Review by Nigel Foster Photos By Ken Jackson
The Boneshakers all looked mighty fine in different shades of red, the colour associated with risk and danger and their set carried both!
Randy, Holly and Arthur took their positions and led into a bluesy and funky instrumental that then dropped into a heavy blues shuffle led by Randy’s hooked up clipped riffs and the sounds ushered Jenny to strut up to the stage seize the microphone and pulled the band into a fiery and funky Live To Be This. Synced up drum and bass fills boomed out, Randy carved out a snatched jagged riff and Jenny pulled out a punchy push and pull vocal.
Already The Boneshakers were white hot and on it and they got seriously funky on the pulsating double shot of Mr Alice Don’t Live Here Anymore and the aptly titled One Foot In The Groove, the latter being the output from Jenny and Randy first coming together to make music. Holly and Arthur locked in a deep dirty bass and drum beat, Randy carved out hard scorching riffs together with his snakeskin leather boot crushing the Wah Wah pedal and Jenny just threw out a defiant kiss off vocal.
The new album is a collection of raw stripped back semi acoustic numbers and that came alive here as the band joined together at the front of the stage. Arthur stepped from behind the drum kit and sat on the Cahon, Holly swapped her electric bass for a Ukekele bass and Randy swapped the Strat for an authentic Cigar Box guitar and when you pick up one of them you have to pull out the slide bottle, ‘it’s the law, Randy obeyed the law.
The quartet led off with the densely atmospheric Fire On The Bayou. Arthur picked up his shakers and his supple wrists enabled deft sounds to unfold that he gradually built by tapping the canon rhythmically that Holly matched. Randy slid in seamlessly with the metallic slide sounds and Jenny went deep rich and soulful with her vocal then being joined by the band for a gorgeous 4 part vocal harmony.
Comfortable set this way the band then dropped into some thick deep swamp blues that I instantly adored! The rhythm section pulsed low and deep, Randy drooped in the licks from his was Not Was Days while he and Jenny poured out a sultry heavy vocal.
The Boneshakers showcased the blues in all its shades and as their incendiary set climbed to a peak they shared some razor sharp SRV style Texan Blues.
Don’t Deny Me and How Do You Spell Love were the perfect vehicles for that fast and sharp playing style. Holly and Arthur hit a final fluid and fast groove, Randy lacerated the strings of the Strat and Jenny was every inch the badass vocal siren and she pulled us in on the latter to rake this astounding evening home.
Everyone got to their feet and stayed there at Arthur’s command as the band broke curfew and gave us a furious pedal to the metal rock out as encore.
It is clear British audiences love these two bands, we have taken them to our hearts and both bands clearly feel, love and thrive on that and they have almost become adopted Brits. They are welcome here anytime and both are already returning in 2027, thankfully.
Yet another “I was there’ night at the hotbed of music that is The Tuesday Night Music Club. Some on their way out we’re already saying; ‘gig of the year.’ Honestly it is hard argue against that!
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