Archived Reviews

Guest: Tom Bliss

Support: Allan Savage
Support: Dave Page and John Richardson

Allan got the night off to a good start with a romantic Burns song 'My Love Is Like A Red Red Rose' and completed his three song set with 'Carrickfergus', a club favourite.

Then it was the turn of Dave and John (aka Hank aka the Sound Man). They started with a song by that American Bloke 'Perhaps Love'. Their three song set included Richard Thompson‘s 'Down Where The Drunkards Roll' - none in here tonight!

Time for our guest, Tom Bliss. His first song was 'The Violin' in which the fiddle tells its story - a very moving tale. If you haven’t been to a Tom Bliss gig, go the next time he is around your area. Tom is a consummate story teller, and a mine of information. He explains the background to each song, and then proceeds to entertain with wonderful skill and musicianship. Who will ever forget the story of 'The Mighty Montagu' about Captain Thomas Adair who managed to park his ship in the middle of Lundy Island (the Captain happens to be a distant relative of a cousin of Tom’s). All too soon the first half drew to a close as Tom ended with another tale of a relative, a mill owner, with the song 'Silk ‘n’ Leather' which refers to the tweed manufactured in Chipping Norton.

The second half started with Allan Savage in fine voice as usual with a couple of songs - a Burns song and one by Ian Campbell. Next up Dave and John who ended with the Ewen Carruthers song 'Was it You?'

Tom started his second set with a song linked to Dave and John's last song. Quite a few of the songs Tom sang tonight are from his forthcoming album 'The Whisper'. The song of the same name refers to the Spirit of Ecstacy - a sculpture modelled by Eleanor Thornton who was secretary and more to John Montagu - quite a moving tale. Tom also included 'God Speed (The Snow Goose)'; 'Branscombe Bay' and 'The Napoli' about the beaching of The Napoli and the events which followed. He ended with 'Someone Upstairs', a tale of the Second World War, and a story about his father. If you want to learn more, go along to a Tom Bliss gig and you will not be disappointed. For an encore Tom strayed from his usual ending - and for a very good reason - by singing 'The Four Foot Track' which is all about a very important lady in his life. Like I said before, go to a gig to learn more.

All to soon it was time to close up for the night, get all the glasses back to the bar, get the gear stored away and say "goodnight, see you next week, and thanks for coming".

"Great night"; "Fantastic"; "That was great"; "Wasn’t he great" were just a few of the comments heard as the audience made their way out to another miserable Cramlington night (I mean the weather)!

Keith Taylor