A packed house and plenty of new faces at The Navy. Words and pictures: Dave Whiteman

Yep, it’s cold. We seem to be breaking weather records every year at the moment. Depending on which newspaper you read, last year was the wettest/warmest/driest/coldest since records began (which was when exactly?) and February has started off very cold indeed. One thing you can always be sure about though is the warm welcome you will receive at the Newport Open Mic, held every Tuesday in the Royal Naval Association in Bellman’s Yard. Predicted bad weather didn’t stop debut performers travelling from far and wide, including Stafford, Wellington, Wolverhampton and even Manchester and neither did it prevent a brilliant crowd of fifty or so enjoying themselves.

Alan Lane is one of the best guitarists in town. Last week accompanying an Elvis impersonator ( and he was brilliant) His brief this week was somewhat different playing soft guitar to Lexi Tapley’s wonderful melodic vocal. Lexi’s voice can fill a room and her opener from Paulo Nutini certainly did, but her version of I’m Not the Only One’ by Sam Smith had real emotion. A great start to the evening.

Always nice to welcome new talent, and Alan Critchley, originally from Bury but now living in Wellington, brought his own backing tracks….and a fair percentage of the audience, to entertain us with some nice sing-alongs from Roger Miller and Billy Joel.

Lilleshall’s Mitch Brooks was back again and is proving to be a real favourite. He made his debut a few weeks ago and obviously enjoys playing at the Navy. Tracey Chapman’s ‘Fast Car’ is a difficult song, not easy to sing or play, but he did a superb job. A great young talent.

Next up two performers who have contributed an awful lot to local live music over the years, Jon Lloyd and Joe Nunn. Their three song set, all written by Jon was quite beautiful and the audience were quietened within seconds of Joe’s soft violin accompaniment. Special mention here, of Jon’s guitar playing. He makes complex rhythms and awkward chord progressions look very easy, and his lazy drawl vocal, so reminiscent of Leonard Cohen is perfect for their sound.

The audience of around fifty were now warming to the variety of performers, and Melissa Severn didn’t disappoint. It is hard to believe that she is still only sixteen…..she seems to have been around ages. I predicted when I first saw her almost three years ago, that she would have a career in music and it seems I am about to be proved right. 2014 was a blur of festivals and contest finals, performing in front of thousands of people and that has only sharpened her stage craft. Her music, all self-penned, has always been good, but her confidence on stage is now that of a seasoned performer….what next for this brilliant young talent?

If you have visited the Southwater Development in Telford recently, there is a good chance you will have seen members of next act, Sixty Angel Voices busking in the area. First time at the Navy for Matt Allen, Connor Purcell, Gary Conway and Tom Bridge, but the enthusiastic reception they received for their original set will guarantee their return, I am sure. They clearly enjoyed the experience, describing the set up as ‘the best ever’ and their mix of acoustic rock, with guitars and mandolin was very well received by the crowd.

Never judge a book by its cover and another newcomer, Steve Reynolds from Wolverhampton, certainly proved that old adage. He reminded me of rugby player Mike Tindall, but the voice that emerged was definitely not low and rough. He had a beautiful soft vocal and his version of opener ‘Sweet Child of Mine’ silenced the crowd immediately. It can be quite difficult to stand alone on stage with just a guitar for company, but this big man had the audience in the palm of his hand from the instant he started playing….great stuff.

Father and Son Gaz & Daz Nettleton had travelled from Wythenshawe, in order to surprise one of our regulars, Steve Davis who also runs an Open Mic in Manchester. Unfortunately, Steve missed this week, but the lads still thought their three hour round trip, on a working day, well worth the effort. ‘These Boots are made for Walking’ was a good opener which had the crowd singing along, and the response persuaded Gaz to try a quite tricky number, ‘Knights in White Satin’. Definitely not one in the easy category, but his vocal was crystal clear and he hit the high notes with ease. Come back again anytime lads, it was a brilliant first outing.

So around fourteen live performers entertained a great crowd and showed again why Newport Open Mic is regarded as one of the best in the area. 

 

Once again, many thanks to the helpers who were there at 7pm and still there more than four hours later to put the kit back up into the loft. We couldn’t do it without you!

Till next time, keep it live.