Wooden Doll's House was a' Rockin'

What a great night the Boneshakers treated their audience to last Sunday at the Wooden Doll in North Shields.  And what a great music venue this riverside pub is fast becoming.

Russ Hird (guitar and vocals) dressed in an amazing leopardskin shirt was certainly ready to Rock 'n Roll.

Ronnie Semple (blues harp, backing vocals and band leader) in a black vest that showed off lots of his Boneshakin' brilliant tattoos was sure up for it.

Gordon Smiles (drums) ducked out of wearing a T-Shirt sporting silver luminous Boneshaker figures!  "Too Gay for Gordon" it would seem!

And Dave Hildreth (bass guitar) showed us 'the love' with a 'Caricatures of the Band Members' Boneshakers T-Shirt.





This was a night when oh so many local musicians came out to see the Boneshakers.  And in their own inimitable way, the band thanked them for coming along by inviting a host of guitarists and harpists up onto the stage.

Alan Byrne of This Machine fame played guitar on 'Call Me the Breeze', busking with the fabulous Boneshakers and taking on some sensational solos.

Stephen Brown, super blues harpist and huge follower of the Boneshakers, played on the band's very own version of 'Help Me'.

Davey Hunt of Keenan and Tommy and the Oddballs fame, played a fantastic guitar duet with Russ on 'How Blue Can You Get'.  The Boneshakers version of this massive BB King hit is amazing.  Link to the You Tube video below for the live footage of this number.  You'll sure never forget the gravel in Russ's voice or Ronnie's blues harp solo spots on 'How Blue...'

You'll never forget, either, Dave's bass solo and Gordon's drum solo on 'Messin' With the Kid'.

One of the 'hot spots' of the night was when Phil Martin of sensational Sticky Fingers fame went head to head on guitar with Russ on 'Tush',  'Walkin' Blues' and 'Crossroads'.




The other big 'hot spot' for me was the Boneshakers' version of The House is a'Rockin', that included a medley of sixties and seventies rock numbers.  You just gotta see this to believe it!

It was an evening filled with excitement.  The audience of blues and rock lovers, Boneshakers' avid followers and appreciative musicians was a fun-lovin' crowd who danced and rocked the night away.

All hail the Boneshakers.  What a superlative gig.


 I've heard, on the grapevine, that the Boneshakers are soon to pop along to Notes Recording Studio to cut another album.  I hope the rumours are true.  Their first album, 'Shaken and Stirred' was a resounding success and their next one is just bound to be a big winner.

See amazing footage of the Boneshakers in action on the following You-Tube links:

http://youtu.be/h-xk4IglygY - Walkin’ Blues with guest guitarist, Phil Martin

http://youtu.be/-Vl2gGv_GTQ – Call me the Breeze (with guest guitarist Alan Byrne)

http://youtu.be/fAVBHzx1eIY - How Blue Can You Get (with guest guitarist Davey Hunt)

http://youtu.be/DulMl9uIemA - The House is a’Rocking

http://youtu.be/2bHXmFgrxRA - Tush (with guest guitarist Phil Martin)

 

Catch pix of the Wooden Doll gig on the Boneshakers' FACEBOOK PAGE.  Just type in 'The Boneshakers', 'like' the page - and you're IN!

 

You can view the Boneshakers' Forthcoming Gigs for the whole of 2012 right here on the blog - or view it on the Boneshakers' Facebook Page.

Boneshakers Trail-Blaze on Chariots of Fire at Ben Hur Biker Rally

 It was blowing a windstorm and pouring with rain when I set off to catch the BONESHAKERS at the Ben Hur Biker Rally.

And arriving at the field where the top of the marquee wafted in the gusts and rain collected in the hood of my windblown kagool, I was plodging in a mud bath in no time at all!

