Nektar 74 – Down to Earth

 

Nektar 74 – Down to Earth

by Pete Clemons

Chipping Norton Studios. Gerry Rafferty recorded "Baker Street" there. Radiohead recorded their debut album Pablo Honey (including "Creep") at the studio. Duran Duran recorded major parts of their debut album here. Status Quo recorded "In The Army Now" at the location.

Another, more less remembered album recorded at the Cotswolds studios created by Richard and Mike Vernon, initially for the Blue Horizon Label, was “Down to Earth” by Nektar – the bands second album to be recorded in the UK. An article about that particular journey within the bands history is reproduced below............

Hidden away in the depths of Oxfordshire is a small village by the name of Chipping Norton. There you'll find a small studio hidden away in the back streets, and this is where Nektar are working rigorously on their new album to meet the deadline only days away.

Studio time costs money and the band aren't exactly overloaded with riches. They are in the unique position of managing themselves and this means they have to cover their own expenses.

Still the British tour they've just completed has proved to be a quite rewarding exercise and they're hoping to completely break into the circuit next time round. But future plans were far back in their minds and their main concern was to complete their fifth album.

Those who are familiar with the band will know that although their origins lie in Britain they spend all their time in Germany, apart from when they tour.

'People regard us as a German band and I suppose that's true' says Mick Brockett, the guy responsible for the bands intricate light show. When I saw the band they were laying down the final tracks on one of the numbers. They were going to record the last track 'Show Me the Way' the next day.

They had all the basic tracks for it laid down. All that had to be worked in was the vocals, lyrics and let PP and Kenny Arnold and Bob Calvert (alias the mischievous Captain Lockheed) do their bit.

They were certainly looking tired, it's not surprising, apart from spending virtually all the hours of the day getting the album together they had already been on the road for 12 months. The smell of cigarette smoke and stale lager filtered around the studio and the pale, disheveled figures of the band were crumpled on studio seats.

It was in the early hours of the morning that Derek Moore thought it would be ok to hold the interview. Derek, apart from playing bass guitar is the band's manager and generally gets things together. He's a tall, thin and amiable guy and it still puzzles me how he and the rest of the guy's can contain so much enthusiasm and dedication after being on the road for so long.

Obviously the rewards have been good, they are mighty big in Germany and have secured various recording contracts all over the world. They desperately want to break in Britain as they feel it will open the pathway for them in other countries and also because it's their home.

By the looks of things they're well on the way of doing so, every place they played has asked them back and their price is getting higher each tour.

The album, provisionally titled 'Down to Earth' will be released to coincide with the bands next British tour in June. They will also be releasing a single off the album.

'We know which one we'll release in Germany, but we haven't decided for England. This is no kind of plunge for commercial success it's just that the songs on this album are shorter and more straight to the point. There are still some long ones but there are quite a few prospective singles'.

'The idea for calling this album 'Down to Earth' is because all the other albums have had a spacey feel and the run of the titles have been rather spacey and we thought we'll keep the title in the same vein but the meaning will be entirely opposite'.

This is the longest time they've spent on an album and personally I think it's their best. It packs more of a punch rather than the inert loose feel the others had. It's also more representative of the band live which is something else again.

Like their previous recordings the album follows a concept which revolves around a story about a circus. I asked Mo if there would be anything special about the presentation, 'I don't really know. Three days before we came into the studio we hardly had any numbers ready. Then we had three days rehearsal and started getting ideas together'.

'Now in the studio's we're doing things bit by bit. So we're not sure at the moment what the end's going to be'.

The band remind me a lot of Man. Both have the ability to jam and make it sound as if they were working off a score, but still retaining that raw, fresh energy that you get when you improvise.

It seems that Man are getting bigger all the time so its logical that Nektar will start picking up too, as this kind of freestyle sound is beginning to rear its head in the music scene.

