Of Mine” and finishing with Booker T’s “Green Onions”. 

Once again a great night of live music at the Navy Club and plenty more in and around Newport with Olly’s Thursday Open Mic restarting at The Bridge this coming Thursday and of course NEWfest14, a must for your diaries on Saturday 28^th June, Newport’s premier one day Music Festival.

Chris Del Manso’s EP is on sale at Hey Jude’s in Newport Indoor Market, open Fridays and Saturdays.

See you all Tuesday from around 8pm.

Keeping it live.