Where have all the bands gone?  Words: Dave Whiteman, Pictures: Laurence Gale

I have a very vivid memory from thirty years ago, driving up the autobahn with an energetic but very impatient seven year old in the back seat, on our way to Dortmund. We were living in Germany at the time and our daughter Lizzie could not understand why we had to drive all that way, from our home in Monchengladbach, to see ‘my friend Bryan’, and clearly, she was not in the best of moods. That changed when we pulled up outside the magnificent Westfallen Halle and she saw the signs for Bryan Adams….in concert that night on the Reckless Tour. Fast forward to last week and my daughter gave me one of my best ever birthday presents (just a couple of days ago, seeing as you asked!) with tickets for the same performer at the LG Arena on his Reckless Anniversary Tour. What an amazing show. He is now 55, but the way he flies around the stage in a two and a half hour performance would shame many half his age, and I can only say if you get the chance to see him…..take it.

Our first performer onstage this week is almost exactly one third of Bryan Adam’s age, so has plenty of time if she is to reach the dizzy heights of stadium entertainment, but wow, what a voice. Stacey Rich from Market Drayton was appearing at the Newport Open Mic for the very first time, but I am sure that with the reaction she received, she will be back. Admitting to me afterwards that she had felt very nervous at the start, those nerves soon disappeared when she realised that she simply had to plug in and play. It is the job of the soundman to make sure that what goes out through the speakers is good, so she was able to concentrate on her music and fill the room with her searing vocals. The Navy audience appreciates a great vocalist, and the loud applause confirmed that Stacey had done a terrific job.

Resident lensman Laurence Gale was without his usual musical collaborator this week, and tried a couple of new tunes, more suited to just the one voice. He still likes to take a risk though, does Lol, and his version of ‘Lay Down’ by The Strawbs may have been ambitious, but he should still be proud of taking on such a difficult song and making it work. He is massively enthusiastic supporter of local live music is Laurence, and it is quite nice to see him with guitar instead of camera in hand.

Local musician Ed Conway is pretty much a legend in Newport, with two very busy bands on the go, Tap the Keg and also The Unlawful Men, so it is quite unusual to see him alone onstage with just a guitar. Many years of stage craft have taught him, however, that you are only as good as your last gig…..and on this performance he is very good indeed. He can entertain a crowd with or without a band around him, and although he played a few audience singalongs, from The Everley Brothers and Bob Marley, it was a self- penned song, ‘Paper Boat’ that really silenced the crowd. Brilliant stuff.

Roger Clark assembled this week’s only Scratch House Band, with Alan Middleton on bass and the aforementioned Ed Conway on guitar and vocals. Needing only a drummer, step forward resident sound man Jonathan Newton who proved that he is equally at home behind the drum kit as he is behind the sound desk. A very lively Monkees classic, ‘I’m a Believer’ set the ball rolling and another crowd pleaser ‘Stand By Me’ had the audience joining in and sent them home happy.

In 1984, the tickets for Bryan Adams cost around £15 each..….last week my daughter paid around £90 for the pair and well worth it I have to say. But if your budget doesn’t quite stretch to stadium rock, you could do a lot worse than visit the Newport Open Mic, held in The Navy Club every Tuesday……at just a quid for a full evening of live music and cheaper beer than the NEC, it represents great value!
                                 
Till next time, keep it live!