After a St George’s day with a lot of sunny spells and actually feeling quite warm in Newport, there was, as usual, a warm and friendly atmosphere at Open Mic at Newport’s Royal Naval Association Club, in Bellmans Yard Newport Shropshire.

With over 70 people in attendance, and a high quality of music and variety, the evening was as bright as the day has been.

Adam Brown performed the vital role of MC, as regular Ollie Flavell performed an instrumental number as the sound check. This was accompanied by performers writing their names on the play list, resulting in a full board by 7.50pm!

Carol Cartwright opened the evening’s music with Tracy Chapman’s “Matters of the Heart”. Carol’s mellow tones on this number were then lifted as she sang a lovely rendition of “You’re Still the One”
by Shania Twain in addition to the moving “Last thing on my mind” and “He thinks He’ll Keep Her”.

Running ahead of time, gave Rich Evans opportunity to play a couple of songs, the first using yet another musical “invention” which currently has no name (ideas on Newport Open Mic Facebook page please!) . Rich used this instrument to create a fantastic blues sound to accompany himself to
“Bad to the Bone”. This was followed by the Specials’ “A Message to You Rudy” using a guitar, ukulele and a loop pedal.

The “Noisy Boys” were up next, delivering smooth and polished performances including Steve Miller’s “Abracadabra”, “Aint no Sunshine” and “Black Magic Woman”.  The band are looking for a new name (they can be seen on You Tube as “Katy and the Noisy Boys”) and would be grateful for ideas. Again, suggestions can be made via the Newport Open Mic Facebook page.

Foster the People’s “Pumped up Kicks” was performed by Nathan Davies with an amazingly deep voice and rich tones, and his usual laid back, highly talented guitar skills. This was followed by Third Eye Blind’s “Jumper”.  Nathan started attending Open Mic when he was much younger, and has continued to develop which demonstrates that this venue is ideal for young people to showcase and practice their talents.

The ever popular Vinyl Tap launched into “Wipeout” with an impressive drum introduction from Remynie-Kiah. The band then slowed it down to perform Radiohead’s “Creep” showcasing Alex’s excellent vocal abilities.  Alex then made his debut on keyboards, complimented by Brad’s mastery of lead guitar, Jude’s steady bass and Cathy switching keyboards for tambourine on “Don’t Fear the Reaper” – an excellent set!

Newport Open Mic would like to express sincere thanks to Carol Allan. Carol’s late husband John Allan was guitarist with Vinyl Tap and a staunch supporter of Open Mic. Carol has kindly donated John’s vintage guitar to Open Mic in order to continue his support.

Brad and Dan got up on stage, and the harmonies between both their voices and guitars were a delight to listen to, as they performed “Outside” by Staind and were then joined by Remynie-Kiah on drums to play a rousing rendition of Offspring’s “The Kids aren’t Alright”.   Dan then remained on stage alone to perform an acoustic version of “Hallelujah”

Sharn and Alan performed an acoustic version of  Pixie Lott’s “Mama Do” and then Sharn’s clear strong vocals were highlighted as she sang “Killing me Softly” finishing off with the fantastic “Titanium”. Sharn always delivers a high quality performance, and seemed even more
clear and confident this week.

Open Mic Regular, the very talented Melissa Walford took to the stage to sing songs including “Home town glory”, “All those Days” and “You are the only Exception”. Melissa has fantastic vocal abilities and is growing in confidence each time she performs.

Keeping on with the acoustic theme was Remynie-Kiah performing a very melodic and gentle version of Jessie J’s “Price Tag”, which worked really well and gave a different sound to the song.  This was followed by a fantastic version of James Arthur’s “Impossible” which demonstrated Remynie’s exceptional vocal abilities.

Rich T.  brought some anarchy to the stage next, with his traditional hard edgy sound and stance, finishing off his set with Sex Pistols’ “Anarchy in the UK”.

Playing the final set of the night was Open Mic regular Darcy Crawford, who began with the excellent “Wayfaring Stranger”.  Every time Darcy performs this number using a loop pedal it gets better and better. Darcy’s set also included “Use Somebody”, Brad Paisley’s “I’m Still a Guy” and finished up with the ever-popular Proclaimers’ “500 Miles” complete with audience participation.

