Stonkin'! Stupendous! Tremendous!

Shake them Bones

D-DAY FOR CD LAUNCH

All set for a Boneshakin' CD Launch at the Tyne Bar

Sunday 11 September was a big day in the calender of the fabulous Boneshakers.  This was the day when they were due to play a gig at one of their favourite venues, the Tyne Bar in Newcastle.  Not only that - this Sunday afternoon was the day their brand new 10 track CD, 
SHAKEN AND STIRRED, was to be launched.

ANTICIPATION

It had been a nail-biting, nervy morning for the guys.  They were all buzzing with excitement and anticipation as they arrived at the Tyne Bar.
 Russ Hird (Vocals and Guitar) said "Woo-hoo, I'm definitely up for it."

Russ Sings the Blues

Ronnie Semple (Blues Harp and Backing Vocals) said, "Well, this is it, guys.  This is what we worked so hard for.  Let's do it."

Ronnie in the Zone

 Dave Hildreth (Bass Guitar) said, "I felt sick all morning.  But now I'm here and the crowd's building up, I'm feelin' alright."

Watch out Dave - it's behind you!

Gordon Smiles (Drums) said, "I've been on the Lucozade all morning! Calm me nerves. I reckon it's gonna be one brilliant afternoon."

Gordon - in drummin' heaven

THE TYNE BAR

"What a great Turn Out."

It was too cold and windy to play on the open-air stage, so the lads set up their gear on the stage in the bar, making sure their mascot skeleton 'boneshakers' were well-placed.  The sound check wasn't an easy task because followers and friends of the Boneshakers had already filled the indoor bar to capacity and they were spilling out into the beer garden toward the Glasshouse bridge.




 "YES!" said Ronnie, the leader of the band, "What a great turn out!"

THE GIG

Dancing on the Tables - Singing on the Chairs

And it was.  From the first blues note the Boneshakers played, the fans were hanging from the rafters, standing on tables and benches to get a better view of this great band they'd come to see.  Comments like 'awesome', 'where do I go to get a copy of the CD?' and 'brilliant - just brilliant' hung in the air.  Whistles and cheers came from every corner of the room.  People danced in the square inch of space they were afforded.  They were jiving and rock 'n' rollin' in the beer garden as they listened to the amazing sounds emanating from the little stage in the Tyne Bar.

The Boneshakers were having the time of their lives.  It seemed to me that this was the point at which the Boneshakers became a legend on the blues scene in the North East.

The Boneshakers with Micky Crystal

The atmosphere was electric as they played their first number, blues favourite, Dust my Broom, then they invited guest guitarist, the inimitable Micky Crystal (who plays on several tracks of SHAKEN AND SITRRED) to join them on stage.  Micky always makes a great addition to the foursome and today, he was simply amazing.

Russ's big brother, Robin, took to the stage with the boys in the second set, for a superb rendition of Need Your Love So Bad - and all-time favourite guest harpist, Stephen Brown, was in his element when he joined in, going head to head with Ronnie, in 'Help Me' and 'Hip Shake'.

I don't need to tell you about the extraordinary performance of the Boneshakers.  Their reputation as talented musicians goes before them - and you can see and hear for yourselves some of the numbers from this performance.

 Go to the following You Tube links for:

HOW BLUE CAN YOU GET
http://youtu.be/fPhm9iDZSoM

   DUST MY BROOM
 http://youtu.be/lamYEdIYzyM  

     MESSIN' WITH THE KID  

http://youtu.be/ga29nacWZMI

NEED YOUR LOVE SO BAD

 http://youtu.be/GMQ0sJ1rQAo

    

MORE, MORE, MORE ...
In an encore that was screamed for like these guys were seriously famous, 'Shake your Money Maker' had everybody rockin' their socks off.  And if the Boneshakers aren't yet seriously famous, they should be!

THE MERCHANDISE!

During the interval between the first and second sets, the crowd got what they were promised: the talents of Ronnie, Russ, Dave, Gordon - and their accomplished guest musicians - on CD.  Denice (Ronnie's partner, Boneshaker fanatic and Roadie Extraordinaire) set up at the side of the stage, wearing THE most unbelievable, Boneshakin' jacket and Boneshakin' high-heeled boots, to sell her wares.
Within minutes, people were grabbing their copies of SHAKEN AND SITRRED and taking the 8-page booklets to be autographed.

REACHING FOR THE SKY
Well, this was the Boneshakers very first CD launch.  It was a huge success.  And I don't think for one minute it'll be the last.  The Boneshakers are reaching for the sky - and they're way above the clouds already! They're STONKIN'!  STUPENDOUS!  TREMENDOUS!

...a music review of the Boneshakers' CD, SHAKEN AND SITRRED, Mitch Laddie on guitar, Lyndon Anderson on blues harp, Phil Martin on slide guitar - and of course, the sounds of Micky Crystal's haunting Stratocaster.

