The Alex Hamilton Band – Oast House, Rainham

Review and photos by Jess Bea

Rockinroots brought the very talented Alex Hamilton Band to the Oast House in Rainham this past Friday, and what a night it turned out to be. There are some venues where live music just seems to work, and the Oast House is certainly one of them. Small, intimate and packed with character, it might not be the biggest room around, but when you put a proper rock and blues band on that stage, it really does pack a punch.

The Scottish trio, led by Alex Hamilton on guitar and vocals, delivered a set full of energy, personality and some seriously impressive musicianship. Joining Alex were Nick Hamilton on bass, who also happens to be Alex’s dad, and Ian Beestin on drums, who jokingly introduced himself to the crowd as Alex’s “other dad”. That little bit of humour immediately set the tone for the evening, with the band showing from the start that this was going to be about having a great time as much as playing great music.

And there was plenty of great music.

Alex has one of those voices that demands attention. Big, booming and full of character, his vocals filled the room without ever feeling forced. Add in some seriously tasty guitar work and you have a frontman who can command a stage, even when that stage is only a few feet away from the audience.

For the blues fans in the room, there was plenty to get stuck into, while the rockier moments gave the whole set an extra kick. Alex’s guitar playing was particularly impressive, moving effortlessly between bluesy phrasing and harder-edged rock riffs. It was the sort of playing that makes you look up from your drink and think, “Hang on, this guy is seriously good.”

But what really worked was the connection between the band and the audience.

Because of the size of the Oast House, there was no barrier between performer and crowd. You weren’t watching the Alex Hamilton Band from a distance; you were right there with them. You could see the interaction between the three musicians, hear the little comments between songs and feel the energy building around the room.

At one point, Alex even had everyone baa-ing like sheep halfway through one of the songs. Yes, you read that correctly! And somehow it worked brilliantly. The whole room got involved, producing one of those wonderfully silly live music moments that you simply cannot manufacture. It got everyone laughing, loosened up the crowd even further and showed exactly what kind of performer Alex is.

This isn’t a band that simply stands on stage and plays through a set before saying goodnight.

They bring you into it.

There is a real sense that Alex, Nick and Ian genuinely enjoy being up there together, and that enthusiasm is infectious. You can see the chemistry between them, and the fact that Nick is Alex’s dad only adds another layer to the story. The three of them have clearly spent plenty of time playing together, because musically they are a tight unit.

You would be forgiven for expecting a three-piece to produce a relatively stripped-back sound, but that certainly wasn’t the case here. Nick’s bass and Ian’s drumming provide a solid foundation for Alex to work from, allowing him the freedom to let the guitar really breathe. The result is a sound that feels considerably bigger than the number of musicians standing on stage.

It is also easy to understand why Alex won the Scottish New Music Award at just 18 years old. There is serious talent here, but what makes it even more interesting is the personality that comes with it. Alex has that cheeky-chappy Scottish character that immediately wins people over, and he doesn’t take himself too seriously. That balance between musicianship and fun is a big part of what makes the band so enjoyable live.

Watching him switch from the banter and laughs with the audience into a full-on guitar moment is something else. One minute he’s chatting away with the crowd, the next he’s letting the guitar do the talking and practically trying to riff the roof off the Oast House.

And Nick and Ian deserve plenty of credit too. They aren’t simply there to provide backing; they are an important part of the band’s identity and sound. Together, the three create something that feels honest, lively and completely at home in a venue like this.

For me, that’s what small-venue live music should be about.

You get close to the band, you hear the music without the huge production surrounding it, you get the jokes and the interaction, and you leave feeling like you’ve actually discovered something rather than simply watched another gig.

The Alex Hamilton Band delivered exactly that.

If you get the opportunity to catch these guys in a small venue, take it. Expect great musicianship, plenty of personality, cracking rock and blues, a few laughs along the way and a band that clearly loves getting out there and playing.

The Oast House might be intimate, but on this night the Alex Hamilton Band made it feel anything but small.

Definitely a band worth catching live!