Me and my bowler down at the Bells - by C J Martin

MC again and another Blog needed, what to write and how to make it entertaining. Well, a collection of boys and girls, yes there were quite a few girls this time, moseyed down to the Six Bells to give us some music. Everyone had a fab time. Thank you very much and goodnight. x

You want more! Ok, well, I put my MC’s bowler hat on and launched the night with a couple of fine tunes from my new album, ‘Standing Room Only’ and despite some lovely BVs from Lisa, I failed to sell any copies of it on CD, but that’s ok I’m not bitter and I still have my integrity.

Clive Woodman was ‘Going up the Country’ with Helga’s flute and he sailed off back to the desk on the ‘Grey Funnel Line.’ We kept him busy for the rest of the night doing the sound - Thanks Clive.

There were two colours tonight, grey from Clive and blue from quite a few. Keith Willson with two Ls offered us ‘Lifes you could have tried’ and was the first blue, closing with ‘Newcastle Blue’, or was it blew, no it was definitely blue.

Ella was in piano mode tonight and played us a tune by Julia Robert’s ex-hubby, Lyle Lovett called ‘North Dakota.’ Then it was over to ‘Dani’s all star joint’ for a bit of up-tempo joanna. I’m patiently waiting for the wild Ella to break out and give us the full Jerry Lee Lewis feet on the piano treatment.

Jim hadn’t been for a while, 1985 he said, but I think he was telling porkies. Opening with a bit of Steve Earle’s ‘My old friend the blues,’ he segued into one of his own, ‘Home is where the heart is’ as a rallying call for Brexit or was it Weetabix, actually he’d written it for a couple of friends, one of whom came from Iceland and the other from Luxemburg. A united Europe then, oh, maybe not, is Iceland in Europe…

Helga had rushed to be with us having just collected a major award for her professional work. Smartly attired in a little black number and on classical guitar she sang a ditty by Wolf Biermann called ‘Ermutigung’, which is German for Take Heart. And then, joined by Lisa on lead guitar, Ella on bass and me on a slightly distorted guitar she marched through the Pete Seeger classic, ‘Flowers in the rain’ in German! But for some EU let’s stick togetherness she did the last verse in English and we all joined in.

Chris L likes his Buddy Holly and opened with ‘Learning the game,’ and finished with one of his own, ‘Fingers crossed.’

Simon had been in at lunch time and had set up the PA, so he gets some extra Brownie Points. He opened with a mellow version of Dylan’s ‘You ain't goin' nowhere.’ This was followed by a Chris Mansellesk meandering ramble about tea and sandwiches, no, it wasn’t a Leonard Cohen song, that was tea and oranges. Simon said he felt duty-bound to carry on the tradition and do a monologue. We used to bounce between Kepler and Geordieland and now we’re being introduced to posh cucumber sandwiches. Anyway, eventually, he decided to play another tune, one of his own this time, ‘I refused to sing the blues’ - it’s that colour again.

Lisa had already been busy with me and then Helga and finally got her own chance to shine and do her thing. A lovely version of Elvis’s ‘Don’t be cruel’ was followed by ‘Sailing’ as previously made famous by Sir Rod.

Michael, who is on promoter duties next time out at the Bells gave us a bit of ‘Midnight special’ before dipping into the mighty pantheon of old country songs, with a Jimmy Rogers number, ‘Peach picking time.’

Jason was on fine form, regaling us with tales from the old days when he used to pogo to the Birthday Party. He followed this reminiscence with a very pretty version of Nick Cave’s ‘The ship song’ - I wonder if it had a grey funnel? Moving along, he closed with one of his own, ‘Simple smiling face’ and we all smiled along.

Everyone had done their bit and there was still a little time on the clock, so I sat at the old Bells piano and played a song I’d written back in 1990, I never play the piano and must confess I felt rather nervous. Here’s a link to a studio recording of the song from 1994: - Click Here

Paul had been in the house all evening with his full set of harmonicas and had not been invited to blow one - where’s them old blues boys when you need them. Michael took centre stage for a closing blues fest house band, featuring Paul and harp in E, Helga and flute, Ella and an acoustic bass and Keith two Ls on lead guitar. And that my friends concluded another great night of folk and blues and other stuff at the Six Bells.
PA packed up and we were away before midnight, so I didn’t have to let it all hang out. x