Gig Review
'Top' Topham & John Idan
Saturday,
19 September 2009:
A much-anticipated first visit by this band to Bluesnights' opening gig of the 2009/10 season. After a shaky previous Bluesnight's season due to the credit crunch, it was good to have a full house again with a fair sprinkling of newcomers in the enthusiastic audience. Featuring Tony 'Top' Topham, founder lead guitarist of The Yardbirds, one of Britain’s most innovative – and longest-running - RnB bands, with John Idan from Detroit, U.S.A. on guitar/vocals, Jim Mercer on stand-up bass and Ed Spevock on drums.
Being seasoned professionals, we were treated to a superb show of blues, rock and original rhythm and blues. Having known Top and John when they played at The Station Tavern in West London twenty years ago - a great venue devoted exclusively to blues – I knew we were in for a musical treat! They kicked off with an instrumental number that set the tone for the evening! Overall the band was very tight and the two guitarists swopped effortlessly between rhythm and lead. Elmore James's "Look Over Yonder Wall" was very well played and John's Les Paul Gibson sounded nicely mellow. Howling Wolf's "Howling For My Darling" was good driving RnB. Little Walter's "Boom Boom, Out Go The Lights" was excellent with great swinging rhythm! Jim took the vocals on Eddie Boyd's "Too Bad Blues" and to finish the set off we got a rocking medley of Bo Diddley starting with "Who Do You Love?" and "Pretty Thing" to mention a couple.
Note: Click thumbnail to view full artist image.
Photo credit: Paul Martin.
... continued
The second set started with Otis Rush's "Love That Woman" nice and slow, really superb. Freddie King's "I'm Tore Down" was good rocking RnB and Top and John's solos were excellent. One of my all time favourites, Otis Rush's "Keep Loving Me Baby" featured subtle guitar interplay, like a call and response flowing back and forth. A good mix of up-tempo and slow blues was the order of the night.
Tim Bradshaw's "Train Kept A Rolling" was a barnstorming boogie and for an encore (thoroughly deserved) Billy Boy Arnold's "I Wish You Would" which rocked the joint. Playing to a capacity house this band went down very, very well indeed! The Tony 'Top' Topham & John Idan Band put on a superb show! A good night was had by all!
Review by: Lewis A Harris.
© Bluesnights. The Dorset Blues Society.
19 September 2009.
