My first 45's gig - have a feeling it won't be the last!
The Ainsworth Arms sits right at the top end of Halliwell Road in Bolton at the junction with Moss Bank Way.It's a pub I used to frequent quite a lot in the mid/late 90's having lived in the area at the time , and is one of those pubs you would never imagine would put live bands on - it always seemed to have a middle class and somewhat cliquey atmosphere that somehow just didn't suit live bands.
My visit last night was only the second time I've been in the pub since those days,the first time being a few months back to watch Idle Promise who'd brought a sizeable portion of Beaumont Arms regulars with them!
We arrived at around 9:00pm and , although there were a fair few punters outside ( the front door area doubles as the smoking area), it was very quiet inside. No reflection on the band , this was after all a cancellation gig they'd picked up at just a couple of days notice.
The pub itself divides into two distinct areas. Once through the front door you're into the main room with the bar on the left, the band however are set up at the rear of the pub in a raised area which is almost cordonned off and not very visible from the rest of the pub which isn't ideal as there's not a lot of room for punters to gather to watch the bands.
I'd not seen the band live before last night though had had the pleasure of meeting them and listening to them as they often rehearse at The Gatehouse which is run by Lee from U.S.Mail. They kicked off the first spot with 'Can't Get Enough Of Your Love' quickly followed Tush and then I think an AC/DC number I wasn't familiar with. The sound was well balanced and Nikki on vocals has a wonderful , friendly rapport with the audience which really adds to the ambience. If I'd had any doubts about this band before seeing them live it was that they'd got a lady vocalist singing a lot of male voiced rock classics - but it does work very well and especially when Terry and Luke add backing vocals to the mix ( Boston's 'More Than A Feeling' being a great example).
Of course the set comprises much more variety than just the old rock classics! Nikki really shone on the Cranberries 'Zombie' and their version of Razorlight's 'America' was bang on. We also got soul classics 'Hard To Handle' (great intro guys!) and 'Superstiition' with Luke handling all the brass and keyboard parts on guitar! Also worthy of note was a great Blondie medley and a version of 'Under Pressure' with Terry handling the Bowie vocal with ease.
Luke too had his turn in the spotlight with Greenday's 'When Tomorrow Comes' and proved to be a great player throughout the gig and carried off a Hendrix medley (Purple Haze/Hey Joe ) tastefully.
The pub had filled up somewhat by the set break and the band played a couple of well deserved encores 'All Right Now' and 'Sex On Fire'. We wanted more!
For a Bolton band the 45's don't play that often in the town , well not til now - I believe there are more gigs lined up for the Ainsworth Arms and deservedly so!
Oh - and Rik - you were bloody good too! LOL!