'I think the music scene is beginning to stagnate. Everyone's looking around for something new. Every ten years or so everyone stops and say's well we've got nothing to follow now and they start looking around. First they go backwards and dig out all their old records and try and make it happen again and it doesn't but something new comes out of it. I think that period has arrived again'.

Very true indeed. The main base of criticism against the band has been that they sound very psychedelic and their colourful light show adds to the air of hipness. Well that's definitely not how the band want to be classified. Now that money's beginning to flow the light is going modified and a bit slicker and with Mick in charge, spectacular.

The album is tighter and might prove to be more acceptable to the airwaves who have pretty well ignored them here in Britain. But don't worry it's still Nektar, just a little more......down to earth.

The Travelling Riverside Blues Band / The Travs

The Travelling Riverside Blues Band / The Travs

By Pete Clemons

Johnny 'Slide' Alderson

With changing landscape it is a rare thing nowadays to see a band the calibre of this. One whose band members grew up to and inspired by the family group of John Mayall music and the British blues boom of the late 1960s.

The late British blues movement was driven by powerhouse bands and virtuoso guitarists who shifted traditional American blues into heavy, high-volume blues-rock and early psychedelic styles. Key purveyors included John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Cream, Fleetwood Mac, Savoy Brown, and Chicken Shack and, to an extent, Led Zeppelin.

The Travelling Riverside Blues Band (often called The Travs) has its roots tracing back to Coventry, Leicester and the Midlands live music scene in the early 1980s, with members active across regional venues in the UK for over four decades, including recent active performances.

The bands line-up has changed extensively through those decades but, in recent times – and for a good number of years, has settled with founding member Johnny (Slide) Alderson on guitar, Trev Mugleston on keyboards, vocals and harmonica, Steve Hawkins bass guitar and vocals, and Jeff Durow on drums.

The earliest formation of The Travelling Riverside Blues Band I remember was with Tony 'Mojo' Morgan (bass), George Stevens (drums) and Trevor Jones (vocals). The band has had various line-ups but 'Johnny Slide' (John Alderson's other persona) now being the only constant original member. The long gone and well remembered Sunday Sessions at the Whitley Abbey Pub on Abbey Road was an early venue the band played in.

On the evidence of what I saw recently at The Broomfield Tavern The Travs are smoothly elegant and still bring total conviction to the music. They continue to regularly tour and play regional Midlands pubs and clubs near Coventry and Leicester. Their set list, which has never remained stagnant, typically consists of classic rock, pop, and blues covers tailored to the live pub crowd. Some of the songs they cover were written decades earlier but spotlighted by the British blues boom era.

Man of the World
Need Your Love So Bad
I cant quit you babe
Copper head Road
Gimme Some Lovin
I'm a Man
I Feel Free
You Shook Me

Johnny 'Slide' has always been fondly remembered in these parts. After all he had been a member of Coventry favourites Wandering John who were active between 1969 and 1971. When I mentioned I had recently seen The Travs it prompted some amazing comments. They were too good not to be included in this article........

Wandering John bass player Ade Taylor remembers: 'He always has been a great guitarist, since the day I joined the band "Interior War", Johnny was playing number 2 guitar to Rod Grant. I replaced John Westacott on bass, and after 2 gigs, there was a revamping of the band, and Johnny and myself were sacked!. We then decided to put our own band together, and when John Gravenor and Al Walder joined, "Wandering John" emerged as a new band. This time, John Alderson was lead guitarist, and his reputation as a top guitarist grew and grew! I'm so proud of him and John Gravenor'.

John Gravenor, nicknamed Wandering John, and where the Coventry band got its name said:
'John Alderson one of the best guitarist Coventry ever produced so proud to be part of his career'

If the late 60s, early 70s British blues scene peaks your attention then don't pass up on the opportunity if The Travs pass by your way.