If you missed the one of the best Open Mic nights in the country this week, come along next Tuesday at 8pm to listen to the growing number of very talented musicians that live in and around Newport Shropshire.

The horror of the Boston marathon bombings, the expected protests at Baroness Thatcher’s funeral, the 36 hour window of opportunity for Edinburgh Zoo’s giant pandas, Tian Tian and Yang Guang, to mate this week, a win for Wolves and Arsenal held to a 0-0 draw by Everton, these are the current news and sporting topics. 

Dominating the Newport music scene is the regular Tuesday Open Mic session at the Royal Naval Association in Bellmans Yard, which kicked off at 8.15 with local celebrity “Tich“ Evans playing his Paxton and Whitfield wine and cheese box dulcimer affectionately known as Amy Winebox and performing an excellent cover of Seasick Steve’s You Say Jump, followed by the Osama Bin Laden song on electric ukulele and, by complete contrast, Mumford & Sons The Cave and U2s With or Without You.

Darcy Crawford, no longer the new boy at Open Mic, never fails to please with new material from the Kooks with the song Naive followed by the King of Pop’s Man in the Mirror and finishing with Scouting For Girls, I Skip a Heartbeat.

Seen busking in the Square last Saturday to promote Music Matters 10 year old Jay Harris made his second appearance on stage at Newport Open Mic with super confidence and watched by proud family singing and playing guitar to the recent Olly Murs hit Troublemaker followed by That’s Entertainment, probably The Jam’s best known and most acclaimed song which was in the British charts 20 years before Jay was even born.

15 year old singer songwriter Melissa Severn brings a freshness and innocence to Open Mic and this week performed 4 original songs all of which tell stories of loss, unrequited love and life to which we can all relate, no matter what age. Songs included Eyes Like a Movie, Over, Paralysed (about a celebrity crush) and a new song What You’re Looking For. Once again proud parents were in the audience.

A delight to see singer, songwriter and pianist Chris Del Manso’s name on the board, another outstandingly talented young person and what a treat to hear a track from The Beatles album A Hard Day’s Night – You Can’t Do That. It is hardly believable to think that this song was released almost 50 years ago!! Goodbye Captain America, Chris’s signature song, reflects his influence by Elton John and was followed by another self penned song Jet Propelled Bitch (in her Jimmy Choo shoes) combining all the ingredients of top hit songs. Finally Chris’s interpretation of Elton John’s Rocket Man left us spellbound.

Lisa Frawley, accompanied by Olly Flavell on guitar, is a relative newcomer to Open Mic and looked relaxed and confident on stage singing some melodic ballads and an excellent version of the Zutons Valerie.

Young Nathan Davies would have made his dad, Martin, proud had he still been with us to hear him play 2 lesser known Levellers’ songs, Maid of the River and Battle of the Beanfield with Job on drums. A poignant memory to his father and bringing a lump to my throat Nathan finished his set by singing a song his father wrote and performed frequently called I Wonder Why. It was like having Martin Davies back with us. Well done Nathan.

With nearly 70 people in the room not many performers can bring the assembled crowd to rapt silence. One person who did however was teenager Remynie opening her superb, emotionally charged set with Stay by Sugarland, X Factor winner James Arthur’s version of Impossible and Linkin Park’s Numb.

A new name on the board and time fast approaching 10.30 was Sammi Elston Gunn and Deseado Stonechat (AKA Dan Nicholas) with two songs written by Sammi. Adam Brown on the sound desk had as ever done us proud and vocals and lyrics were as clear as a bell with Don’t Fall For Me which has had some air play on Nova Radio and If You Wanna Be With Me.  

Another newcomer to the Newport stage was Claire Shaw who delighted us with one of her favourite songs and a Bob Dylan classic, again from nearly 50 years ago, It Ain’t Me Babe followed by Irish singer-songwriter Damien Rice’s Rootless Tree. We’ll look forward to seeing more of Claire at Open Mic.

