Monday 5th May 2014
Joe Buck at The Musician
Supporting the American singer at The Musician tonight were the Leicester blues band The Bobcats.∏
On stage first, one of Leicester’s finest blues bands, The Bobcats. This is a band that is driven by a real desire to be the best at what they do. The Bobcat’s first song was, by any stretch of the imagination, a piece of musical artistry – virtuoso guitar work, vocals like no other, a chemistry between the three musicians that really works and the ability to come come up with new songs on a regular basis.
These guys know how to play the blues. Tonight they performed a new song of their own – Whole lot of crazy. Some might think that blues can be ponderous, which is why I was surprised when, at Bobcat’s gigs, people often get up and start dancing. Singer Stu Crown said “we have done a lot of work on this set and now we have got it nailed down.” I certainly agree with him on that. It was superbly good music.
Follow The Bobcats on their Facebook page.
Preacher & The Bear is a band that I have followed for a long time.
I have seen them many times before at venues and festivals. They are a trio – Preacher is the one on the keyboard. The Bear is the one who sings and plays the guitar. This group is different. They are very unusual. Their music is a kind of jazzy, bluesy, rocky cocktail of musical styles.
It’s nothing like what The Bobcats do – it’s like the blues gone mad. Their stage performance is highly entertaining, a bit crazy, sometimes over-the-top but always impressive. It’s seriously clever music played with a delicious dollop of humour.
Weird but wonderful. They sound a whole lot better through the lens of a few beers.
Follow Preacher & The Bear on Facebook
It’s been 34 years since Joe Buck was here last. “Looking around the walls” (of The Musician), “I can see all my friends”, the singer said, casting his eyes over the many photos of the artists that have played at this illustrious venue over the years. Joe Buck sits on the stage playing his acoustic guitar and using his guitar-case as a drum via a bespoke mechanism worked with his foot. His set had vibrancy and he has presence.
The punk and rock musician from Kentucky sang some his classic number, such as Tango of Death, My Bucket’s got a hole in, and many more that his followers clearly know well.
Even on this wet bank holiday Monday, his appearance in Leicester had attracted a number of fans, who supported his performance by cheering and clapping enthusiastically or just just enthralled with what they were hearing.
Follow Joe Buck via his website
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