Great mixture once again at The Navy  Words: Dave Whiteman, 
Pictures: Laurence Gale

Near, far, wherever you are, I believe that the heart does go on. I saw those words this week, on a Facebook post and it bugged me where I had seen them before. Was it a poem? A quotation? Neither as it turns out…. it is of course from the Celine Dion Titanic theme, ‘My Heart Will Go On’.  This in turn reminded me of an episode from Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights a few years ago, when the staff recommended using song lyrics as a way of picking up girls. All went well until unlucky in love Les tried the line ‘Everywhere you go take the weather with you’……..it didn’t quite work somehow.

‘Look at the night, and it don’t seem so lonely, we fill it up with only two’ is a lyric probably more recognisable than some and certainly more romantic. It is of course from Neil Diamond, ‘Sweet Caroline’ and was the first choice of returning crooner Eddie Maiden, who performed for the first time last week. This week a few of the younger musicians, Olly Flavell on guitar and Remynie Faith on drums provided the fuller sound required for belting out this crowd pleaser, and it was once again a great performance. 

Remynie then stayed on stage, and managed once again to stun the audience into silence with her lovely voice. I have said before and happy to repeat, that she is one of our most talented young performers and never afraid to take a chance. Recruiting Vinyl Tap vocalist Alex Ash, they took on one of the most difficult songs imaginable, ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ from the musical ‘Les Miserable’. Without rehearsal and without song sheets, their a-capella version was listened to in complete silence and the applause at the end brought the house down. Magical.

Olly Flavell played a solo set this week and highlighted a few of his newer self- penned compositions. He is turning into a performer of some substance, fusing gentle melodies with jazzy influence to produce a very listenable style. A very busy Olly then remained on stage, this time on bass to perform with the Scratch House Band. Steve Hammond, brilliant guitarist from Shrewsbury choose this week’s set and came up with an interesting mix of Tina Turner and Robert Palmer, with Remynie Faith once again recruited on drums.

And guess who was behind the drum kit for our second band of the evening? Yes, you’ve guessed it Miss Faith once again this time with her regular group, Vinyl Tap. A blistering start had guitarist Alan Lane warming up his fret board with ‘Wipeout’ by The Surfaris, before rattling through an extended set that included Elton John, The Zombies and Radiohead. Plenty of variety from this five piece…..my favourite though, a great version of ‘Wicked game’ by Chris Isaac, with super vocals from Alex.

Two newcomers next on stage, Tom Miles, a student from London joined Harriet Sutton-Green for a couple of songs, from Imagine Dragons and Of Monsters & Men. I don’t know if these two play together regularly, but if not they certainly should do. Tom’s driving guitar and Harriet’s fabulous vocals made for a great mix and was very well received by the audience. 
Harriet then remained on stage to be joined by local lad Dylan Evans, who is also studying in London, to perform a song called ‘A Break and a Stop’ from a musical he is currently writing. I am making the assumption that Dylan must be studying music or certainly something in the performing arts, because his follow up, also self- penned, ‘You’re Not 19 Forever’ could have come straight from the West End.

It’s a real shame that, due to a full board, this crowd of youngsters had to play quite late in the evening, just as some of the audience were drifting off home. They brought a breath of fresh air to the Open Mic with their enthusiasm and undoubted talent and I would welcome them back any time. Another of their group, Joe Rose, brought a great evening to a close with yet more singer song-writing quality. ‘When Your Mind’s Made Up’ and ‘I Miss You, I Do’ …..both excellent compositions.

Many thanks to all who stayed behind to pack up the kit and very special thanks to newcomer Jonathan Newton, who did his first shift behind the mixing desk and gave a super balanced sound to all the performers. Well done mate! Till next time, keep it live!

Youth AND experience at The Navy.  Words: Dave Whiteman, Pictures: Laurence Gale

There has been a lot of comment this week about football season ticket prices going up by more than three times inflation, and, fan or not, you have to feel sorry for the true supporters. Our ticket prices are by far the highest in Europe, and a pundit recently calculated that if all the premiership clubs let the fans in FOR FREE…they would still be earning more money than last season, thanks to TV income. A seat to watch my team Burnley, for the game against West Ham tomorrow, would set me back £35…which is almost as much as a season ticket cost my father when I first started to support the club.

On the other hand, a season ticket for the Newport Open Mic, held every Tuesday in the Navy Club, would set you back around £50 for the year…and that would give you about 150 hours of live music from maybe 400 separate performances. How’s that for value?

One of our regulars at the Navy is Newport local, Eddie Maiden and he always seems to enjoy himself. This week for the first time, we saw him up on stage and what a performance it was. Within seconds it was clear that Eddie, aged 76, had done this before and it turns out he was lead singer with a band called The Bianco’s in the sixties. It just goes to show, you never lose it…..well done Eddie.

