Support: Gerry Tapscott
Support: Dave Anderson

A small but appreciative crowd met at the Comrades Club for the visit by Battlefield Band regulars Alan Reid and Rob Van Sante.

The evening got off to a good start with Gerry Tapscott, on this occasion backed by a group of friends who were given a variety of appendages on the night, the favourite being The Pacemakers, or in view of the rather sparse audience, the Spacemakers. This group of seasoned musicians comprised John Redpath on lead guitar, Jimmy Powells on mandolin, Peter Cook on dobro, John Baston on harmonica and Carol Powells on upright bass.

For her first spot Gerry sang 'Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness' (John Prine), 'All The Lies That You Told Me' (Christine Hennessey) and 'Let The Mystery Be' (Iris Dement). As usual, Gerry’s wonderfully warm dusky voice, always in tune, always supremely melodic, was enjoyed by everyone there. The backing group gave her great support, even though it proved difficult for them all to get on the stage together!

Dave Anderson was the second support act and he gave an excellent rendering of three of his own songs: 'Come Hear My Story' – which tells how stories are passed down through the generations, 'Legacy' – along similar lines, and 'Northumberland', a great favourite at Cramlington, with its compelling riff, all played on his fine Taylor guitar with the Koa top.

MC Keith Taylor introduced Alan Reid and his playing partner Rob Van Sante. Alan is a native of Scotland and Rob hails from Holland. They both had very good lines of patter and the evening flowed along in their experienced hands. Most of the songs had been written by Alan for the Battlefield Band. ‘Arran Convict’ was about a Scot who emigrated to the USA. Alan played keyboards for this with Rob on guitar. A stirring song to begin the set. ‘Jenny ‘o The Braes’ is an appealing, evocative song about an old woman who lives outside the town but is part of everyone’s hearts. ‘The Rout Of The Blues’ is a Dransfields song. Rob sang this as it was on the first album he owned after coming to Grimsby from his native land in 1973. He won the disc in a folk club raffle and became hooked on the scene. ‘The Pleasure Will Be Mine’ or ‘Fintry’ as Alan prefers to call it, is a simple tale of two lovers with a great chorus. A real show-stopping song, in my opinion. ‘Atlantic Bridge’ is a beautiful waltz about the bridge between Seal Island and the Argyll coast. I have been there and there is something quite magical about Argyll. The locals say that the Atlantic Ocean flows under the bridge and if you look on some maps, this is very true. There is something indisputably Scottish about this lovely melody. ‘The Rickarton Tollman’s Daughter’ is by Alan’s reckoning, the only song about Kilmarnock. With its reference to curling, it is another grand addition to the repertoire. ‘Rantin’, Rovin’ Robin’ is a tremendous Robert Burns song with a grand chorus which was much enjoyed. ‘The Last Lighthouse Keeper’ gave ample opportunity for the pair to showcase their lovely harmonies. A good end to the first set.

Gerry Tapscott chose 'Last Train and Ride' by Ralph McTell and 'Dimming Of The Day' by Richard Thompson to start the second part of the evening. Again her ‘big band’ gave considered accompaniment.

Dave Anderson sang his wordy ‘Love Is Just As Crazy’ and the very lively and likeable ‘Not Enough Falling In Love’. (Author’s note: not quite sure of these titles – sorry if they’re wrong, Dave!)

Alan Reid and Rob Van Sante started their second set with ’Fifty-four Winters’, an excellent, dramatic tale about an old man who disappears. ‘Eulan A Mara’ (again Author’s apology for spelling) tells of the Sea Eagle which was extinct but which has been reintroduced on the Isle of Rhum in recent years. ‘Hector And Bessie’ is a song about Clydesdale horses which Alan wrote for Robin Laing’s CD about the Scottish breed of heavy horse. A theme very much up my street, except I think Clydesdales are taller than the 16 hands Alan says his Hector measures. Seventeen hands are much more likely, judging by what I have seen at the Royal Highland Show. Smashing song. ‘Nancy’s Whisky’ is Alan’s variation on the traditional ‘Carlton Weaver’ song. Another fabulous chorus song. ‘The Saints And The Sinners’ is a song by a Canadian émigré. Rob sang this accompanied by Alan on melodeon. ‘The River’ is Alan’s sad lament on the demise of shipbuilding on the Clyde. As an encore, the pair sang ‘The Road Of Tears’, a moving tale with the theme of displacement.

Keith Taylor thanked Alan and Rob for a great evening and hoped they would put us in their diary for a date next year.