...Darlington Blues Festival is the next venue, next weekend, for the fabulous Boneshakers.  Check out the Boneshakers Facebook Page - 'The Boneshakers'.

Boneshakers Crystal-ized at Riverside

FOLLOW THE BAND

This is the VERY LAST TIME this logo will appear on the blog - watch out for the new logo,

COMING SOON

 

 SHAKEN AND STIRRED 

 

 

To celebrate the cutting of their brand new CD, The Boneshakers invited MICKY CRYSTAL to play this prestigious Riverside gig with them.  Micky, a young, local, up-and-coming, future superstar on guitar, guests on the Boneshakers CD, Shaken and Stirred, along with other great names, MITCH LADDIE, LYNDON ANDERSON and PHIL MARTIN.   

 

 

 The big launch of the CD will be happening on Sunday 11th September at acclaimed music bar, THE TYNE BAR, at 3pm.

 

 

THE HOUSE IS ROCKIN'

The guys opened with an amazing rendition of The House is Rockin' - and that was about right, because, withing seconds, THE HOUSE WAS A' ROCKIN'. Micky Crystal played his heart out in an amazing guitar solo.

The whole of the first set was probably among the best blues/rock sets I've ever seen.  

And yet, there are many little birdies who have told me since, that on the following day, August Bank Holiday Monday, the Boneshakers gigs at the Ship and the Sand Dancer really were the best EVER - They rocked - and I missed them.  C'est la Vie, I suppose. No point crying over spilt milk. 

 

DOES ANYONE WANT TO CO-BLOG ON 'ROCKIN' WITH THE BONESHAKERS'?

IF THERE'S ANYONE OUT THERE WHO WANTS TO PEN REVIEWS OF THE TWO GREAT GIGS, THE SHIP AND THE SAND DANCER, SEND ME THE DRAFT AND I'LL ADD YOUR REVIEW - AND YOUR NAME AS A GUEST AUTHOR/BLOGGER.

 

And so...on with the show...

 

THE FAMOUS FIVE - MUCH MORE THAN LASHINGS OF GINGER BEER!

 

 

 The band gave their adoring fans many of the songs that appear on their new CD - then an unexpected 'jammed' off-the-cuff rendition of country blues favourite, 'Fulsome County Jail' and other new additions to add spice to the already flavoursome Boneshakers.

Gordon, ripping those skins to shreds!

The 'ruby' in the treasure chest, red-headed drummer, Gordon Smiles, nearly drummed his skins to shreds in numbers like, 'Fulsome...'

 

 Russ Hird gave us some 'pearls' of wisdom between songs - with guitar solos and stunning vocals to die for.

 

 

Ronnie Semple, leader of the band and blues harp player, is the 'jewel' in the crown of this great blues outfit.

Bluesome Twosome, Ronnie and Russ

 

Dave Hildreth, on bass guitar, was 'pure gold' with a memorable bass solo on their own rendition of Junior Wells' 'Messing with the Kid'

Glittering Crystal and Pure Gold -Micky and Dave

 

 

These lads just get better and better - and with Michael (Micky Crystal) McCrystal stirred into the mix on this great occasion, this was a gig not to be missed.

 

Much more than 'lashings of ginger beer' these guys really are the 'fine wines' of the North East's blues industry - SHAKEN AND STIRRED

 

JAM-PACKED BLUES FINALE TO A JAMMED-PACKED RIVERSIDE PUB

 

At the end of the second set, the band's encore was a rip-roaring renditionof 'HIP SHAKE' featuring stupendous blues harpist, STEVE BROWN.  As always, with a Boneshakin' version of Hip Shake, the crowd rocked and rolled and called for MORE, MORE, MORE.

 

 CRYSTAL TIPS AND PEARLS OF WISDOM

 

The Guys had lots of 'PEARLS OF WISDOM' to impart at the end of this amazing gig. Russ said, mopping his brow with a big fluffy towel,

"Did you know we had a brand new CD out?"

  

 

 Ronnie, starting to shift his gear from the stage said,

"Hey, you wanna hear our CD.  It's out in a couple of weeks."

 

Dave said,

"I hope you're coming to the Tyne Bar gig.  It's the launch of our new CD."

 

 

And guess what Gordon said???  Yes you've got it!  He said,

"CD's out soon.  It's great.  You wanna hear it."

 

 

 

Micky Crystal said,

"I'm looking forward to the CD launch at the Tyne Bar.  Should be a great affair."

He also gave me one of his CRYSTAL TIPS!

"I'm not gonna bother meeting up with friends tonight.   Too cold, too rainy, too windy!  If I were you, I'd do the same.  Go home and watch TV."

That's CRYSTAL CLEAR, Micky!

Go to You-Tube link:    http://youtu.be/CQyrFWmYmz8  

for the Boneshakers version of 'The House is Rockin', featuring Micky Crystal.