The audience were still buzzing so Sammi sang and played a song which she only wrote a fortnight ago called Give Me A Reason To Come Home To – another hit with everyone. Not to be upstaged by the girls Chris Neophytou put down his camera and borrowed Sammi’s guitar and transported us to the Jamaican shores with the offbeat sound of reggae and Bob Marley’s No Woman, No Cry followed by a reggae style version of Wicked Game by Chris Isaak completing his set with Prince’s Little Red Corvette.

Just to wind the evening up Chris Del Manso played and sang Elton John’s Your Song and Circle of Life and The Beatles Back in the USSR.....Open Mic in Newport just gets better and better and I have run out of superlatives so come and see for yourselves. Every Tuesday at the Royal Naval Association in Bellmans Yard.

Girl Power

Words by Fiona Ward

Photos by Laurence Gale

The Thatcher era saw a significant change to popular music with a shift from traditional instruments and acoustic sounds to the electronic and synthesised modes of music – loved by some and hated by others. One thing Baroness Thatcher did do was to make the presence of women in society more significant and this was evident at Tuesday night’s Open Mic by the number of females who performed. “Girl Power” is definitely in action at Newport’s weekly event.

The evening started with the relaxing tones of Carol Cartwright, opening with The Impressions’ “People Get Ready”. This was followed by a fantastic rendition of the Rolling Stones “Ruby Tuesday”. Carol brings this song to life in her own style and it is a delight to listen to. Carol finished her set with the classic “Scarborough Fair”.

Kim Smith was next up. This was her second appearance at the Open Mic, and it was great to see her return to the club. Kim has a rich and clear voice and performed excellent acoustic versions of “Hey Ya” Outkast and Oasis’s “She’s Electric”. This was followed by Kim’s own self-penned number “Long Way Down” which was sung from the heart and gave Kim a chance to demonstrate some excellent skills on rhythm guitar.

Next up was Open Mic regular Olllie Flavell. Ollie has re-worked “I am Sexy and I Know It” into a very appealing slower acoustic version of the song.  The chord changes combined with the vocals are fantastic and Ollie ought to put this one on Youtube. Ollie also performed a medley of his favourite songs and a great performance of “Sweet Home Chicago”.

Melissa Watford made a welcome return this week to perform “Naïve by the Kooks, “Iris”, by the Goo Goo Dolls and the excellent self-written, “Dancing in the Stars”. Melissa also played Linkin Park’s “Numb” which amazingly she only learned how to play during the same day as her performance, which just shows how her confidence is growing. 

Jadene sang next with her unique voice, which alternated from husky, atmospheric tones to strong and clear vocals. Jadene sang “I don’t want to talk about it” followed by “Valerie“, accompanied by Ollie on guitar. The club fell into complete silence as she sang her final song, “Cry me a River” a-cappella.

The club was then treated to the rhythmic folk/blues/rock sound of Sharn and Alan including “Indian Summer” Stereophonics and Train’s “Hey Soul Sister”. Sharn’s 19 year old daughter Megan then stepped up to perform a set including Eva Cassidy’s “Wade on the Water” and “Hallelujah”. Megan has a beautiful voice with a melodic easy style.

The 5’1” Just Jimmy was supported by the 6’6” Neil Wilday, making a welcome return to Open Mic playing bass guitar, to perform an excellent country blend of songs including Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” and the classic “Hey Good Looking”.

Rich T then entertained everyone with his anarchistic style – ranging from a country rendition of The Who’s “We won’t get Fooled Again” through to “Baggy Trousers”. Rich finished his set with “God Save the Queen” by the Sex Pistols.

The multi-talented Remynie Kiah then performed a beautiful rendition of “Impossible”, accompanying herself on guitar. This was followed by a medley of songs using a tin can as a percussion instrument. Her musical coordination continues to amaze people week after week as the crowd fell into silence to listen to her.

Sam B picked up the pace delivering excellent performances and very strong vocal abilities including “Radioactive”, “Ironic” by Alanis Morrissette, and a very captivating and moving version of Christina Perri’s “Jar of Hearts”.   

Providing a fantastic finale to the evening, was Ben Garrott, opening a set with his saxophone, accompanied by Nathaniel on guitar and Richard on drums performing an instrumental blend of classic rock. The music flowed naturally and was completed by a guitar solo by Nathaniel bringing an excellent evening of music to a close.