You'd think the brave admirers of the BONESHAKERS would be a miserable bunch this evening - but they were up for it alright!  The storm didn't stop them from partying - not one little bit.  Dressed in bikers' leathers, combats and kilts: wearing Ben Hur helmets, cowboy hats, tam o'shanters and silly hats topped off with pink fluffy hair or goldie-locks plaits, the crowd were having the time of their lives.

They even danced during the sound check, armed with bottles of beer or cans of lager in that fabulous marquee set up with a huge PA, lights and lasers.

Couragous Glaswegian, Ronnie Semple (blues harp and backing vocals) and his girlfriend, Denice, had their tent up among the biker entourage of camping merry-makers. Good luck to them!

They were going to be camping in the mud and sludge all weekend to do a bit of partying, catch up with the rest of the bands playing non-stop throughout Friday and Saturday nights and eat burgers and chips from the stalls around the site.

Gordon (drums) and Dave (Bass Guitar) heaved their gear into the band tent next to the marquee, laughing at the mud-stains on their jeans that splashed right up to their knees.

Russ (lead guitar and vocals) wasn't impressed with the weather at all!  But once he got into that marquee with the rest of the lads, setting up their gear and getting the sound check done - he was raring to go.  And GO he did.  The green light was on for a fabulous hour and a quarter of the amazing BONESHAKERS.

The first band on for the Ben Hur Biker Rally, the BONESHAKERS weren't expecting their audience to be particularly receptive.  They hoped that just to 'warm up' the crowd would be the 'job done'.

But the crowd went crazy., rockin' and rollin', jivin', jitterbuggin' and headbangin' their hearts out. 


 From the very first strains of Russ's intro to Dust my Broom, through an amazing rock and blues gig, to their famous 'Hip Shake' finale, drums pounding, harp blazing, guitar and bass riffin' and a'lickin', the atmosphere was electric.


What a great start to the Ben Hur Biker Rally.  The boys will be back here next year, I've heard - performing on the final night of the Rally.

Don't forget to look up the BONESHAKERS page on Facebook and 'like' it.  Get all the up-to-date news on what the lads are up to.  Join in their forums.

Take a look at the BONESHAKERS FORTHCOMING GIGS, right here on the BONESHAKERS blog

 

See amazing You-Tube video footage of the BONESHAKERS at the Ben Hur Biker Rally at the following links:

Dust my Broom http://youtu.be/2dmbAyRMdJo

Hip Shake  http://youtu.be/E01f34phGOI

Walkin' By Myself  http://youtu.be/UgGfRy9Rtrw

 

 

 And catch the BONESHAKERS sensational promo video at the link below:

http://youtu.be/517n9jtMnLg

And there's a few copies of the BONESHAKERS CD - SHAKEN AND STIRRED left.  
Only a few - so HURRY! Get your copy NOW!

Boneshakin' Showstealin' Promo Video

 The Boneshakers have surpassed themselves again with a brand new, amazing promo video set in two of their favourite venues, the Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle and the Riverside, South Shields.

 News travelled fast as Face Book teemed with links and shares when the promo was first posted. 






And the manager of Houghton Comrades Club wrote a splendid review of their recent gig there on the Boneshakers' Face Book page.  Here it is:

"The Boneshakers with guest guitarist Mickey Crystal played before a disappointing thin crowd at Houghton Comrades on 30th March. It was the first time the band had played for us, although Mickey is an old friend; playing a solid bluesy set the band were excellent, and all the comments from the folk there were along the lines of how much talent was on stage and what folk were missing. Running through blues standards and more modern stuff, we heard tracks from B.B. King through to ZZ Top with little detours calling in to visit Rory Gallagher, Cream, Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac and Free. We were treated to the best lick swapping I've heard since the Buffalos started up on B.B. King's 'The Thrill is Gone', a truly sublime performance between 2 guitarists with nothing to prove, but who had a genuine feel for the music they played. The whole band came across as a fully integrated unit doing what they loved and giving all they had, a contender for best gig of the year come Christmas."

How's that for an accolade?

