ALL HAPPENING IN NEWPORT

On 4^th and 5^th of September Newport, currently surrounded by a ring of steel, sees 60 heads of state or government, 10,000 support staff, 25,000 extra rail passengers, an estimated 20,000 protesters, 1,500 media, 9,500 police officers from 43 forces, 12 miles of security fencing, school closures and Prince Charles. Fortunately this is all happening in Newport, South Wales, but it is a real coup for Wales and a feather in the cap for Newport hosting the NATO summit.

Back at home in Newport, Shropshire we saw a ring of steel erected in and around the town centre last Saturday to protect the thousands of spectators who turned out to watch the 10^th Nocturne organised by father and son, Mick and Nick Jeggo together with about 100 volunteers enabling us to see many a cycling legend that most circuit races in Britain just do not see. A real feather in our own town’s cap thanks to these people and the sponsors.  

Newport hasn’t seen any rail passengers since 1967 and there is no ring of steel on a Tuesday night but occasionally “Ring of Fire” (a rather tenuous link I know) can be heard at Open Mic in Bellman’s Yard, notably from our own Rich Evans and Martyn Templeton.

Back to last Tuesday and a hot September night at the Royal Naval Association in Newport saw several new faces in the audience and performers from as far as Leeds and Manchester. After a blues jam sound check from Dave Blu, Steve Davis, Andy Clarke and Olly Flavell our first visitor from further afield was Malcolm Purvis.  It’s always nice that Malcolm regularly pops in when he is working in the area and he has many a kind word for Newport Open Mic which he says has inspired him in his creativity and song writing. With chorus pedal and yet another new song called “Prayer” which came about when away from home and missing his family his set of new songs never fails to please.

Telford band Ricochet were on fine form with Sand, Scott and Cameron playing all original material. These three young lads never fail to look energized on stage and obviously thoroughly enjoy playing to an appreciative audience. Rehearsal time I believe is very often outside on the car park! “Under Age and Under Paid” is a song they wrote and played at Open Mic a few years ago and was my particular favourite in the set. Ricochet’s drummer Cameron Pierce left the drum stool to take up his guitar to accompany prog rock backing tracks bringing yet another dimension to Open Mic whose philosophy is “anything goes”.

We are looking forward to the return of Dave Whiteman very soon and the Scratch House Band spot is invariably his favourite part of the evening. He would have enjoyed tonight’s collaboration which comprised Dave Blu, young Andy Conway on drums (lovely to see you back), Ben Garrott on his white polycarbonate alto sax, Olly Flavell and Andy Clarke on bass. There is probably no one who enjoys himself more alongside such good musicians than Andy who can play a driving bass line and is always seen grinning from ear to ear. Alternating vocals and guitar breaks from Dave and Olly brought us a splendid blues rock set which included “After Midnight”, “Black Magic Woman” and “Thrill is Gone”. 

Tuesday night brought us a great mix of acoustic solo sets as well as bands and next up was Josh Banks from Telford. What an outstanding voice this young man has and with his versions of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” and Radiohead’s “Street Spirit (Fade Out)” he held the audience spellbound.

Steve Davis has not been down from Manchester for a while but after his recent altercation with hedge cutters it was nice to see him back. Diversity was the name of the game with songs from Black Sabbath, Runrig and Crowded House sung in a higher register before delving into his vocal boots with JJ Cale’s “Call Me the Breeze.”

Pippin Henderson had a mention in last week’s Open Mic review with reference to his excellent version of “Whole Lotta Love” which we haven’t heard for ages from him and lo and behold he paid us a long overdue visit and treated us to “Whole Lotta Love” once again followed by an extended mix of “Voodoo Chile” with Andy Conway on drums and Olly on bass. John Heath would have been proud of his nephew, Pippin, from 6,000 miles away in Colombia.

Thanks to all those who turn up regularly to set up, keep the evening running smoothly and put everything away at the end of the night and a big thanks of course to all those who come to perform or just to listen making Open Mic on a Tuesday night the place to be in Newport.

Jude Paton