With over 60 people in attendance and an audience age range of 15 to 71 Open Mic continues to appeal to all generations.

Too Hot To Handle.

Temperatures always above Freezing at Newport Open Mic – words Jude Paton, pictures Laurence Gale

The Stones are headlining Glastonbury this summer and if you want a ticket and a hotel for the weekend for the festival and the chance to hear Mick Jagger a month before his 70^th birthday then don’t expect to see change out of £6,000.

The same amount of money would buy you entry to Newport Open Mic every Tuesday at the Royal Naval Association in Bellmans Yard Newport Shropshire for the next 120 years with the certainty of top quality music and the chance to win chocolate or a bottle of wine. No mud, no wellies, your choice.

This week on main stage and opening the night was our resident photographer Laurence Gale kicking off with the Beatles classic Let It Be before giving a delightful rendition of American singer songwriter Harry Chapin’s Cat’s in the Cradle. Tragically Harry was killed at the age of 39 when his car was hit by a truck on the way to a benefit concert in New York but Laurence has been one of his fans for all the years that I have known him....and that’s quite a few.

Ollie Flavell belies his teenage years and sings with the maturity and confidence of a seasoned performer. This week he delighted the audience with a truly soulful version of Stevie Wonder’s Sunshine of my Life followed by his excellent interpretation of the Zuton’s song Valerie.

On a flying visit from his home town of Cork it was great to see one time regular supporter and performer Dan (the Shamrock) Corcoran back at the Navy Club albeit for one song but nonetheless a classic by Mississippi John Hurt, Stagger Lee.

Rich Evans was seen briefly on the dance floor with mop and bucket before taking to the stage with a classic Bob Seger number Night Moves, followed by Honky Tonk Woman and ending by way of complete contrast on guitar and bass drum with the famous sea shanty What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor which had the crowd singing from the crow’s nest.

Boughey Gardens tennis coach Darcy, now a regular at Open Mic never fails to delight music lovers with his ability to put across heartfelt emotion in his choice of songs, this week by Kings of Leon, The Calling and finally cleverly using his loop pedal and finishing  with Ed Sheeran’s Wayfaring Stranger.

Remynie Kiah first came to Newport Open Mic on her 13^th birthday, as a shy, nervous teenager nearly 3 years ago. Over the years we have had the privilege of seeing her develop her amazing musical talent and wonderful voice. As a drummer, keyboard player, guitarist and singer she has won over the admiration and respect of seasoned musicians at many of the local venues and this week she surprised us all using just her hands, voice, a table and a can of vimto performing the Cup Song – You’re Gonna Miss Me. The crowd of nearly 60 were stunned into silence. Well done Rem – what a delight.

It’s been a while since Luke Drew has performed at the Navy Club and although he is well known for writing his own material, this week he performed some lesser known songs by Bright Eyes and the Ramones. Good to see you back Luke.

Three quarters of the way through the evening and up till that point all top class solo acoustic sets. 5 piece band Vinyl Tap were next up however to make full use of the equipment which is purchased, replaced or updated from the £1entry fee you pay at the door. Regular lead guitarist Brad Taylor was replaced this week by Rich Evans whose arm was twisted to stand in at short notice with a set which included Chasing Cars which built up from a melodic start to a strong rhythmic sound and excellent vocals from Alex Ash, Remynie on drums, Jude on bass and Cath Butler demonstrating her skills on keyboards. Creep, The Model and Walking in Memphis completed a rousing performance.

The evening was drawing to a close but not before Martin Templeton sang Paul Weller’s classic Pebbles on a Beach, This is the Life by Amy McDonald and Ben E King’s Stand By Me. A lovely choice of contrasting songs from Martin followed by an encore from Darcy Crawford with Paolo Nutini’s Candy – a great song and great lyrics “just give me some candy after my hug”. Well done to Ollie for bringing another great evening of music to a close, thanks to Adam Brown on the sound desk, those of you who put everything away at the end and of course to all of you who support LIVE MUSIC in Newport. See you same time same place.

