The Red Mist - like anyone actually cares…

This week is a hefty one for gigs, having kicked off on Saturday night, with an excellent show at the Buttermarket in Shrewsbury by Bellowhead. I knew absolutely zip about them before the show, but they are great fun. Hard to pigeon-hole them, but Irish folk music plays a big part, I suspect. With such an unusual line-up that employs 11 musicians (including a 4-piece brass section) on stage, playing everything from guitar, fiddle, tuba, cello, bagpipes and squeeze-box to the frying pan (I kid you not), they’ll always be hard to pin down. I videoed them and will put it up on YouTube soon, so you can judge for yourself.

Next up on Tuesday night is the Mick Fleetwood Blues Band in Liverpool. I’ve never really liked the Buckingham / Nicks version of F. Mac, always preferring the Peter Green band, and that’s the music that the MFBB will be concentrating on, I believe, so that should be excellent.

On Thursday night, it’s back to the ‘Pool to see Martha Wainwright, followed by Fleet Foxes in Birmingham on Friday. The Foxes are earning rave reviews, and what little I’ve heard of them so far is very promising and different, so I’m looking forward to that.

Saturday night sees Catfish Keith at a very small venue in Newport, Shropshire. Again, I know very little about him, except what I’ve seen on YouTube, but he does look interesting with a distintive blues guitar style.

I love these outings - there’s nothing like live music - but having no gigs next week may be a welcome respite! The next one is Tommy Emmanuel & Philip Catherine in Antwerp…