13^th Beer R&B Festival, Beer, Devon - 8, 9 & 10 October 2010

Jellicle Cats (a reference to T.S. Elliot’s tribe of cats)

The band consist of Jessica now a ripe old age of 12 on drums and vocals, Oliver her brother, now in double figures at age 10 on bass  and Dan (we won’t guess his age!) their Dad.  He plays lead and vocals.  Oliver has just about grown into his bass, as last year he had to stand up to play it as if it was a huge double bass.  Jessica keeps the band tight and together ably.  She now joins in the vocals and it enhances the end result. They have opened the Festival for a few years now and do a sterling job getting everyone settled in with pints of the local brew. At present they regularly busk on Saturday’s in Exeter, and deserve a break and the offer of more inside gigs especially with winter fast approaching!

The Walk Hards

I am listening to their debut live album as I write this, and wish I lived in the South-West where The Walk Hards hail from so I could see this band again and again. They first got together at the Monster Jam Session at 2008’s festival at the Beer Social Club when Burt Bond and Paddy Blight took to the stage and were applauded so loudly the roof of the social club was in danger of being in need of some repair.

They opened with “Shakey Ground” which is the opening track of their live CD called The Good The Bad and The Funky, which was recorded at The Old Barrel in Exmouth, in September 2010.  This album is excellent value comprising of 14 tracks. The band performed eight of the CD numbers plus “Walk On Hot Coals” and “Good Love”. They are full of youthful enthusiasm and clearly enjoy every second they are on stage. The band consists of Paddy Blight who is also the PR man. He plays an awesome guitar and has the theatrical stance of a serious rock and roll star. He is excellent on the vocals too and has a unique sound, bluesy, jazzy, funky and presents the band and the songs with consummate ease. He and Burt Bond, bassist, face each other like a couple of duelling banjo’s and it is refreshing to watch such young musicians being so at ease and having so much fun in front of a large cheering crowd. The extended rifs make you jump for joy and these musicians weren’t even born when they play the songs of the past greats. It is a real pleasure to see and hear. Burt has grown up with music as his Dad is the lead guitarist in Brock and the Badgers (from Windsor way). These two are ably kept together very tightly by Ben Waltron aka Ben ‘B-Whizzle’ Waltron, on the drums.  He must have swallowed a Moony how to play the drums manual when a toddler, because he can do just about anything with his kit. He uses the cymbals to great effect, together with an inspired use of the brushes. His timing is dynamic and spot on. He makes a brilliant contribution to the band’s sound and is very clever.

Sam Kelly’s Station Houseplayed next and I think Sam would agree, Ben should hold his head up high and be proud of his musicianship.

The Station House line up consisted of Sam on drums (of course) Paul on keyboards and vocals, Spy on bass, Jerome on percussion and Tony on guitar and vocals, although they all had a good sing-along when the song dictated it. They are all renowned musicians in their own right, but coming together in Station House means they can do what they love and that is making music. They are more funky nowadays and you either like it or if you’re a purist you don’t. I like it. They opened with an instrumental just to get your juices flowing. Then they went into “Yolanda”.  Later “You upset me” featured Tony on vocals, the acoustics of a big old community hall didn’t allow his more subtle tones to come through, but he played a mean guitar throughout the sets. “Crosscut” and “Killing Floor” had the crowd up on their feet. “Lovely Day” was a pre-cursor to their fabulous “Treat A Dog” and to end the night they encored with the sensational “People Say”. The guitars of Paddy and Burt of The Walk Hards joined in to everyone’s delight, and rapturous applause.  An excellent end to the first night of the Festival.