Virtuoso is a much over used word in the music world, but I think that description applies to newcomer Tom Boddison from Priorslee. He has only been playing guitar for the last six years, but his style and technique had many guitarists in the audience gasping with surprise and admiration He is still only 16, so goodness knows how much better he can become. Whisper it quietly……his version of Gary Moore’s ‘Parisian Walkways’ was one of the best I have ever heard.

Once again an earlier slot for John Minor and his keyboard, and it certainly seems to work well for him. Centre stage, his instrumentals from The Moody Blues and Oasis were very good indeed, but his version of ‘Yesterday’ was once again outstanding.

Sticking with the Beatles theme, resident snapper Laurence Gale swapped Canon for Epiphone to bring us a lovely little medley of their tunes, finishing with excellent finger picking style on ‘Norwegian Wood’….good stuff from one of our great supporters.

I haven’t seen Gaz & The Tones since Newfest, way back in June. Guitarist Tony Callister, told me that the band have been rehearsing and gigging regularly and that dedication showed on this performance, with an extended and very tight set. All the usual stuff was there, ‘Newton Squared’ and ‘Around the Sun’ but it is really nice to see them mix up their own material with a couple of good covers. Cornershop’s ‘Brim full of Asha’ was, amazingly, released more than 17 years ago, but still sounds fresh and perfectly suited to their style.

 

Great to see two thirds of ‘Ricochet’, Sand Kumar and Scott Thompson, back at the club.  Performing as The O’Chets and even without regular drummer Cameron, these guys produce a good full sound. Their set included ‘Dancefloor’, a tribute to Rob Skipper, former guitarist with The Holloways who tragically died a couple of weeks ago, aged just 28. Once again, this is a band who write their own good material, but, recognising that it may not familiar to many, mix up the set with a few covers….a practice that pays off if you want gigs.

 

No Scratch House Band tonight, but just time for a bit of a rock jam before the end, and another first for the club. I have never seen a guitarist on crutches manage to play proficiently, but Tom Bond did an admirable job without falling over! With David Minor, brother of John, on bass, Remynie Faith on drums and Tony Callister from Gaz & The Tones on guitar, they played a lively rock set to send the punters home happy.

 Thanks again to all those who gave their time at the start and finish of the evening to set up and dismantle the kit, it’s always appreciated. If you disappeared before the end….shame on you.

So there’s no doubt the football crowds will be huge again this weekend, with millions watching on TV, but if you want to see Premier performances AND get good value, check out the local music scene at the Newport Open Mic. Till next week, keep it live!

Anyone for a charity record?   Words: Dave Whiteman   Pictures: Laurence Gale

I have just been reading about the imminent release of another charity single by the BBC. A rework of The Beach Boys classic ‘God Only Knows’ features more than twenty famous artistes from Elton John to Stevie Wonder linking up with Brian Wilson himself, to raise money for Children in Need. Unlike it’s charity predecessor, Lou Reed’s ‘Perfect Day’ in 1997, it also brings together musicians from the world of classical, folk, youth choirs and the BBC concert orchestra for a totally unique experience….check it out, it is truly superb. A little closer to home, Newport musicians have been doing something very similar for many years, with local acts making compilation CD’s in aid of our chosen charity, Severn Hospice. They may not have the grandeur of the Children in Need single, but are still well worth a listen….all available in Hey Jude’s.

Jay Harris hadn’t intended to play this week, but such is his enthusiasm, he was down at the Navy by 7pm helping to unload all the equipment. After a brief sound-check however, he was persuaded onto the stage to open the evening with a couple of songs from his favourite band, Beady Eye. Always good to play without word or chords in front of you…it sharpens the senses! Well done Jay.

Nice to see Perton’s Mike Collins back at the club. He always brings something good to the table, this time songs from Amy Winehouse and The Lumineers, and was warmly welcomed by the sizable crowd.

For the second week running, Open Mic regular John Minor played an earlier slot and I do believe this is better for him. Waiting all evening to play can sometimes increase nervousness, but if the evidence of a note perfect ‘Yesterday’ was anything to go by, there was no sign of any stage fright.

Olly Flavell has been busy writing again and he showcased a couple of his self-penned numbers tonight before playing a superb version of ‘You Give Me Something’ by James Morrison. Whist sticking to the original recording, he still managed to put his own unique style on it, which is no easy task.

Over the last few weeks we have had two, then three members of local band Bang to Rights. Tonight it was more or less a full complement with Will Barton son of drummer Pete, standing in for Mervyn Williams. As well has making a big contribution to their rocking set, he also managed to lower the average age by at least twenty years! Don’t miss them at the Halloween Party at The Navy on 31^st Oct, they are well worth a listen.

Guitarist Steve Hammond once again put together a great Scratch House Band, with Pete Barton once again on drums and Olly Flavell this time on bass. Always good to see saxophonist Ben Garrott busking away…..nothing seems to catch him out. Terrific stuff.

