At the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games 2014, the most prestigious live event Glasgow and Scotland have ever seen, 40,000 spectators were treated to a night of entertainment from Scottish icon Rod Stewart, Britain’s Got Talent finalist Susan Boyle and singer-songwriter Amy MacDonald. Celtic Park’s entire south stand was transformed into Glasgow’s “Window on the Commonwealth” thanks to the installation of a digital LED backdrop, the largest screen of its kind ever seen in Europe. 11 days of sporting excellence, Team England topping the medals table and the closing ceremony at Hampden Park with Kylie Minogue, Lulu and Deacon Blue bringing the curtain down on what was praised by Prince Imran of Malaysia, the President of the Commonwealth Games Federation, as the “best Games ever”, adding “Glasgow – you were pure, dead brilliant.”

Tunnock’s teacakes and Irn-Bru sales have soared but fortunately not all Scots dress like numpties and hopefully not all Scots will vote “yes” to independence in September.

The headliners in Glasgow and the headliners at the V Festival this month who are the Killers and Justin Timberlake may not be to everyone’s taste but the line-up at Newport Open Mic in Bellman’s Yard in Newport every Tuesday always brings surprises and never fails to please.

Plenty of new faces in the audience and some new names on the board bode well for an evening of great live music and definitely the place to be for the most lively spot in town on a week day night  BY FAR. Singer/songwriter Malcolm Purvis from Leeds always pays us a visit when he is working in the area and after a half hour collaboration with young Jobe Spencer in the car park he invited him to join him for a great set of original songs trying out his new “vocal harmoniser”. I always like the stories behind his songs which included one about a lying bass player and another about a girl working in a fruit factory in Leeds.

The drum kit was not going to stand idle tonight as next up was a 4 piece band from Telford called Scripted Youth who play original material as well as classic rock covers. High octane stuff from these four, brothers Keith and Mike Hatton on lead guitar/vocals and drums with Craig Cooper on guitar and Carl Johnson on bass. Currently recording their first album these lads are full of enthusiasm as well as volume and would go down well at any bike rally.

Itinerant Dave Blu took to the stage with his band of “gypsies” who were musical friends Remynie-Kiah, Mark Langford and Harry Woolley. Tonight’s musical offering was not Bach’s 10 Canons but slow blues in E which of course included Harry’s signature tune “Diggin’ My Potatoes”. A great set from 4 talented and experienced musicians. 

18 year old Kim Smith from Wellington has played at Newport Open Mic two or three times before but what an outstanding performance she gave tonight opening with the Etta James blues classic first recorded in 1967, “I’d Rather Go Blind”. Two of her own songs followed which held the audience spellbound before finishing with a lesser known Amy Winehouse song which could so easily could have been her own.

The Steve Hammond Scratch Band this week had Dave Blu on bass in fine form and Mark Langford on drums opening with a rip roaring “Mustang Sally”. Great vocals from Steve who then launched into the Van Morrison classic “Brown Eyed Girl”. Good to hear that Van the Man, who has elevated truculence to a fine art, performed a blistering set to close the 50^th Cambridge Folk Festival recently. A blistering set too from Steve who invited Kim Smith back up on stage with the seasoned veterans to sing George Gershwin’s “Summertime”. Wonderful stuff.

Megan Hodgkinson and Alan Lane have been absent for a while but a lovely set to suit Megan’s delightful vocals included “Jolene” and Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way” from  Rumours, one of the best selling albums of all time.....incredibly over 40 million copies! 

16 year old Jobe Spencer brought the evening to a close with some delightful self penned instrumentals and finally Eric Clapton’s “Hey Hey”. A great night of live amongst friends. Newport – you were pure dead brilliant.  Oh and pass us another teacake. 

  

Report by Jude Paton