Boneshakers Go Off Like a Rocket at George Stephenson

FOLLOW THE BAND

The Boneshakers had built up a head of steam for the George Stephenson gig - and it showed, because from the second they exploded onto the stage - engines at full throttle - they took off like the proverbial ROCKET!

 What an amazing show these guys put on.  The whole of the blues/rock music scene are talking about the Boneshakers - and so they should.  To steal the words of Brian Setzer's song:

THESE GUYS ARE RED HOT

With new numbers introduced to their sets like 'Call me the Breeze' and 'High Heel Sneakers', with added deep shine to their performance that made you squeeze your eyes tight shut - and extra LICKS of spit and polish to boot, these lads are glaringly sensational.

NO TWO WAYS ABOUT IT FOLKS, THESE LADS ARE HITTING THE HEIGHTS IN THE

WORLD OF BLUES MUSIC

 

Russ (lead guitar and vocals) SHOOK, RATTLED AND ROLLED throughout, and, sweating like a bull at the end of a fantastic performance, said,

"Wish I'd remembered me fan!"

 So do I, Russ! 
*
 

RUSS HIRD

Ronnie (blues harp and backing vocals) HOOTED AND HOLLERED the most amazing blues harp anyone would wish to hear.  With a great big grin on a face now devoid of that famous goatee beard, he said:

"I'm lovin' it, loving it, lovin' it!"

RONNIE SEMPLE

So are we, Ronnie! 

*  

When I spoke to Dave (Bass Guitar) after the gig, and I told him his performance on the bass tonight was absolutely STEAMING, he said:

"Never mind me bass steamin' - there's steam comin' oot me ears!"

DAVE HILDRETH

* 

Gordon CLICKETY-CLACKED in style on drums tonight, PLATFORMING superb brilliance.

"Aye, great gig, but why did I bring me mother!"

GORDON SMILES

 

Well, your mam, loved every single minute of it. 

*

  

 

 

                                       WHAT A BAND

                                      

                                       WHAT AMAZING TALENT

And if you want to see the band in action, here's some You-Tube links:

 

 5 great tracks from 4 fab guys - fast tracking to greatness

http://youtu.be/Dca_tUdCBxY

http://youtu.be/YvGupNkQm5Q

http://youtu.be/4Vf-q5qqxiQ

http://youtu.be/xZaOTdhIzy0

http://youtu.be/1YWoMYfwTMU

 

THE BONESHAKERS WILL BE GETTING TOGETHER AGAIN SOON - CHECK OUT THEIR FORTHCOMING GIGS ON THE ROCKINWITHTHEBONESHAKERS BLOG - RIGHT HERE  

 

A Boneshakin' Sanddancin' Bank Holiday Blast!

After a balmy May Day afternoon, the evening wind whipped the sky into swirls of pink, blue and grey.
"It's bloody freezing," said Dave (bass guitar).  And how right he was.

 The Sanddancer on the South Shields coast shook with the vibrations of guitars, basses and drums in the beer tent and the Boneshakers were ready to set the place alight.
"Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside," quipped Russ (lead guitar and vocals) as the lads watched the Maverick Rejects do a plucky punk set on the makeshift stage inside the beer tent - set up especially for a night of Bank Holiday entertainment.

And once the Mavericks had left the stage, it was time for the Boneshakers to do their 45 minute magic blues mix at the 'Sanddancer Bank Holiday Bonanza'.

From the second they struck a chord, the Boneshakers had the crowd in the palm of their collective hand.  Starting with a soulful rendition of Dust my Broom, they carried straight on through Pride and Joy.  Their audience screamed and whistled with sheer appreciation of Russ's bluesy vocals; the clarity of his wild guitar interludes; the strength and musicality of Ronnie's blues harp; the deep resonance and sweet harmonics of Dave's bass guitar; the perfect beat and timing of Gordon's drums.

And with a swish of Gordon's brushes, they moved onward through an amazing version of Long Gone to a fantastic finale of Messing with the Kid.
The crowd yelled for more, more, more - but this time, with strict 45 minute sets for each of the bands playing, the Boneshakers had to wave a fond farewell to their hundreds of ardent fans.  I reckon the Boneshakers collected a stack of new fans too on this Bank Holiday evening at the Sanddancer.

"This is a perfect end to a perfect Bank Holiday weekend," said Ronnie (blues harp and vocals), arms around one of the members of 'Bessie and the Zinc Buckets', (centre) the great local band appearing on stage after the fabulous Boneshakers - and Les Routledge (right), the organiser of the Rock 4 All Festival.

Gordon (drums), chuffed to bits to have his first gig under his belt as a bone fide member of the Boneshakers, said, "Hey, this blues malarkey may just catch on....I'll get my coat..."