Following a brisk walk from the Caravan Park down into the village,
	one is all set to listen to more Blues.  This year we were treated to another afternoon gig in the social club, featuring

The Phil Astles Band
	This three piece band from Virginia Water in Surrey had to have a dep. for the drums, as Noel the usual drummer was on paternity leave (how modern, I hear some of you geriatric Blues fans say). So who do you get to dep for you?  Well none other than the greatest drummer Sam Kelly. The band played two sets and began with “Funky London” in B.  The highlight of set one was “Got A New Car”, the humour that Phil injected into this number was deserving of a stand up gig at the Comedy Store. Everyone, locals and Blues fans alike loved the quick guitar licks.  The band consists of Phil on lead Strat and vocals, Osian Owens on bass (though he has an MA in F1 engineering, give him a job Virgin! Please) and usually Noel Wood on drums, but as previously stated Sam Kelly took to this band like a seagull to the sea.  Sam and the band enjoyed playing this gig as much as we did hearing and seeing them. I have never seen a bass player smile so much, and jig along to the music. It was a real pleasure to hear a band who appeared so laid back but had in fact prepared some 36 songs for this gig. I know they treated us to loads because thankfully it ran over.  The encore was received with cheers and “more, more” from the appreciative crowd.
Sadly it had to end and we needed to eat in one of the many lovely hostelries in Beer, prior to the evening’s entertainment back in The Mariners Hall.	I chose the Barrel O’ Beer definitely the best for fish, where Luke and his family make you feel very welcome. Luke loves the festival and comes every year.  Feeling replete and eager for more music we crossed over the road and back into the Mariners Hall for another helping of Live Blues.

After tasting some of Devon’s best real ales we were ready for the

Robin Bibi Band The line-up of this evening’s version hasn’t been seen for quite a while. Robin, guitar, vocals, table walking and hat placement was joined by his old line-up of Tony Marten on bass and Hans Ferrao on drums. Robin is a regular performer at the Beer R&B Festival and so each year he has to find something different with which to entertain the audience. This year it was a “Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac” flavour and to this end they started off with “Albatross” and then rocked it up with “Stop Messin’ Around” which incorporated the “Flintstones” theme tune. “Long Grey Mare” featured splendid solos from Tony on bass and Hans on drums. Robin wouldn’t fair too well on the panel game “Just A Minute” because three songs into the set he had deviated to celebrate what would have been John Lennon’s 70th birthday with two numbers, Tony took the vocals on “One After 909” and then they both sang on “Come Together” which included the chorus from “Give Peace A Chance”. Out rang the familiar refrain from “Shake Your Money Maker” getting us back to the Peter Green theme, but this melded itself into “Baby, Please Don’t Go”. “Black magic Woman” struck a chord with the audience, before it was time to slow things down with the ballad “Need Your Love So Bad” which was given a distinct “Bibi” feel after which they ran straight into “Oh Well” with an extended slap bass solo from Tony and featuring Hans on cow bell and drum solo, together with the audience on chanting and chorus work to end the show.

The sun shone on the blue Mediterranean sea, oh! but we were still in Beer, despite someone getting lost at some ungodly hour on their way home, and waking up not knowing where they were, (must be that local scrumpy, or as a woman described it to the bar man, that cloudy stuff!).

However, having breakfasted at Duckies on the beach, we were all ready for more music. This came in the popular form of

Tim Royce
	who now peddles his musical wares around Devon, and took place in The Anchor Pub garden.  He played his two guitars and harp acoustically to entertain, interspersed with titbits of anecdotal conversation. Tim didn’t have a set list I could crib off, because he just played what he fancied and thought we would appreciate and he hit the nail on the head.  Tim’s vocals get bluesier by the year, must be the fags, his unique voice is haunting and velvety at the same time. He tells a story with his inspiring performance.  Nowadays Tim heads up his new band the King Roosters, and they have released a new CD, “Blues The Hard Way” Tim packed up his wares and moved on up the village to the Social Club, for the finale - The Monster Jam.

This year the Jam was a good word because it was packed and a good mix.  Albert had his work cut out making sure everyone got a turn.  At one point there were about six guitars some Bass some Strats and Les Pauls, harps, drums, electric fiddle, courtesy of Sugar Beet and a mixture of vocals, on the stage all at once. A brilliant time was had by all the musicians (too numerous to mention, but I will mention Stuart Bligh, landlord extraordinaire, representing Big Blue) and locals for whom we must thank for putting up with an influx of Blues fans, and the dedicated who stay the extra night to relax, reflect and chill, and eat all the curry. Thanks to everyone involved especially Sheila Riley without whom this event would not happen.

Helen & Paul Stiles