Chesford Grange – The Twist Den

 

Chesford Grange – The Twist Den

by Pete Clemons

During 1964, the Chesford Grange Hotel in Kenilworth, Warwickshire was owned and operated by the Hames family. The Hames family originally took over the estate just before World War II (moving from the Kenilworth Castle Gatehouse) and successfully developed it back into a premier hotel and nightlife venue by the mid-1950s.

Michael (Mike) Eckersley served as the General Manager of the Chesford Grange Hotel from January 1964 through to sometime during the 1970s. And during his tenure, the Warwickshire venue was a highly popular hotel and live music destination.

As the 'Swinging Sixties' took off, the Chesford Grange Hotel in Kenilworth introduced a 'fabulous discotheque' downstairs in its old cellar bars to target 18-to-25-year-olds. It became known as 'The Twist Den'.

The Twist Den existed at Chesford Grange for roughly 5 to 8 years, operating from the mid-1960s until it was rebranded in the early 1970s. The space evolved across two distinct eras: The Twist Den Era that incorporated the flourishing beat scene and then the Mid-to-Late 1960s which became host to the British blues generation.

Said manager Mr, Michael Eckersley during 1968 'Chesford Grange has seen some of the better pop groups, but the scene is changing and Teenagers want blues and we want to keep up'. And his hunch paid off as hundreds would turn up for gigs. As many as 800 were mentioned.

The Twist Den featured a packed underground bar with psychedelic, ultra-violet lighting projected onto the walls. It ultimately became famous for hosting local and burgeoning rock acts, including a bi-weekly residency by The Andicaps (which could well have featured a young Jeff Lynne, later of ELO fame, as he was with the band till around 1965), as well as acts the like of the John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and John Lee Hooker.

In fact after John Lee Hookers appearance it was reviewed very elegantly 'John Lee still shows magic He strolled in, grabbed a chair, sat down and began to play the blues, very quietly, very modestly, John Lee Hooker had arrived at the Chesford Grange. It was ear-straining to hear him'.

Even London's psychedelic nights were catered for and recreated at the Chesford during 1967 and 68 as bands like The Mood, Psychotic Reaction and From the Sun played regularly. Thursday evenings gave way to these night and to complete the London scene feel they came complete with Juliana's discotheque. Early April 1967 it was reported that the venue was 'invaded by pop musicians when auditions were held to select groups for Saturday sessions'. This I understand was promoted by local philanthropist David Owen.

Another name also referenced as a major contributor within the music booking history circles at the Chesford Grange is Peter Martin. I don't think he was an employee of the hotel but worked as an independent booking agency. Regardless of that, both Eckersley and Martin appeared to be incredibly hip and forward thinking. They certainly had their finger on the pulse by way of recognising the changing scenes and the bands they went for.

A newspaper article from 1969 mentioned 'We agreed on a form of cooperation said Mr. Peter Martin, of County Town Entertainments, who run's the Sunday concerts'. He went on to say that 'he had never known any trouble at the venue'.

That said things never went entirely smoothly. It was revealed during 1969 that P. P. Arnold was to have received £225 for a date and that about 500 people were at the Chesford to see her. However P.P. Arnold and her group, T.N.T., did not turn up. Martin had to face the disgruntled customers.

The Early 1970s saw the music scene at Chesford Grange shifting towards heavier progressive rock and a massive rebranding. The venue was renamed The Kinetic Kenilworth, and the old downstairs Twist Den was converted into the Kinetic Cellar. And during this heavy metal and progressive 'underground' era, the cellar hosted legendary acts such as The Groundhogs, Hawkwind and Van der Graaf Generator for entry fees of just 40p.

The overarching 'Kinetic' music venue era at the hotel came to an end around 1973, paving the way for later iterations of the hotel's nightlife spaces, such as the Camelot Suite and Oliver's. Meanwhile the cellar bar rebranded itself with names like Blaises and the Stables as the 'disco' generation took over.

At its peak the Twist Den regularly pulled in 700 to 800 revellers.and claimed that 'The cream from Radio 1 will be performing here by Monday'.