If you've not seen the promo video yet, here's the link to fantastic footage that'll show you just how far the fabulous Boneshakers have come since the birth of this superb band just under eighteen months ago.  Astounding!

BONESHAKERS' PROMO VIDEO

http://youtu.be/517n9jtMnLg

...at the Riverside 2011

...at the Tyne Bar CD Launch 2011

 

A Christmas Cracker of a Boneshakin' Gig

The Tyne Bar was chock-a-block with festive Boneshakin' Boxing Day revellers dressed in Christmas glitz and glitter.

Full of turkey dinners and Christmas pud, the audience was filled to bursting with high spirits (mostly whiskey and brandy!) and ready for an afternoon of Boneshakin' Rock and Blues. And they got it. Oh yes they did!

What this audience got exactly, was a barrel full of glorious Christmas fun and brilliant entertainment from the Fab Four Boneshakers - Ronnie, Russ, Dave and Gordon.

Making a truly festive start to the first set, Russ Hird (lead guitar and vocals) set the stage alight with an Elvis Christmas rock number, 'Santa Claus is Back in Town', dressed in a Santa hat, black-as-silent-night sunglasses, a glittering gold tinsel garland and a scarlet shirt. Swaying in typical Elvis fashion, he roared and riffed his way through a medley of Christmas songs.

Russ

Gordon

Ronnie

 

Dave

After that, it was back to the blues for the Boneshakers - with the crowd yelling, hooting and whistling their appreciation of arguably the best blues band in the whole of the North East of England.  The Boneshakers devotees are growing into a sizeable bunch of fans who attend every Boneshaker gig.

And the Boneshakers gig a lot, being so very much in demand at the North East's pubs, clubs and festivals.


There were many, many musicians in the audience too.  And in typical Boneshakers' style of camerarderie, they invited Ron Seymour (guitarist and vocalist) of Lounge Lizards fame and Terry Armstrong (blues harp) up onto the stage.  Ronnie and Russ left the stage, leaving Dave Hildreth (bass guitar) and Gordon Smiles (Drums) to command the rhythm section during a great blues number, 'Need Your Love So Bad'.  It just shows you that Dave and Gordon have the outstanding versatility to play and jam with just about any musician out there.  Great stuff, you two!!  And great stuff Ron and Terry. What a treat.

Steve Brown (blues harp and avid Boneshakers' fan) was also in the audience on this Christmastime occasion.   He joined the band to go head to head with the amazing Ronnie Semple (Boneshakers' founder, leader and blues harp player) in a brilliant rendition of 'Help Me.'  He also took the stage with the Boneshakers to join in with the inimitable style of the Boneshakers in their take on 'Hip Shake' - now a Boneshaker fans' firm favourite.

In an encore that included 'Shake Your Money Maker', the crowd just couldn't get enough.  The Boneshakers would still be playing now if the fans had had their way!

The Boneshakers First Ever Gig at the Tyne Bar, Boxing Day 2010

During the superb gig at the Tyne Bar at Ouseburn, just beside the famous Ouseburn Lock, Fred Plater's staff were their usual helpful, friendly selves.  Gigs are always special at the Tyne bar for the Boneshakers.

It brings to mind the band's first ever gig, last Boxing Day at the Tyne Bar, when the Boneshakers were a newborn blues and rock band.  Nowadays, Fred Plater, the owner of the Tyne Bar, advertises the Boneshakers' as a showband.  And they deserve that accolade.

Happy New 2012, Boneshakers.  You've come a long way in 2011.  I wonder what this author/blogger will have to say about this superb band this time NEXT year!  It's a mind-blowing thought!

Boneshakers' Boxing Day Shindig You-Tube Links:

Jump Jive an' Wail – http://youtu.be/aeTL7aYCqOY

Rock around the Clock - http://youtu.be/4ZiXzlQgpd4

Santa Claus is Back in 'Toon'-  http://youtu.be/ttaoPLCcsf4

How Blue Can You Get? - http://youtu.be/m15IQ4QQqto