The Brothers Grimm

Live at The Unicorn Marden, Saturday 3rd November 2012

Well, that was an effin’ good night.

If that sounds a bit strong, it was the band itself (or rather the Big Gaffer) that set the tenor for the evening. I would quickly add that if that makes me sound a bit of an old fuddy-duddy in the face of a few expletives, then that is also not the case, the odd swear word was spoken in good humour and accepted in the manner intended.

This was a big band for the Unicorn, 7-piece and, in the Gaffer’s own words, some big lads to squeeze into a small area. Brothers Grimm were new to the Unicorn, but there were some familiar faces in their number. Leigh Highwood, who performed with his own band at the same venue a month before along with Gary Hobley on the bass guitar. Highwood, on this occasion took his place on keyboards. Joint vocalist with the Gaffer was Jim Riley, who has had an interesting career in the music business if you read his biography on the internet. Who is the Big Gaffer, sorry plenty of searching has failed to produce a name.

The Brothers Grimm are a parody of the Blues Brothers with their black suits and dark glasses but their music is a mixture of blues and rock and roll. Opening with Gimme Some Lovin’, the old Spencer Davis Group number, followed by a couple of their own songs. With the audience suitably warmed up, they launched in favourites I Got My Mojo Working and Wooly Bully and went into the interval with the place rocking to Johnny Be Good.

The second session began with the Blues Brothers’ Everybody Needs Somebody. When the Gaffer said their next song would be Country and Western, apart from surprise, I readied myself for a hoe-down. What followed was a very humorous version of the theme from Rawhide, very cleverly performed. A big finish was in order and rock and roll favourite Route 66 brought proceedings to a heady close.

I’m not sure how often these musicians get together as The Brothers Grimm because internet searches don’t throw up a great deal of information, but they were effin’ good.

Bitten By Monkeys

Live at The Unicorn Marden, Saturday 20th October 2012

Back in July I had my first look and listen to Bitten By Monkeys after being told of their previous successful sessions at The Unicorn. I wasn’t disappointed and now having seen them a second time I’m confident that every time they turn up in Marden, we can go and enjoy the evening as if it was the first time.

I don’t think the actual set changed that much, opening up with Free’s Wishing Well and going into the break with Springsteen’s Born to Run. Tina Turner’s Steamy Windows seems an odd choice for an all-male band, but it went down well and their rendition of the INXS number, Never Tear Us Apart (wonderfully covered by Paloma Faith recently) brought a change of pace and a sense of humour from the audience as the lighters were raised.

I like the way that the lead singer steps away from the stage (although it’s not exactly a stage!) during the instrumental sessions to allow the instrumentalists and the young drummer their moment in the spotlight, because he really is pretty good!

A rousing end to the evening was brought about with Robert Palmer’s Doctor, Doctor and, let’s face it, if you finish with the Beatles you ain’t going to leave folk disappointed. A Little Help From My Friends was exactly what Bitten By Monkeys got from their audience.