Starr Special Events proved that if you get the line-up right you’ll always fill a venue, as The Charles Hotel hosted Winter Rhythm & Blues featuring Blue Shaddy, Dave Hole & Russell Morris. I hadn’t realised that two more acts had been added to the bill in the form of Kat Wilson and Groovetone so sadly I missed them but by all accounts both acts set the night off on the right foot and put in solid sets.
I hadn’t seen Blue Shaddy before but had heard great things and tonight I certainly wasn’t disappointed. The four-piece rocking-blues band from Kellerberrin out in the wheatbelt, filled the dance floor immediately with their infectious foot tapping boogie-blues music. Outstanding harmonica work throughout from Belly McClelland (even after we were told of the AAA hangover he had) gives this genre of music such an amazing dimension. Jim (guitar/vocals) & Sandra (bass) were joined by drummer Dean Wuksta and between the four of them they created an incredible energy that would kick off any party night. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for Blue Shaddy again – thoroughly enjoyable set.
SET LIST: Never going home, So Long, Burnside, Moonshine, Packed Nose, Train Station, There’s a Man.
I was lucky to see Russell Morris at his Freo.Social gig a couple of months ago when he was in town promoting his wonderful new album ‘Black & Blue Heart’ and I was so impressed with his set that night, that I had to come back & hear him again. Morris has transformed himself yet again, moving on from his previous highly acclaimed blues albums to release a real rock n’ roll album, which was produced by Powderfinger’s Bernard Fanning & American producer Nick DiDia, who has worked with the likes of Bruce Springsteen & Pearl Jam to name but a few.
The set was littered with plenty from this new release with ‘Ain’t No Angel’, ‘Sitting Pretty’ & ‘Is There Anybody Out There’ being three of the first four songs that opened the set, before we were treated to a varied collection from throughout Morris’s career. Between songs Russell’s humour shone through as he chatted to the encapsulated audience before visiting his acclaimed ‘Sharkmouth’ album to play ‘Black Dog Blues’, ‘Walk my Blues’ & ‘Money Don’t Grow on Trees’. 2007’s Fundamentalist was our next source of enjoyment with Morris playing Dylan’s ‘It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue’, ‘Wings of an Eagle’ & ‘Sweet, Sweet Love’ before returning to his latest work with ‘See You Go’, ‘Full Moon’, ‘Asleep at the Wheel’, ‘Fat Man & The Priest’ and ‘Not My Lucky Day’. The set was completed with ‘Hush’ and a wonderful rendition of ‘The Real Thing’.
SET LIST: Ain’t No Angel, Sitting Pretty, It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue, Is There Anybody Out There, Walk My Blues, See You Go, Wings Of An Eagle, Black Dog Blues, Full Moon, Asleep At The Wheel, Sweet Sweet Love, Fat Man & The Priest, Money Don’t Grow On Trees, Not My Lucky Day, Hush, The Real Thing
The night was finished off by Perth slide-blues legend Dave Hole, who once again showed that he has no desire to hang up his guitar anytime soon, as he fired off some incredible songs from his back catalogue of fine work. Opening his frantic & energy filled set with K.C Douglas’s ‘Mercury Blues’, Hole blasted his way through some classics, highlighting his incredible slide skills as his visited his 1990 album ‘Short Fuse Blues’ to play the title track, as well as ‘The Bottle’. ‘How Long’ & ‘Demolition Man’ had the audience enthralled as Hole teased & tinkered to produce some amazing solos from his guitar once again.
Dave Hole’s popularity has never waned and with him not playing as many live as he did in the past none of the crowd dared leave, as they all knew they were witness to something a bit special once again tonight. Hole closed with a rousing rendition of ‘Shake Your Money Maker’ from his latest album ‘Goin’ Back Down’ before receiving a standing ovation from the Charles Hotel faithful.
SET LIST: Mercury Blues, The Bottle, How Long, Short Fuse Blues, Crossroads, Keep Your Motor Running, Going Down, Demolition Man, Shake Your Money Maker
PHOTO GALLERY
Photos by Linda Dunjey Photography
Groovetone, Kat Wilson, Blue Shaddy
Russell Morris
Dave Hole