St George’s Day Concert

RICH EVANS, who frequently entertains us at the Navy Club, is one of the star guests at the St. George’s Day Concert, to be held in the Cosy Hall, Water Lane on Saturday 20^th April at 7.45pm. Also appearing will be Cuckoo Oak, Will Morgan and the Unicorn Folk Band. Tickets £5 from Jude at Hey Jude’s and Alison at the Book Nook. Bar and raffle.

Classic Rock ?? Yes Please..,.

Words by Fiona Ward

Pictures by Matthew Thomas

Despite the weather being bitterly cold with traces of snow around, and even with the televised England football match against Montenegro, there was still a great turn out to watch this week’s musicians at Open Mic Night with over 50 people attending at the Navy Club on Tuesday.

Adam Brown took on the invaluable role of “MC” as Ollie Flavell, Mark Langford, Steve Smith and Remynie Kiah jammed together to perform a mixture of Rock n roll, Blues and Rock as a sound check and warm up to the evening. This included a very polished performance by Ollie of the Zutons’ “Valerie”. Ollie’s vocal abilities and style have developed fantastically during the time he has been attending Open Mic.

Once the sound check was complete, regular Rich T. took to the stage with an acoustic set. This included “Big Bad John” which suited Rich’s deep voice, followed by Rich’s own version of Charlie Daniels Band’s “The Devil went down to Georgia” made up of his own lyrics, a Rich T trademark!

Nathan Davis made a welcome return to the club with his relaxed, acoustic manner. His set included the classic “Jolene”, by Dolly Parton and Beautiful South’s “Prettiest Eyes”. These were great song choices that worked really well for Nathan’s voice and style.

The pace picked up mid-evening, as the excellent Bang to Rights performed. Mark Langford on lead guitar, Mervyn Williams on vocals and guitar, Steve Smith on Bass and stand in drummer Andy Conway  delivered a resounding  rock set including Pokerface, (Lady Gaga) Pretty Vacant (Sex Pistols), and the new Rolling Stones number Doom and Gloom. They finished off with Whole lot of Rosie by Ac/Dc. What a short sharp and well rehearsed set that was, and we look forward to getting them back on stage here real soon. . 

Nathan returned to the stage to perform a lovely acoustic version of Wonderwall and was then joined by his friend Jobe on drums. Having heard Jobe play on guitar before at Open Mic, and now trying out the drums, he should get up on stage more often.  It is encouraging to notice the increase in the numbers of young people who have been attending the events and the relaxed style of the evening makes it an ideal platform for young people to develop and practice their musical talents at a live venue.

This brings me on to Rich Evans – probably one of the most relaxed and inventive performers joined by friends Martin Templeton and John Pullen playing together as Graytone.  An excellent acoustic/electric set using a “cajon” instead of a drum. Originating from Africa and Central America this percussion instrument resembles a wooden box and is affectionately referred to by the band as the “rabbit hutch”. Their set included “My Beautiful Neighbourhood” by Space, “Remember Me” by the Zutons and Jake Bugg’s “Trouble Town”. 

The club saw the second spontaneous jam of the evening as Rich T, Remynie Kiah, Ben Garrot, Mark Langford and Dan Renyard got up to perform a set of Rock and Roll numbers including Johnny Be Good, Roll Over Beethoven and Rock Around the Clock.  It was great to hear Ben playing the saxophone, and it is brilliant when the Open Mic regulars jam together so naturally.  One customer said “It’s the prospect of them going up there and not knowing what they’re going to play that’s exciting”

Pip, Andy and Dan’s blend of rhythmical hard rock was next with an instrumental version of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love”. The coordination between the guitars was fantastic and the build-up of pace reached a crescendo as they neared the end of the song blending into Voodoo Chile. It was an excellent performance.

The evening was rounded off by the wonderful Alex Hislop, a first timer at Newport Open Mic. He arrived with his Bazouki (a Greek musical instrument, similar to a mandolin) and performed a set of folk songs.  The Bazouki was very melodic and rhythmical and complimented Alex’s strong vocal abilities. Two of his songs “The Path” and “Patterns” were composed by Alex himself and were moving and uplifting.   We would very much encourage Alex to return to Open Mic, which is held every Tuesday at 8pm onwards.  

