If you would like to send in a gig review please email to us

E-Mail Chelmsford Rocks!

chelmsfordrocks@rock.com

Dr Feelgood

Oysterfleet Hotel, Canvey Island

06/03/10

My little brother Colin rang up in the week to tell me he had 2 comps for the Saturday night of the Feelgood weekend at Canvey. Never having seen the new line-up on their own (only seen them in parts at the Lee Brilleaux memorials) I thought I would give it a go. I didn’t know what to expect as we arrived at the hotel at about 8 o’clock. A quick drink downstairs with all the posher people from Canvey, I think the rough ones go to the King Canute. Then upstairs to the ballroom to see what was going on. It was empty apart from a few older people sitting around the edges and Colin’s mate Pete and his son. Pete is a muso and plays guitar in RnB band Dirty Work (well worth going to see if you get a chance). They had a DJ on and he was the usual fellar who is at the memorial gig. Loads of old rock and roll, Rods and Thorogood played, perfect for the audience that is expected. The hall started to fill up with all the usual sorts you get to these places, Germans, Dutch and Belgians. All with black tees shirts and waistcoats (I was going to buy a waistcoat myself last year, but I think I would have had the piss ripped out of me). By the time the band got on stage there was quite a crowd, including scary looking rock chips with the leather boots. The band started off and I wont go into the playlist as I can never remember them, but I heard “She does it right” “She’s a wind up” “Back in the night” “Rollin and a tumblin” a great version of “Roxette” “Milk and Alchol” “99 and a ½ won’t do” do and finished the set with “Down at the Doctors.” They also done others which I can’t remember, even a couple that I didn’t recognise, perhaps later Feelogood songs or even their own. The main part of the show is an epic rendition of “Down by the jetty blues”. Guitarist Steve Walwyn enjoys this one. The encore was strange as the band didn’t leave the stage to be called but stayed on. It finnished up with old favourites “See you later alligator” “Bonie Moronie” “Tequilla” and “Route 66.” On the encores the lead singer Rob Kane introduced people from the audience who I must say had come long way to see the group. Chaps from Northern Ireland, Scotland, all your usual European types and Graham who came all the way from New Zealand for the weekend. Graham got up on stage and played with the band on Route 66. He brought his own harmonica as well. To be fair he wasn’t bad. I think there were also some people from Basildon as well.

Summing up I never would have paid money to watch the new band play on their own, even though I would have probably seen all the band (apart from the singer) with Lee Brilleaux before he died. I have changed my mind and will definateley go to watch them again, they were good fun and entertaining. I can remember watching the old band towards the end and they seemed only to go through the motions, unless they were playing a bigger gig such as in London. The problem they have is that people see them as tribute band and not a band in their own right. I don’t see this as a problem. The only thing that could go wrong was if they started to call it Tyne Delta music and not the Thames Delta.

Oil City Confidential

KOKO Camden Town

02/02/10

I knew from when I booked these tickets that it would be a special night. The Dr Feelgood documentary film, Oil City Confidential followed by a Wilko Johnson gig straight afterwards.

As usual the night started early in the Pub, it must have been quite important as everyone was there near enough on time and all were in a happy mood. Anyway a few pints there and on the train for a bit of celeb spotting, as Alvin Martin of West Ham and now Talksport fame got on at Romford. Off at Liverpool St and into Hamilton Hall to pick up the last 2 of our gang of 7. At the moment I am reliving my childhood and have read a few Enid Blyton books and like to think of us as the Secret Seven, Colin, Nick, Mo, Baz, Paul, Ash and myself. The more Rhythm and Blues orientated would probably think of us, as Lew Lewis’s Lucky 7, or as we was at the cinema, the Magnificent Seven. Luckily I had done my homework and knew that you had to get out at Mornington Crescent and not Camden Town, which would include a mile walk. Another pub then into the gig. The Koko used to be the Camden Palace and is an old Music Hall. If you can be bothered to look at it’s history it’s had quite a lot of punk bands playing there and one macabre item in it’s past, it was the last place that Bonn Scott of AC/DC was seen drinking before he died of alcohol poisoning in 1980. I’m surprised he could afford it, at £4 for a can of Guinness. The venue is classical looking from the outside all pillars and what you would expect from building built in Victorian times. The inside is something like out of the Good Old Days, if you can remember that. It was on 4 levels and was seemingly covered in red velvet, a fine place for the upcoming entertainment.

Keith Allen was the master of ceremonies, he introduced Julian Temple the director who gave a speech about when he saw them in 73 & 74. Then the film, it was filmed with lots of old news footage and showed how the band met and in the end split up. The main person in the film was Wilko with supporting roles from Figure, Sparko and Chris Fenwick the manager. There was some really interesting facts about the band. There were also some interviews with Lee Brilleaux, his wife and mum. A lot of it centred around that shit hole of Essex, Canvey Island. I can remember going over there to clubs like the Goldmine. You never quite knew whether you were safe and it always had sinister undercurrents. Canvey is one of those places that if you move there, it’s nearly impossible to move away. The only time I go there now is for the Lee Brilleaux memorial night every May. The film is superb though and captures the time exactly. It was strange watching the film though because it’s not a cinema and you had to stand up through the show. This was good as it meant you could go to the bar. As the film ended I think that every one in the packed audience was of the same age and had the same memories and all enjoyed it.

15 minutes later the band hit the stage, I have seen them many times before and they delivered another high adrenalin show. Wilko played a few tracks and then brought on his special guest, Basildon’s finest, the Belle of Bas Vegas Alison Moyet, she rattled through a few songs, “ All through the city” “I don’t mind” “Boom Boom” & “”Dimples”. I must say she was very good and she looks well. Wilko then gave the usual show with all the staple favourites in it “Paradise” “Every ones carrying a gun” and all the others which make his shows so good. He still has that stage presence and was ably supported by Barry Magowan look alike, the fabulous Norman Watt Roy on Bass and Dylan Howe on drums. The night ended with encores of “Johnny b goode” & “route 66”. One regret for the night was that the Figure and Sparko never got on stage and played with the band. They always do at the Lee Memorial at Canvey.

Summing up it was a great night but it left one a little sad. I always thought that when Wilko left the Feelgoods they lost a little something, not taking anything away from Gypie Mayo as he was excellent. Also Wilko never seemed as good when he left, don’t get me wrong he was still miles better than most of the stuff around, even now, but they were magic when they were all together.

If anyone fancies it Wilko is playing the Standard at Walthamstow March 5^th.

Duncan Febuary 10

Automatic Slim

St Annes Castle

05/12/09