The Milk Men Live at the Tuesday Night Music Club

Review and Photos By Ken Jackson

Nominated for best Band ,Best Album,and Best Vocalist in 2024 in the UK Blues awards and finalists in the 2023 UK Blues challenge is a strong indication of how talented a band The Milk Men are. One of the finest Rocking Rhythm and Blues band on the scene today according to Blues in Britain Magazine and their success ,talent and popularity was evidenced at the Tuesday Night Music Club by the sold out signs going up a couple of weeks before they were due to play.

With 4 Albums a CD and a single already selling well ,tonight I am here to listen and purchase their latest album ‘Holy Cow ‘ The house light flashing indicate that it is time to take our seats whilst the background noise and chatter gradually subsided as Richard Dunning explained the ethos of the TNMC ,which in a nutshell means respecting the band and fellow audience members by not talking whilst the band were playing ,which is common sense really.

After a brief intro from Richard the Band members Jamie,Adam ,Lloyd and Mike made their way to the stage to the strains of ‘Ernie the fastest Milk men in the West’ and as you can tell from the Bands name and the title of all their albums ,this theme is woven into all their album and CD titles ,with Full Phat being their first followed by Gold Top ,Deliverance ,Spin the Bottle and their latest album Holy Cow. Kicking of their first set with ‘I can tell’ quickly followed by ‘Rag and Bone Lady’ and ‘The Operator’ from their Gold Top album.We were four songs in before we were treated to one of their fantastic new songs from their Holy Cow album.

We were in fact treated to to in excess of twelve songs from their collection of albums and also some popular and well performed covers in that first jam packed session and it was a very enthusiastic audience who cheered the end of that first set .

Unfortunately for me , during the interval the band announced that they had sold all available copies of the latest album but I was able to prepay and have a copy delivered. The Milk Mens second set was in retrospect much rockier and even more energetic than the first,kicking off with ‘Shoot the Lights’ from the Gold Top album,we were also treated to some beautifully performed and well known covers including two or three more songs s from what sounds to be an excellent new album. By now we were all on a high and loving the performance ,singing along at the top of our voices to the songs and the covers that we were most familiar with.

Their second set nearing completion ,the band had us rocking along to ‘She don’t like Rock and Roll’ and as the final notes died the audience rose and roared their appreciation with cries for an encore ,four exhausted but exhilarated musicians were happy to oblige and responded with a medley including ‘Summertime Blues’ and ‘Johnny b good’ before the audience once more rose in appreciation of their efforts . The Milkk Men deserve all of their accolades ,they are superb entertainers ,musicians and songwriters and I look forward to seeing them again very soon as they areperforming at Alfold in July . Thanks to Richard Dunning ,Ross Davey and co on the sound desk and all the great bar staff for helping to make the evening such a great success.