Louis Crosland

On a rainy night in Graz

bruceonthefringe 2026, Bands, Edinburgh bands, Music Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Hello you! I know, it’s been a while since my last post but I do have an excuse for May and hey, five posts in April up to that point, a blooming record for me outside of Fringe! The excuse? I’ll get back to that, for now a quick trawl through the last third of April…

I hinted at the end of my last post that Louis Crosland may play guitar alongside blues harmonica player Giles Robson again sometime; it’s definitely happening, folks! That’s through August (and into September, I think), so fairly extensive through the UK. Hmmm, if it ends anywhere northish I may have to go, that should, will, be pretty damned awesome. That’s if the tour does go through to September, I have priorities, you know.

He may not be around Edinburgh in August, but July sees Louis’s debut at the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival where his Trio will be playing as one of three bands at a Blues Afternoon in the George Square Spiegeltent. Yes, a whole afternoon of blues (I think they have them each weekend of the Festival), you can catch the Louis Crosland Trio on Sunday 19th July. [Quick edit, there’s also a gig 12th June at Pilgrim in Newcastle]

That will probably (or possibly, you can never quite tell with musicians) the last time the Trio as it is, play together. Louis is planning on taking stock of things, a good time to, what with being away awhile with Robson. It will fun speculating what the new autumn season outfit will be. The final Whistlebinkies gig was great, a very lively crowd, cracking tunes and I love that of late Rob Henderson‘s bass line has been up in the mix, Max was on fine form on drums too. A decent finale for Binkies.

I said final gig, so was surprised when it was on Instagram that Louis was playing Binkies, huh?! Definitely wasn’t scheduled (mind, it was Binkies), ah, a last minute call up. Last minute, so it was a trio but for all the combinations I’ve seen, this was new. It may have been, who the hell is available now? The universal forces played ball, and how, it worked well, better than well, for a first time? it was ridiculously fine; and they weren’t done after Binkies, immediately packing up double quick to play at the Jazz Bar straight afterwards! Of course I went along! Already, just a second time round things were gelling nicely. Will this be a one night only (both musicians are usually very busy), certainly the three played together and Louis was clearly enjoying himself. It will certainly have added another dollop to the mulling mix; this cake could be sublime.

I could finish this post here, but as I’ve just poured myself another glass of a rather nice grüner veitliner, I shall continue…

Last post Carl Marah was about to take part in the semi-final of Mam Talent! this time taking a band with him. He didn’t make it through to the final, but no matter, it was a great experience and will have definitely opened up new avenues for him; and he used the opportunity to play his newly released single (just the day before, nicely done) You’re Always Right. The video is also out with Carl not only wearing his love for the Beatles on his sleeve, it’s more like an arm tattoo (done with such charm and gentle grace, tis a wonderful thing).

The Edinburgh launch of the new EP had been announced before, but now all the dates for the EP tour have been announced, which is how I came to be tapping this out on my phone in Austria. The first gig is Tuesday 19th at The Finsbury in London, aha. I’ve been meaning to get round to using an Interrail Pass that I bought end of last August when there was a discount, meaning to, but never quite succeeding; Carl’s London gig gave me an anchor point, yay. I’ll be on a Eurostar back to London on the Monday afternoon, Carl on Tuesday evening, next day a train back to Edinburgh in nice time for two Logan’s Close gigs, how excellent is that?!!

My glass is just about empty, time to sleep. Next time, probably a postcard or two.

Auf wiedersehen, meine Freunde!

A week later I did it again, yay

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Just how good would the later shows be? I pondered in my last post. Well, dear reader, the gods smiled down, and despite my lack of attempts to get any semblance of an act together, Tuesday early evening I found myself in Inverness, having a scrummy meal before getting up close with the Blues again! Yes, I got to see Louis Crosland playing guitar for blues harmonica player Giles Robson a second time, at the Castle Tavern in Inverness, yay! It was the sixth of eight shows, the last one is tonight in Dumfries.

Aha, checking back to last year, there’s only the vaguest mention of my roadtrip last July, that’s when I first discovered the Castle Tavern, a great wee pub serving a fine selection of ales and very tasty grub. This year’s visit was even better with added blues! To be honest, I couldn’t quite fathom where the gig would happen, ha, in the restaurant space upstairs, they close it for the evening, just serving food in the pub and outside seated area. Still, not a large area, so indeed, the show title Up Close With The Blues could not have been truer.

Perspective! the bowl was bigger!

There was no room to eat inside when I wandered in after six, so I chanced a table just outwith the covered area, only a few spots of rain to perturb me but nothing really. As I hadn’t eaten much through the day, a hearty dish of macaroni cheese (with haggis for an extra £1) with salad and garlic bread seemed a sensible plan, accompanied by a pint of Happy Chappy (to match my cheeriness). I’m not usually a mac’n’cheese kinda moose, but this was seriously tasty and a perfect amount, I was nicely set for more ale, just steady halves, I was being sensible; also, I wasn’t about to miss any of the music having to nip away to the loo.