It’s true to say that The Navy crowd can get louder as the evening progresses, and it can be quite intimidating if you are up on stage and can hear people talking. How do you get round that? Well, let the audience police themselves. Within ten seconds of Remynie Faiths self- penned opener, ‘Here we Are’ her soaring vocals and soft melodic guitar had them spell bound and any transgression was soon greeted with a whispered ‘Shush’. Keyboardist, drummer, guitarist and most of all singer song-writer, she truly is a remarkable talent.

The aim is always to send the crowd away happy and last up, singer guitarist Rich Evans and harmonica player Ed Sullivan, are experts in that field. I don’t know how they manage to blend Whitesnake, The Jackson Five and even Lonnie Donegan into their act but their uplifting performance kept the crowd there till the very end then sent them all off home, happily humming their set.
So when pubs in the town are crying out for mid-week customers, we are still attracting a sizeable crowd each week. Perhaps it is the superb range of music from around eight different live acts, or just the great value at only a quid…including the raffle. Maybe we should think about a live charity CD…what do you think?
 
Till next time, keep it live!

Variety is the spice of life!   Words: Dave Whiteman, Pictures: Laurence Gale

I don’t know about you, but my musical tastes seem to be shifting somewhat. I have lots of albums, CD, vinyl and MP3 but it is very rare if I listen to a recording from start to finish. Sting, Elton, Paulo Nutini, Springsteen, they all have space on my shelf, but more often than not these days I tend to listen to compilations rather than individuals. Even my Ipod is almost always set to shuffle….so why is that? I love my music; it’s just that I get a little bit fed up of listening to the same voice for an hour or more
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I was thinking about that this week and realised that on a typical Open Mic evening, the audience will listen to album ‘compilations’ with usually around ten acts playing maybe three or four different tracks each. And if it is variety you’re after, then this week’s playlist featured such a wide spectrum….from Roberta Flack to Led Zeppelin…can it get any more diverse?
 
First up this week, Jay Harris has asked me to stop going on about his age….happy to oblige. But when his opening number, ‘Sandstorm’ from Nineties’ band Cast is considerably older than Jay himself, it is reasonable to wonder about his Dad’s music collection! It is a pleasure to see Jay to the Open Mic…..he is always asking questions, getting involved and is eager to learn. I reckon in around twenty years and still only around thirty (oops, sorry Jay!) he will be running his own Open Mic and encouraging the next generation to perform on stage.

An earlier slot than usual for keyboardist John Minor, bringing a nice bit of variety to our playlist with an instrumental compilation of his own. Oasis features regularly in his act, and this week he added a very nice excerpt from Jeff Wayne’s ‘War of the Worlds’ before finishing with a Queen crowd pleaser. A very good set, well received by the generous Navy Club audience.

 With Mark Langford on guitar and Steve Smith on bass guitar, we were down to just 50%, of local rock band Bang To Rights. Never mind, the recruitment of brilliant local drummer Andy Conway made for a talented trio that rocked through an all too short set. Songs from Peter Frampton and a little heard ‘Sister Seagull’ from Be-Bop Deluxe had Mark demonstrating an advanced guitar technique, pinch harmonics……see, this column can be educational as well!


I don’t mind a bit of gentle arm twisting now and again, so when photographer Laurence suggested a sore throat prevented him from playing, a Fisherman’s Friend, the loan of a nice guitar and the threat of violence helped him reconsider. ‘Lay Down’ was the first hit single from The Strawbs’ album ‘Bursting at the Seams’ in 1973 and is a great opener. Laurence is a man of many talents…. a great supporter of local live music and also responsible for the photographs on this page….many thanks Loz!

Time for my favourite part of the evening, the Scratch House Band. It is always a pleasure to be asked to join experienced and enthusiastic players on stage so how could I refuse ace guitarist Steve Hammond, bassist Steve Smith and aforementioned drummer Andy Conway came calling? Guitarist Steve had put together this week’s set list and the look on everyone’s face as the keys and chords were lazily discussed was quite priceless. He seems to be getting more adventurous as his choice featured never before heard numbers from Bowie and the Doobie Brothers. No need to worry, any potential flat moments were filled with blistering lead guitar solo breaks. Rehearsals? Who needs rehearsals?

No compilation album would be complete without a little bit of metal, and who better to unleash that than Pippin Henderson, Rob McDonald and the very busy Andy Conway once again on the drums. These lads have always been a talented bunch but experience has now taught them stage craft. Yes, they are loud (ish) but music of this type should never be played at low volume…it just doesn’t work. They have now learned to play at the RIGHT volume for the venue….I didn’t see anyone with their ears bleeding! A rock jam segued seamlessly into their signature tune, ‘Whole Lotta Love’ and this in turn blended into Voodoo Child which still sounds as fresh as it did on release in 1969.

So another brilliant live music evening in the Navy. Don’t forget there is a Soul, Motown and R&B night this evening (Fri) at The Navy starting at 7.30pm, £2 entry on the door and profits going to the Severn Hospice, but if you do decide to stay in, pour a glass of wine, put your feet up and listen to some music….make it a compilation!

Till next time, keep it live.