Words by Fiona Ward

The news this week that the forthcoming Bowie exhibition is the fastest
ever selling exhibition  at London’s V&A Museum, demonstrates just how
important music is to society.

No surprise then that the Open Mic night at the Navy Club in Bellmans Yard Newport Shropshire continues to grow in popularity. With almost 70 people attending this week, the visitors were treated as usual to an excellent line up of musicians and a wide range of music styles.

It was a night of firsts with several of the musicians performing new songs or trying out different styles and sounds. Standing in for Dave Whiteman, former Weezel Diesel frontman Rich Evans provided the essential role of “MC” ensuring that the sound checks and equipment was in order, assisted by Ollie Flavell early on in the sound
check, and then later assisted by Darcy Crawford and Ben Garrott.

Carol Cartwright opened the evening’s music with her calm and melodic style, gently plucking the strings of her acoustic guitar to play Tracy Chapman’s “I Used to be a Sailor” (so apt for a Navy Club!) and an excellent folk version of Blondie’s “Sunday Girl” which worked really well. Carol’s relaxed style is a great start for the night.

Next the club saw a welcome return to Isis Sky.  The 13 year old has only played at the club once before, and we were all very pleased to see her again.  Isis sings from her soul and the feeling is one of captivation and very atmospheric.  Her rendition of Pink’s “Nobody Knows” was spellbinding.  You can hear Isis on her You Tube site by searching “Isis Sky” on YouTube. Well worth a listen.

Vinyl Tap are always well worth watching and their opening number “Don’t Fear the Reaper” (one of my all- time favourites!) by Blue Oyster Cult highlighted the skill of lead guitarist Brad in mastering the intricate melody of the song.  Lead Vocalist Alex excelled himself with all of their songs – “Everybody Hurts” – REM, “Creep” by Radiohead, and his fantastic vocals on “I Want to Break Free” by Queen.  Brad has not long joined the band but has blended so well with the styles of Jude, (Bass), Cathy (Keyboards) and Remynie (drums).  It sounds as though he has been playing with them for years.

The laid back Nathan Davis got everyone chilled with a great acoustic version of “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” an all-time classic that is always good to hear. His set also included songs by the Levellers and James.   While Nathan has been to the club before we would welcome his appearance more often.

Darcy (Unbearded!) Crawford opened his set with “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon, and in Darcy’s usual style (after his previous Proclaimers’ songs) he asked for audience participation in the chorus. Darcy tried something completely different this week by using a foot pedal which enabled him to record his voice as he sang a-cappella and play this
back to accompany himself.  He combined this with “beat box” techniques to sing Ed Sheeran’s “Wayfaring Stranger”. This worked really well and had the crowd captivated.

Open Mic regular Melissa Watford followed Darcy with exceptionally high quality performances of Oasis’s Wonderwall, Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain, and her excellent self-penned song “Dancing in the Stars”. Melissa’s vocal abilities are outstanding and she continues to develop in both confidence and style.

Rich Evans took to the stage to perform the Lumineers’ foot-stomping “Ho Hey” Song. The foot stomping theme continued as Rich asked the crowd to clap and stamp the rhythm for his next number Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep”.  This created a fantastic atmosphere as the club were literally providing the percussion for the song.

Multi-talented club Regulars Remynie-Kiah and Ben Garrott performed a
heart rendering version of “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables. Remynie’s vocals are just out of this world– It should be noted that the club fell into complete silence while listening to this …This was followed by Bonnie Tyler’s “I Need a Hero” which showcased Ben’s exceptional keyboard skills.  Remynie and Ben always bring something a little bit different to the stage and are a delight to listen to.

We thought the finale to the evening was coming when Pippin (lead guitar and vocals), Rob (bass) and Andy (drums) played Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” followed by “Voodoo Chile“, Jimi Hendrix.   It was a high quality performance delivered with style and attitude.

However, this was not the finale, as Darcy Crawford took to the stage again to sing “The Bucket” by Kings of Leon and the Kooks’ “Naïve” – again, another great performance from Newport’s Tennis Coach.

