This was a great local event, hosted by Cullercoats Crescent club, which I have visited before when it hosted the Free Convention last year, which featured a host of national and international blues and rock bands. For my own particular interest, I was looking forward to seeing Eric Bell, original guitarist from Thin Lizzy and Martin Turner, formerly of Wishbone Ash. Eric Bell was headlining the Friday night and Martin Turner headlining the Sunday night. So, I invested in an early bird weekend ticket to enable me to see both acts and any other blues bands that took my fancy.
Friday night was wonderful and eventful in many ways. My carer Jackie and I arrived late afternoon in order to catch Eric Bell, who was playing two sets: one in the early afternoon and one later in the day. We decided to go along for the later set hoping to catch him play some old Thin Lizzy favourites. As we arrived we were welcomed by the guys on the door who pointed us towards the VIP lounge where we were introduced to the man himself, Eric Bell!
We had a pleasant chat with this legend, during which I reminded Eric about meeting him with Phil Lynott in the bar of Sunderland Locarno around 1971 or 1972. Eric asked me if liked old Thin Lizzy, which of course I replied I did, and I also said I liked the later Thin Lizzy which he agreed with. “Do you like the Beatles? And Jimi Hendrix?” Asked Eric. “Yes of course” I replied. “I also love the Rolling Stones” I added. Eric nodded his head. Do you like “Whiskey in the Jar” and “The Rocker” he asked. “Of course,” I replied.
This was a hint of what he was going to play later. He signed my programme for the event and allowed us to take a picture of him (see images). He was a lovely gent and it was tremendous to meet the great legend himself.
We then entered the main stage room which was situated upstairs. Downstairs there were two further stages: an acoustic stage and a blues stage. This really was a fantastic, well-coordinated event. The organisers had kept a table for us at the back of the room where Jackie and I had a great view of the proceedings. They then very kindly, as a result of our early bird VIP tickets, presented us with a plate of pizza, and another containing garlic bread and nibbles. Lovely. This really was a great event in every way.
After a short while, the Eric Bell Trio took to the stage. The first part of their short set was a series of excellent renditions of traditional blues classics. I was beginning to think that maybe Eric now focuses on the blues and might not play thin Lizzy songs. But then the opening bars to “Whiskey in the Jar” rang around the room and we were off back into many happy memories of the early Lizzy that I saw several times in the first part of the 1970s. After a great rendition of “Whiskey in the Jar”, Eric finished the set with the aforementioned “The Rocker”. Pure magic from a gent and a legend.
After another short break, the Sensational Alex Harvey band Experience came on stage. This authentic -looking band came fully dressed as the original SAHB with the singer in Alex Harvey a including hooped T-shirt and a guitarist decked out in a full on Zal Cleminson costume. With some dry ice this was an excellent start. The first track they delivered was the ever familiar haunting rhythm which begins “The Faith Healer” taking me back to seeing the original SAHB start with that song resounding around a misty evening at the Reading Festival around 1973 or 1974. However, a few bars into the song and strange sound started ringing through our ears. “The fire alarm has gone off” announced the organiser “we must evaluate the building”. And so, we did.
We all left the club in quite an orderly fashion, Jackie and I taking the lift downwards and out onto the cold windy seaside street in Cullercoats. Everyone was waiting outside to be re-admitted to the venue. My friendly taxi driver was waiting around the corner so Jackie and I decided to take a ride home that evening. A very eventful and enjoyable evening at the Tyneside Americana Blues Festival. And I never thought I would have the opportunity of meeting up with Eric Bell! All in all, a great first visit to the festival.
Roll-on to Sunday night and we had a shorter but also eventful visit back to the Cullercoats Crescent Club. The programme told us that Martin Turner was playing two sets: one in the afternoon and one quite early in the evening. Once again, I was really interested in seeing Martin as the headline act so Elaine my carer for the evening and I turned up just in time to see him play. On arrival we were told “Martin Turner has already been on. Because of the weather he decided to play a longer set in the afternoon”.
I was a little disappointed, however the organiser was very kind and apologetic, explaining the circumstances which were, on reflection, very understandable. The weather last Sunday evening was terrible with gale force winds and we were situated right on the coast. I would imagine that Martin Turner had to travel quite a distance to home or his next gig so I can understand why he needed to leave early. Never mind I have tickets to see him perform at Newcastle Cluny later in the year. Elaine and I decided to join in with the full festival experience and after a pint of Guinness and a great set by the Jed Thomas blues band everything seemed good again.
A great event, well-organised and a tribute to the people who put it together and the club who hosted the blues Festival. Roll-on next year’s festival. Many thanks to Jackie and Elaine for the photographs and to Chris for manipulating the site once again.
Vintagerock's Weblog. 