old news20 June 2007Little Dixie returned to Woods Wine Bar in Yeovil, Somerset on Saturday 28th April, after which the Ben Waters Band set off on a mini European tour. We started with a gig at Fiddlers, Den Haag, Holland on Sunday 29th, where we were involved in some kind of Dutch royal family celebration that involved the local populace dressing in orange and drinking vast amounts of beer. Partly because of that, no doubt, and despite having to deal with the most primitive gear I’ve seen in many a year, we had a wonderful night. We then drove through the night across Holland and Germany down to the New Orleans Festival in Wendelstein, just south of Nurenberg, where we played on Monday 30th, supporting Chris Jagger’s excellent band. Our set ended in spectacular fashion when Ben threw a cover off the grand piano hidden in the corner and began playing it. Unfortunately, the cover landed on a stage light, which started smouldering, sending toxic fumes into the room, which had to be evacuated. Great Balls Of Fire may never have been more appropriate. The following day we headed into Nurenberg itself, compulsively drawn to the remains of the Nazi party rallying grounds there. We’ve all seen the black-and-white film of Hitler ranting in those very grounds, but to actually be there gives you a graphic idea of the sheer scale of the deluded mass insanity of those times. That was followed by a trip a little further south to Ingolstadt, Germany (where they make Audis) for their Blues Festival. The Ben band played a great first set, and then Chris Jagger joined us for the second half. It was a sell-out, and it went down a storm. We then headed north to Mettmann, near Dusseldorf, for a gig at the Hansa Hotel for our old friend Wolfgang Pieker, the promoter that first brought Ben to Germany all those years ago. The following morning we were off for our latest visit to Storyville Happy Jazz Club in Helsinki, Finland, for a three-day residency. It was the formula that we’ve become used to; great city, great people, great food, completely bonkers audience. Unfortunately, shortly after our return from the tour, Ben decided to re-arrange the band in a way that no longer involves me. On Sunday 20th May we had a hastily-arranged Steamer Ducklings gig at the Park Hotel in Weymouth. I joined Robbie McIntosh (on leave from his tour with John Meyer), Robbie’s son Rowan, Ady Milward (drums) and Nick Gomer (harmonica). Robbie was on blistering form, as was the whole band, if I dare say, and it was the best possible therapy for a certain bass player whose confidence had taken something of a knock recently. Little Dixie returned to the George Inn on Portland, a tiny but wonderful gig, on July 2nd. The first set was comprised entirely of Mutter’s new and excellent songs, after which we were joined by keyboard ace Chris Rickard for a mixture of blues/soul covers and Mutter’s more vintage material. On Sunday 3rd Mutter, Ady and I played at the even more tiny but equally wonderful Three Compasses in Charminster, near Dorchester. On this occasion it was all Mutter’s original stuff apart from a couple of ‘encore’ exceptions at the end. Mutter’s new material is truly great stuff, and it’s sounding better and better live with every gig. The next Mutter Slater Band gig will be our début at the Royal Portland Arms, Fortuneswell, Portland, Dorset on Thursday 28th June. I’m about to embark on a series of rehearsals for the latest of Paul Hart’s Barrelhouse incarnations. Following the 22-piece Barrelhouse Blues Orchestra project, there’s to be the début appearance of that line-up plus full gospel choir at the Gillingham Festival in North Dorset on the 12th of July. It’s a truly ambitious and very exciting prospect, and I can’t wait. Be there if you can! It’s a funny old game, is it not, this music lark? One door closes, and in this case several new and intriguing ones open. Long may it be so. Chris Lonergan Chris Lonergan |
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