The Chesford Grange hotel continues to thrive successfully in its beautiful setting. Apart from relaxing stays it also offers a gym and pool facilities as well as catering for flamboyant weddings. Music is still there as well.

Sir Colin Campbell / The Phoenix - Coventry Venue Closes

Sir Colin Campbell / The Phoenix - Coventry Venue Closes.

by Pete Clemons

The times, and interests, they are a changing. And its quite clear that going to the pub and watching live bands are not on the social calendar quite as much as it once was. It is all still there but has somehow become more niche.

As another pub bites the dust, and whose to say it wont bounce back, here is a potted history of the Phoenix/Campbell. In terms of popular music culture the Phoenix/Campbell has an impressive one. This overview is not concise, it's far from complete, far from comprehensive, it's more of a summary.......

The Phoenix in Coventry (located at 122 Gosford Street) has officially announced its permanent closure on 6 September 2026. The building has stood since 1720, but its true musical roots took hold under its previous, legendary identity: The Colin Campbell (or simply "The Campbell").

The Sir Colin Campbell pub in Coventry—which was famously renamed The Phoenix before its final closing in September 2026—hosted hundreds of influential rock, punk, progressive, and alternative bands over its decades-long history as a staple of the city’s underground music scene.

Live music typically took place in the function room upstairs, which operated under various legendary club names over the decades.


1960s Music Scene and Performers

Folk and Acoustic: Local performers such as Ron Shuttleworth and Barry Skinner frequented the venue's acoustic and folk circles during the 1960s.

The Village Rock Club (1970 transition): Moving right at the turn of the decade into the 1970s, the upstairs function room hosted heavy/progressive rock bands like Indian Summer (who played a notable gig there in July 1970), April, Boots, and Flood, accompanied by progressive rock DJ Malv Preece.

The 1970s: "The Village" Prog & Heavy Rock Era

Between 1970 and 1975, the upstairs function room was home to The Village, a legendary rock night and progressive disco advertised in the historic Hobo Magazine:

Boots (also known as Gregorian Chant / Children): A heavy rock group that apparently featured Carl Palmer's brother, who headlined a historic "heavy evening" at the pub in December 1970.

Flood: A popular regional band out of Nuneaton that drew local rock crowds to the upstairs venue.

April: A well-known Coventry folk-rock outfit that played a legendary Boxing Day show at the pub in 1970.

Indian Summer: Performed several times live at the venue during their active early Gosford/local gig circuit days. The Coventry rock/blues band played at the venue in July and August 1970.

Wandering John: Band members like John Gravenor explicitly recalled playing gigs at the venue during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Asgard: Part of the active local Coventry underground and alternative scene tied to the pub and contemporaneous local spots like the Umbrella club. They performed at the venue in January 1971

Junkhouse: A local heavy rock band that frequently played the venue during the peak of the 1970 progressive scene.


Adrian Mitchell and George McBeth: Performed a lunchtime poetry and literary gig at the pub in February 1971


Local Folk and Acoustic Acts: The venue and upstairs spaces played host to local folk figures and club organizers like Pete Willow (who ran acoustic and folk sessions). In particular the Magic Lamp Folk Club alongside Bob Powell.

Posh Annie's (Silk's Graham Wood) above Colin Campbell October 1981/March 1982. Posh Annie's was in the upstairs room and had a short Friday night residency playing rock and progressive music on an in house DJ set up.

The 1980s: The Pilgrim Club Era

In the mid-1980s, the pub’s upstairs venue hosted The Pilgrim Club, which became a vital hub for early indie rock, space rock, and post-punk:

Spacemen 3: The legendary alternative rock band famously played some of their earliest gigs here. Recordings of their 1985 sets at the Sir Colin Campbell have circuited widely among fans.