If you missed the Open Mic night this week, remember you can join in with the atmosphere next Tuesday 26th March from 8pm onwards.

Hope to see you there.

Football !!....What football.

Who needs footie with entertainment like this? 

Words: Dave Whiteman, Pictures : Laurence Gale

It’s always a bit of a worry when football is on mainstream telly during the week. 

We are, if you haven’t noticed, becoming a nation of couch potatoes, and when the weather is cold it is often very tempting to stay in and watch the box with a hot cup of cocoa, especially when there is a big match on. The big match in question this week, was the War of the Roses battle between Lancashire’s Burnley and Yorkshire’s Barnsley, held at Turf Moor. 

There was, I understand another important match held just down the road from there at Old Trafford, where some guy named Ronaldo came back to haunt his previous employers, but neither contest stirred the passions of Newport music fans. More than 60 people turned up to the Royal Naval Association in Bellman’s Yard for the usual musical extravaganza that is the Newport Open Mic.

A big welcome back greeted regular, Dave Blue as he took to the stage with his latest venture, Old Bones Boogie Band, with new drummer Keith Johnson and bassist Paul Cooper. They have been booked for a number of gigs after their last outing at the club and it is not difficult to see why. Strong vocals, searing guitar work and a very tight rhythm section, show that when you put experienced musicians together rehearsals don’t matter too much.

Carol Cartwright is also becoming something of a regular. Her soft voice and melodic guitar suit the earlier part of the evening and her lovely renditions of Catch the Wind and Susanne, by Leonard Cohen were a lovely gentle start to a great night of music.

Olly Flavell’s voice goes from strength to strength as does his confidence, and his set included a couple of self penned songs that were very well received, as was his final number, When you Say Nothing at All, by Ronan Keating.

First scratch band up next, and Roger Clarke, Baz Webster and Dave Whiteman recruited a nervous looking Andy Clarke on bass, for an excellent short set. Crowd pleaser Stand by Me was followed by a couple of rockers, I Saw her Standing There and It’s all Over Now to leave Andy with a big smile on his face.

Ben Garrott and Remynie are guaranteed to please and after playing their favourite, I’m Not a Vampire, launched into an audience request, Freebird. Dave Blue couldn’t resist the temptation and leapt onto the stage for the guitar solo, brilliant rousing stuff.

One of the things that the Open Mic does rather well is to encourage emerging young talent. Jobe Spencer & Robbie Pilgrim, both just 14 years old looked at each other to see who would be singing, but then decided on a guitar instrumental, written by Robbie, to which the audience responded warmly. Robbie stayed on stage to accompany Jordan Clempner who sang for the first time last week, on Tracey Chapman’s Fast Car, not an easy number, but very well done.

Time once again for another Scratch band. Last week first timer Billy Biscuit, real name David White, wowed the crowd and now, with an assembled and quite different crew he did the same again. Roger Clark moved on to bass to accommodate a very busy Dave Blue, and with Baz on drums, they livened up the Navy with a blues infusion. Last song I shot the Sheriff is quite an awkward one to busk but they did a really good job of the Eric Clapton number.

One of the Open Mic’s favourite musicians, Martyn Davis, sadly passed away a while ago and has been sorely missed in the club… I can vividly remember him bringing his then 9 or 10 year old son Nathan onto the Navy stage to the delight of the crowd. What a nice surprise then, to see Nathan and his Mum Louise back in the audience on Tuesday. After a little persuasion, both Mum and son got up to sing Fifteen Years from one of Martyn’s favourite bands, The Levellers, before Nathan, now 16, led the crowd through the Oasis anthem Wonderwall…….your Dad would have been very proud of you, Nathan.

Just enough electricity in the meter for the three Daves, Blue, White and Whiteman along with Roger Clark to play out the evening with a great mix of blues, R & B and a couple of crackers from REM, before the lights came up.

So just when you think it’s going to be a quiet night the music faithful of Newport turn up to surprise you and enjoy a super night of live music at the best venue in town, The Navy. 

Don’t forget, every Tues from 8pm, play sing or just watch…it’s better than football!