Seven o’clock, folk started heading up, the show started at eight. Most were able to sit, but a few stood at the bar, mind, they all looked like the types that would have stood, even if there’d been enough seats! So, shortly after eight, two chaps sat in the corner of a pub restaurant and gave the gathered, over two hours of sweet blues bliss (oh, there was a break for more beer). Starting off with the upbeat GR Shuffle, then moving on to the slower swagger of Your Dirty Look and Your Sneaky Grin, a marvellous title! (there’s a performance of this song at Robson’s Fringe show in 2024 on YouTube). It was all bloody brilliant, Where You Been possibly my favourite from the first set; mind, My Babe, what a wowser to finish it with!

the blues up close, no fancy frills required

Town to Town kicked off the second set, wow, like the first half was just a warm-up! Key To The Highway was an utter joy, every next tune had its own brilliance. I’d said in my last post that hearing Louis’ playing the week before blew me away, now five shows on, there was a clear connection between the two musicians; it was so good to catch a later show, to see a subtly more self-assured Louis shine, giving a relaxed, eloquent performance alongside the great Giles Robson. The first encore, an improvisation in the key of G, oh my heartses, sublime! Blow Wind Blow ended a wonderful evening, a big fuzzy hug for the soul kind of evening. Soooo happy to have been there!

Mind, if you’re thinking, that all sounds like something you’d like too. Well, tonight’s Dumfries show may not be the last time that Louis plays blues guitar for Giles Robson ….

Toodle pip!

A spot of blues in Glasgow

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Ever heard of a spider steak? Me neither until today. I saw one as I was glancing through the meats on Brewsters stall at the Farmers Market; not too big, reasonably priced, lots of marbling through it, worth a shot I reckoned. I’ll let you know how I get on with it. Oh, and yay, Thistle and Churn are now back at the market every week, best ice cream around! Today I got a cranachan cone (always a cone, again, best cones around if not ever).

So anyway, I may not have made it over to Glasgow to see the Close, but I did go over on Tuesday to see Louis Crosland play acoustic blues guitar alongside Giles Robson, a blues harmonica virtuoso (and a great singer too). For one, I’ve only seen Louis in pub musician settings so I was very intrigued to hear him really play (you get what I mean, yeah?), and Glasgow, because I faffed too long and the Edinburgh gig got sold out. I’d heard of McChuills where it was happening but never been, so another Glasgow music venue ticked off. It’s easy walking distance from the bus station, a tasty Joker IPA on tap, quite a nice place in all (and there’s a pool table); the venue room is just off the bar, it’s long but not particularly wide, a nice cosy space for an intimate performance.

The show started at eight, no support, just two long sets finishing around half ten, we definitely got our moneys worth! It was Louis’s first night playing with Giles Robson, first of eight gigs around Scotland (by now it’s five down, three to go next week). Well, wow, that first one was bloody excellent, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Besides playing harmonica and singing, Robson is a wonderful, engaging raconteur, so much fascinating blues detail and history (I wish I had the sort of brain that could remember it all!); great patter leading into each piece and cajoling the audience to sing.

Oh, the music? Oh, hell yes, wonderful. A few songs I knew (like My Babe and Key To The Highway) some rang vague bells, whatever, it was brilliant from beginning to end, and Louis? Wow, as I said before I’ve seen him playing in bars, solo and with bands, but this was almost like I was seeing him for the first time, just wow. I now so wish I’d got around to buying a ticket for Edinburgh too, I mean, if that was the first time they’d played together, jeez louise, how good must the later shows be?!? And when Robson would indicate to Louis to bring the guitar right down, oh, the clarity and delicacy of the notes, ooch.

The, ahem, final tune was Shake, Rattle and Roll, no cajoling needed there for a little audience participation. Call me biased, but I’d like to think the Edinburgh crowd outsang the Glasgow audience! The encore was How’d You Learn To Shake It Like That, sir, I was born shaking like that, especially when the music is that good 💛

Waving bye, bye, baby, goodbye

It’s now very, very late, I must away to sleep. In the morning I’ll add more bits on Instagram, and if you’re very lucky, maybe more from the Cinelli Brothers gig.

Thistle & Churn’s Cranachan cone

Some blues with jam and curry

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It hadn’t been particularly busy in the Jazz Bar, just nice numbers. Of course, the house band and Louis Crosland were already playing when I got there (I should allow an extra ten minutes into my plans). I find it interesting watching musicians’ playing and interactions outwith their usual; the looks and nods to each other are much more noticeable. It’s like I’m seeing the cogs and wheels connecting inside a musical box (just go with me and my whimsy).

Plenty of the set was tunes that Louis plays with his band, what with them generally being bluesy standards. I was a bit surprised when they played Miss You but it worked well enough (see, case in point, how musicians create structure together) albeit back-to-basics, it had a groove. Hey Joe was pretty fine way to round off Louis’s first stint on stage. After a long break, the house band were back on, with Louis, to kick off the jam part of the evening. I was hungry (I said in my last post that I was going to eat before heading to the Jazz Bar but there wasn’t time to have anything substantial), so after watching the next two assortment of players I ducked out and headed to the Mosque Kitchen (open until ten, yay).

