JUMPIN HOT CLUB REVUE TOUR 2024 …. Pics/Words Juan Fitzgerald (Part 1)
From loading the van precisely, so that the Double Bass does not move anywhere, & everything is stacked accordingly, to driving to the Travelodge accommodation after the gig, to tiredness & scheduling food stops before & after the soundcheck, then to parking and driving through strange cities, these logistic problems disappear when the musicians all come together and entertain. People start dancing to Martin Stephenson tunes, smiling from his jokes and getting in the groove with his music & classic songs such as “The Lilac Tree” & “ Little Red Bottle”: tunes that open up from nowhere with a Bo Diddley riff or two from guitarist Rupert Hughes or the young bluegrass duo Errant Moose playing an old timey tune like “Halleluiah’ or their brilliant folk cover of John Prine’s “Angel of Montgomery” and seem to get a little jig starting in the crowd. By contrast we have organiser Graham Shippy playing his gentle country tunes like “Hope Your Missing Me“ or “Lorraine” supported for this gig on D Bass by his old friend from long – gone local act Don Valley & The Rotherides in the intimate venue Cafe no9 in Sheffield with the tour encore “Southbound” having the whole revue up on stage including the rare sight of Shippy on Double Bass. Somewhere between the three acts , added in the following evening to the Revue, we have Rob Heron with his fast vintage country tunes such as “Holy Moly” and slower heartfelt crooners such as the brilliant “Three Button Suit” proclaiming that “this should get people slow dancing” & turning a London cafe into a border town Cantina. Welcome to The Jumpin Hot Club Revue Tour 2024.
Jumpin Hot Club friends from over the decades, showed up down south for this special one-off tour, like Rockabilly man John Lewis and also the early photographer Mike Chavez & the creative artist & illustrator Sarah Godsill. The audience all listen to the revue’s fun stories and even sang along ( At “ Cafe No 9 “ a generous version of “Will The Circle Be Unbroken was heard). Lots of friends and family turned up to join in the celebration from the very start of the tour, all the way through to the Claypath Deli at the very end . A very worthy well- attended showcase tour of roots music for the Geordie roots music institute that is the “Jumpin Hot Club” .
Indeed, their tunes covering a mix match of rootsy music styles & themes with Shipcote’s “Between The Ocean & Sea” a climate change reggae song and ‘Why Worry” a debt crisis country swing ditty but recognises the importance of being positive. Phoebe and Phillipa “Errant Mouse” provided top bluegrass & self- penned tunes & excellent harmonies on under my radar songs like “Sugar baby” & “The More You Try” & Martin Stephenson with Rupert Hughes covering spirituality and loss “Ballad of Joe McCue “ & family values “Home”. Rob Heron bought his own retro country tunes showcasing his new album and the title track, a drinking ditty “Feet First,” a mister lucky in love song “Blood in the Water” & old yodelling songs that won over every audience that he played them too. Rob’s yodelling at the Gosforth Civic Theatre & the Claypath Delicatessen Durham, were particular highlights.
Following the raucous dancing in the Bell Inn pub Bath on a Monday night, the journey took me back to Newcastle and the Gosforth Civic Theatre. Here before the gig, Philippa & Rupert lifted weights backstage for a laugh and had a kickabout at the back, while Martin chatted to Nev Clay & did his artwork to relax . This was quite an insight for me to the backstage experience. Nev joined Shippy on stage for the opening set & they did a great rendition of ” Aint Life Funny That Way” with lines such as “ the rich are getting richer the poor are staying poor “: Gosforth was sadly the last show for Errant Moose on the tour who were a breath of fresh air to everybody & a great success, and they played a great last set and joined in the grand finale “ Southbound”. Rob Heron mesmerised with his yodelling skills again , who knew you could hold a yodel for that long ???. Martin & Rupert had the audience held firming in their hands, the ultimate entertainers & highly skilled guitarists & musicians. Few can do what they do with ease & they always seem to be having so much fun doing it.
Finally the revue downsized at the Claypath Deli in Durham on Saturday night & tables had to be taken out the café. Martin & Rupert’s set was augmented by the classic Daintees tunes “Salutation Road” and “Orange”. For the “Southbound” finale encore ,all the musicians tried to get in my video for a giggle with the audience, Martin taking centre stage. A fitting humorous fun ending to the tour after another great night of music