Pop Will Eat Itself (PWEI): Before finding major chart success, the Stourbridge band (fronted by Coventry local Clint Mansell) played the venue numerous times under their early moniker, Wild and Wandering.

The Macc Lads: The irreverent punk rock band played notorious, high-energy shows at the venue.

The Pilgrims / Furious Apples: Local post-punk mainstays tightly tied to the curation of the Pilgrim Club.

The Long Range Weather Forecast: A notable local comedy rock band that performed there in 1985.

Popular Coventry folk blues singer songwriter - Rod Felton organised a folk club at the Colin Campbell c 1981 also.

The 1990s to Modern Era

In the 1990s and early 2000s (when it was known simply as The Campbell), the venue shifted focus toward punk, metal, indie rock, and student-centric nights. The 2000s marked a major transition for the venue. The official shift to The Phoenix in 2003 shifted its identity slightly more toward a modern student-and-sports bar, though it retained its alternative grit and live music spaces for years

Bridges (later The Enemy): Local indie musicians and upcoming university bands got their start here.

Local Dance & Techno Sound Systems: In the early 90s, the venue hosted side-room raves alongside underground DJ crews.

The Student Shift: Rebranded as The Phoenix in 2003, it shifted toward a lively student-centric music hub due to its close proximity to Coventry University. It blended late-night DJ sets, weekly student nights, and grass roots live entertainment.


The "Scream" Era: Rebranded under the "It's A Scream" student chain in the early 2000s, the pub combined cheap drink deals with raw talent, featuring a community-voted "rock hall of fame" feel.

Acoustic and Songwriter Hubs: In the later 2000s, the upstairs room regularly hosted acoustic music nights like Emma McGann's Songbird events and sessions by local artist Kristy Gallacher.

Underground Electronic and Reggae: Beyond guitars, the venue welcomed subgenres including the popular Dub Cave nights, providing a platform for Coventry's diverse sound systems.

The Wednesday Night Legends: Midweek student nights became part of Coventry folklore, acting as a crucial pre-club gathering for music fans heading to the Colosseum (now the Kasbah).

Flyer for the Village Heavy Rock Club 1970

Membership card 1970 Village Heavy Rock Club - Colin Campbell

The Village advertised in The Broadgate Gnome in 1970.

And by 1974 they had moved the Climax and advertised in Hobo (Coventry Music and Arts Magazine) - below

Some later posters

Shel Naylor - One Fine Day

 

Shel Naylor

by Pete Clemons

Shel Naylor, (real name Rob Woodward), was a singer, songwriter, and musician from Coventry who released two singles on Decca Records in the UK. Both singles were produced by Shel Talmy: the debut, "How Deep Is The Ocean" in November 1963, and a second single, "One Fine Day", in March 1964.

Rob was discovered at the age of 17 while performing as Rob Woodward at the Orchid Ballroom in Coventry. He won a talent contest that earned him £50 and a recording contract with Decca Records. His now manager, Larry Page, gave him the professional name "Shel Naylor".

On tour Rob was described in programme notes as follows: Seventeen year old Shel Naylor comes from Coventry where he worked in the car industry. He taught himself to play four instruments, piano, clarinet, guitar and ukulele when he was very young and it was the late George Formby who gave him his first ukulele. Besides being a singer he writes many songs.

He is a very keen athlete and has run the 440 yards in record time. Contemporary art holds a great interest for him and he spends much of his time visiting exhibitions.

Key details about Rob's singles:

First Single: Released November 22, 1963 ("How Deep Is The Ocean" / "La Bamba").

Second Single: Released March 6, 1964 ("One Fine Day" / "It's Gonna Happen Soon").

Both singles were produced by the legendary Shel Talmy. The 1964 release "One Fine Day" is historically significant as it was written by Dave Davies of The Kinks and featured session musicians Jimmy Page on guitar and John Paul Jones on bass.

Shel Talmey remembers: 'I was reminded of this record recently, as one of the favourites I had produced, so I thought I would bring it to everyone's attention one more time.

