Blues Extra at the Squirrel

by Testeditor, 21 May 2017 THANKS TO GRAEME KIDD FOR THIS REVIEW!

It's been a while since I'd seen Blues Extra perform, and to have a chance to catch up with some friends so I was looking forward to their gig at The Squirrel in Rugby.

Blues Extra are a five-piece, experienced semi-professionals from Rugby, Kenilworth and Leamington Spa, and consist of guitar, keyboards, bass & drums, supplemented by stylish harmonica playing and acoustic guitar.

There is always a special atmosphere at The Squirrel and even though the sightlines aren't great, the sound is always good and the beer is well kept. The gig kicked off with a rousing version of So Many Roads, a Joe Bonamasa number which is always a crowd pleaser and was quickly followed by Riders on The Storm and Hold Your Head Up which got the audience singing along.

I particularly enjoy the songs where the band have done their own arrangements especially Don't Believe a Word by Thin Lizzy and Led Zeppelin's Bring It On Home. They seem to find an added depth and unexpected poetry in the lyrics as well as exposing musicality and melody that is often lost in high speed, high volume performances. Their rendition of Joe Bonamassa's Dustbowl is a fine example of this, with hints of Sergio Leone's Spaghetti Westerns added to an already fine song.

With Blues Extra the "Extra" is in the second set, where things shift up a gear and the shift from Blues/rock to Hard Rock kicks in. Jimi Hendrix, Cream, T Rex, Bad Company, AC/DC, Mott the Hoople and David Bowie are all covered with carefully crafted arrangements and exuberant performances. Finishing on Alright Now is a good touch, with the crowd joining in during the chorus.

I believe the next few gigs are in Warwick followed by some festivals and charity gigs over the summer, including headlining at Hook Norton, before they are back at The Squirrel in September.