The Boneshakers are back in action at the Sanddancer on Saturday 14th May - but if you check out their

FORTHCOMING GIGS

on this blog

...you can catch the brilliant Boneshakers SOON - at a venue near you!





You can  see the Boneshakers in action, if you follow the links below:




Long Gone
http://youtu.be/_dAc_d-7bg4

Dust my Broom/Pride & Joy
http://youtu.be/Wan1cIZjHxs

Review: Flying High at the Flying Horse

FOLLOW THE BAND



The Boneshakers, on the lookout for a new drummer, were auditioning Gordon Smiles tonight, live, during their second set. 

Gordon, a great bloke, ex The Ugly Brothers fame that had lasted 25 years before they split - looking to add to his repertoire as a member of a North East pipe band - had his sights set on playing drums with a blues/rock band - so who better a band  than the brilliant Boneshakers to help him break through onto the blues scene. That's Gordon, pictured below right with his wife Roz and Ronnie Semple's daughter, Gemma.

During the first set, he watched and listened to the Boneshakers do their amazing stuff.  "They're a great band," he said to me, fiddling nervously with the drum sticks he'd brought along with him, "Hope I can do them justice."

Tonight, Russ Hird (lead guitar and vocals) was trying out something new for himself. 
With his newly-acquired Fender Stratocaster with gorgeous mother-of-pearl scratch plate and a brand spanking new strap with his name in huge black lettering, he thundered through numbers like Dust my Broom and You Don't Love Me - with real 'Pride and Joy' in the fantastic sound he reproduced through that great g-e-e-t-a-r.  He sure made that instrument sing.



Ronnie Semple on blues harp did his usual amazing stunts and tricks.  Nobody in the North of England can play harp like Ronnie - and tonight he played that mouth-piece of his with sensational aplomb.  His 'friend', a little green skeleton man he calls 'The Boneshaker', clung to the mike stand in awe of his master!  Ronnie insists that his mascot talks to him!!  Well tonight, I think he'll have whispered, "Go, Ronnie, go - you're a star, bonny lad."



Dave Hildreth on bass guitar chewed gum, tapped his feet, raised his eyes to the heavens and hit the bassiest sounds ever.  He'd said before the gig he was looking forward to playing alongside the prospective new drummer.  "A bass man and a drummer have to hit it off right from the word go - one has to be in tune with the other - or it's no go," he told me. Dave is a 'no-frills' bass expert who tells it like it is!



Barry Ellis of Shanghai fame, still continuing to fill in with the Boneshakers until the lads find their new drummer, kept his head firmly under his baseball cap as always. The guys have been grateful for his workmanlike approach to their gigs.



Time for the second set and Gordon said, "Whoa, I'm bottling it!"  But he got up there like a hero and shook his tail feathers, bringing out his brushes to start Walkin' Blues off to a soft and tender start.  The Boneshakers built up to an unbelievably great crescendo of blues notes and riffs.  Russ's voice was in fine fettle tonight and he sang this one as well as I've heard it sung anywhere.  Ronnie's harp solo interludes were stunning and Dave was sure gettin' in the groove with the new man at the drum kit.

The crowd loved it.  They wanted more from this prospective new member of the band - and they got it.  You Upset Me Baby, a Joe Bonamassa number, went down a storm.  Gordon Smiles drummed his way through this emotional song with such heart, the blues-lovin' audience were almost in tears.
As the crowd roared their appreciation, Gordon said,

"It's the best time I've had wi' me claes on for a lang time." 

The job is now Gordon's (of course it is) from the end of April, but Ronnie was keen to point out,

"Bloody hell, I'm glad Gordon kept his claes on tonight!"

Russ said,

"Yep. Gordon did a great job. How d'you like the new Strat?"

Talking about the Boneshakers great night, he said "Hmm...4-1 - a great night for the toon." - Pardon?

And Dave, a man of few words, said,

"Champion. Gordon'll do nicely"



However, he did also say, "Kebabs, the food of Kings...well Greek and Turkish Kings anyhow."  I reckon he was thinking about stopping off at the takeaway on the way home!

Barry will play his last stand-in gig with the Boneshakers on 17th April.

And so, to Gordon Smiles (and he does - SMILE a lot, that is!) -

'BIG SMILES BACK ATCHYA'

WELCOME TO THE BONESHAKERS

GORDON SMILES - 

DRUMMER EXTRAORDINAIRE

You can see footage of Gordon doing his thing with the Blues-Mad Boneshakers to 'You Upset Me Baby' on You-Tube.

Here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLjlJUh55mM