Although by February 1964 I had gone fully independent, I was still producing discs on behalf of Decca Records. Some of the last sessions I did at the labels studio in West Hampstead in North London was with a group of artists from the Midlands town of Coventry. This included John Goodison, aka Johnny B Great and the schoolgirl vocal trio The Orchids, both of whom I recorded on several singles in 1963.

Another Coventry artist that I produced for Decca was born Rob Woodward, but used the professional name, Shel Naylor (and no I don't know if he stole my first name or not!)

I did two singles with Shel and for the second one, I decided to feature a song by the new group I had just signed to Pye Records - The Kinks

Even though Ray Davies was the leader of The Kinks and the groups chief songwriter, the track we recorded, 'One Fine Day', was written by his younger brother Dave.

The song was a rocker in The Kinks' early style. For the session I used Bobby Graham on drums and Jimmy Page on guitar, so the track came out with some of the flavour of the records I would soon produce with the group.

The single came out in March 1964 and like the early Kinks releases, didn't go anywhere'.

The singles were reviewed by music paper critics as follows:

How Deep is The Ocean/La Bamba (Decca F11776): New boy with a violent vocal style who veritably attacks the oldie. Sings the verse first with biggish backing then roars into the evergreen lyrics. Irving Berlin never, no not never, heard his song treated in this way. But it's in the correct idiom and could easily take off into a sizeable hit status. Good backing (Charles Blackwell). Flip has had a lot of different treatments, dating back to Ritchie Valens. Shel injects a lot of fire.

Another review mentioned:“How deep is the Ocean” has been dressed up to 1963 style with a Charles Blackwell arrangement, augmenting Shel Naylor’s forceful vocal delivery. Seventeen-year-old, six foot tall Shel hails from Coventry, where he works in that city’s motor

One Fine Day/Its Gonna Happen Soon (Decca F11856): Fast beat on this rock disc which moves along at a brisk danceable pace.

Shel Naylor was managed by the manager of Coventry's Orchid Ballroom, Larry Page, who later inserted himself into The Kinks operation and would soon start to claim credit for their success.

While in Coventry Larry would, of course, promote his protege at the ballroom.

A 1963 gig for Decca Records saw Shel performing at a twang night that included Johnny B. Great and The Goodmen, The Avengers, The Chimes and The Orchids.

During 1964 a Shel Naylor gig was advertised: the 18 years old Coventry recording artist and his new group, The Goodmen (who had previously backed Johnny Goodison), are to turn the clock back to the era of rock 'n' roll. He has teamed up with them and we hope that the Goodmen play their favourite type of music.

Rob Woodward did eventually found UK chart success in the early 1970s with the group Lieutenant Pigeon who had a big hit record with an instrumental called 'Mouldy Old Dough'.

One Fine Day Shel Naylor

It's Gonna Happen Soon - Shel Naylor

How deep is the Ocean - Shel Naylor

La Bamba - Shel Naylor

Tony Clarke (Moody Blues) – A Fascination With Space and Astronomy

 

Tony Clarke (Moody Blues) – A Fascination With Space and Astronomy.

By Pete Clemons

NASA’s Artemis program, recently, successfully completed its historic first crewed mission, Artemis II, which launched on 1 April 2026 and safely returned to Earth on 10 April 2026. The focus of today's lunar efforts has officially shifted to hardware preparation and crew training for the next phases of deep-space travel.

NASA has also introduced the designated crew for the Artemis III mission which will return humans to the lunar surface. Reusable Rockets using the frequently used Falcon 9 flights and ongoing test flights of large next-generation vehicles like SpaceX's Starship system will drive down launch costs.

This is all a far cry from the days when music producer, Tony Clarke, took some of his inspiration from the space age days of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Yes, it appears that Tony Clarke, often called the 'sixth Moody Blue', had a huge fascination with space, he visited Cape Canaveral several times as a guest of NASA, and that fascination influenced some of his production work.

Coventry born music producer Tony Clarke had a large telescope and a custom dome installed on the roof of his house for stargazing. Moody Blues band member, the late Ray Thomas, recalled going up to the roof to look at the moon and stars with Clarke while discussing philosophy and music.

Clarke's deep fascination with astronomy directly inspired the space-themed concept for the 1969 Moody Blues album To Our Children's Children's Children.

While the band’s relationship with NASA was extensive—their 1969 album To Our Children's Children's Children was inspired by the Apollo 11 moon landing. The album also had a strong connection to Apollo 15. The Astronaut Playlist for the crew of Apollo 15 (1971) carried and listened to the album To Our Children's Children's Children on cassette tape during their mission.

For the song 'Higher and Higher', the band initially requested a recording of a rocket launch from NASA. When they found the provided audio unsatisfactory, they created their own 'space sound' (partially by dropping a piano off a building) and sent it back to NASA for their potential future use.

'Higher and Higher' opens the album with a dramatic custom rocket launch sound and spoken-word poetry celebrating humanity breaking Earth's gravity.

Another tune, 'Gypsy' (Of a Strange and Distant Time) explores the emotional isolation and vast distances of a long space voyage.

'Floating' a whimsical track by Ray Thomas was quite possibly imagining a low-gravity walk on the moon.

'Out and In' and 'Candle of Life' can be percieved as both reflecting on the quiet isolation, the journey, and the beauty of looking back at the world from the cosmos.

Finally 'I Never Thought I'd Live to Be a Hundred' / 'I Never Thought I'd Live to Be a Million' could be contemplating the immense stretches of time required for deep-space travel.

Dirt Road Band – Godiva Festival 2026

 

Dirt Road Band – Godiva Festival 2026

by Pete Clemons

The much maligned Godiva in the city 2026 wasn't all negative. Yes the administration of the event left room for improvement – absolutely no accountability for tickets appeared to be one of the main issues - but, from what I saw, and I only attended the millennium stage, the organisation and the artists who appeared were excellent.

The Millennium stage, ironically, was set within the area of the site where the long lamented Coventry Theatre once stood. Of course the Millennium square is now in the shadow of the transport museum.

And finding a temporary outdoor event stage on or very near this exact footprint is fitting given the area's rich history. The former 2000 seat Coventry Theatre (originally the New Hippodrome) on Hales Street was a local cultural staple before its demolition in 2002. But this is now in the distant past, generations before many of today's younger music lovers came along.

While there isn't a permanent theatre on Hales Street any more, a variety of exciting performances and theatrical events regularly take place across the city centre. And this festival was no exception.

However, back to the music, and one of the highlights for me was the late addition of the Dirt Road Band.

Don't be put off if you hear that Dirt Road Band are just another blues combo and you prefer your music a bit more edgy. Dirt Road Band are a rock 'n' blues band rolled into one satisfying whole. Dirt Road Band delivers raw power, gritty guitar riffs, and deep emotional grooves. They combine the fast energy of rock with the soul of the blues.

On the Millennium stage Dry Road Band, as they were inexplicably introduced, were positive and aggressive blending their usual attack with tunes like 'Never get over losing you' and 'Worry no more'.

If you enjoy seeing a band playing exceptionally good music please make a point of seeing Dirt Road Band who stand out within their field.

Set list.......

'Never Get Over Losing You'
'Instinct to Survive'
'Cutting Room Floor' – dedicated by Horace to the Smithfield Pub
'Worry No More'
'And Johnny Winter' - the working title of a brand new song
'Down to the Doctors' - Steve dedicated this tune to his 32 years in Dr Feelgood

Fingers crossed the organisation team can have better control over ticketing next year. People intuitively grab anything for free regardless of whether they use it or not. The overused adage 'lessons must be used' has to come into play. Exceptional artists deserve better.