Satiated from a plate of chicken curry and rice, I was ready for more beer and blues. The blues jam was still going when I got back, it was okay, there was no one who made me prick up my ears, but that’s just the luck of how these things go. Eleven o’clock and Louis was back on stage again with his own band, and a few tasty new originals in the set, nice. Naturally we got Miss You for a second, rather zupped up time, yeah, quite a lot of the set seemed overpaced, was it just from being after the slightly pedestrian jam?! There was obviously some thought given to an extra final number – they’d gotten through the planned setlist too soon. I know bands have off nights, yeah, it happens to the best, and the set wasn’t exactly bad, just not up to the standard I’ve come to expect. Hey, I care, bite me!

I was finishing off my drink in the Jazz Bar when an American tourist asked me if the live music was over for the night, he’d only caught the final two numbers, yup, sorry man, but I can direct you to more live music if you’re not fussed what it’s like. So I gave him directions to Whistlebinkies and Stramash too, but wasn’t that a much longer walk? (he’d been there much earlier and had obviously wandered around enough afterwards to make it seem a distance away!) Was I myself going to either? Nooo, I didn’t know who was playing but it wouldn’t anyone I wanted to see or I’d be there. Not to say he and his friend wouldn’t enjoy the music, if they were staying out; always the encouraging tourist guide, me. I was ready to head home anyway, so I wished them well and toddled off into the night.

It’s late, again!! Tomorrow will be another very late night, I’ll away to my bed. Next time, the other LC, Logan’s Close and news on Mr Marah’s solo shenanigans. Sweet dreams!

Blossom ‘n’ Blues

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Yay! The tree in Gullan’s Close is back in bloom, beautiful as always. Had a wander past in today while the sun was out, almost springlike. The temperature is forecast to drop to -1° tonight, just to catch out those fooled by the sunshine, jackets will be required. I’ll be toddling up to the Jazz Bar to catch Louis Crosland, he’s the featured musician at tonight’s Blues at the Jazz Bar, a monthly do to showcase Edinburgh’s Blues scene.

Louis will be on stage at seven for an hours set, then there’s an Open Blues Jam until eleven when Louis returns plus the other two of the Trio to play the night out. Should be fun! I’ve only seen him at the Jazz Bar once before a while ago, it was after midnight, I seem to recall it was one of those bit odd nights, the feeling just wasn’t quite right, know what I mean? Ah, haha, yes, I’ve just remembered more about that evening, no, I’m not going to share.

After this evening, he’s next back playing with the Moanin’ Bones at Whistlebinkies on Saturday at seven, and then the following Saturday at midnight. That’s after supporting the Cinelli Brothers at the Voodoo Rooms, should be another great evening of blues, I have my ticket! Louis’s also supporting Giles Robson on the Scottish part of his UK tour (and playing guitar for him), eight dates from the 7th through to the 18th April, with a Louis Crosland Trio date at Stramash slipped in halfway. I’ve seen that the Inverness gig is at the Castle Tavern (14th April), a cracking pub I discovered when I was up there last year, and the food was divine. I’m almost tempted to pay Inverness another visit!!

After that busyness there’s two more midnight appearances for the Trio at Whistlebinkies in April. I know all this because the dear boy put up a list of his gigs up until the end of April, on Instagram, very handy to know. Of course, there may well be additions towards the end of April, as is often the way of things. I do know Louis is stepping into the studio in May to get some of his new material recorded (apparently twenty new songs to date), nice!

Anyhoo, I need to eat if I’m going to be in the Jazz Bar ’til the small hours. Toodle pip!

Of course, I had a photo took, duh

What’s ahead this weekend?

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It’s Friday late afternoon, another weekend of excellent sounds and a little rugby looms. Kicking off with tonight’s 7pm slot at Stramash is Louis Crosland plus trio, yes, the keyboards are back! I’m looking forward to that (not that I don’t always enjoy the band! but, you know). Louis plus two will also be rounding off the weekend in the midnight slot in Whistlebinkies; and in-between, he’s playing there at midnight on Saturday with the Moanin’ Bones. Busy guy!

Tomorrow afternoon sees Jed Potts and Nicole Smit and their assortment of blues, country, jazz, rock’n’roll numbers in Whistlebinkies. A delicious pick’n’mix of music genres, you never know what’s coming next but you do know it’ll be something great. Yeah, definitely Jed and Nicole over the first Six Nations game (England v Ireland), the later game is Scotland v Wales, much more interesting! Can Scotland play like they did last weekend?!

Last weekend Edinburgh went nuts after Scotland soundly beat England, and as Stramash shows the rugby there was a buoyed up crowd ready and waiting for the Moanin’ Bones. Bloody excellent it was to see them again!! The usual bag of great covers with the occasional original thrown in. And we’ll do it all again tomorrow night, yay. Thank goodness the matches alternate, so Scotland are away in Cardiff this time (though it’s always fun when the Welsh are up), town won’t be quite as mental. I say, not quite, but there’s still many, many out to watch in the pubs, it’s tradition!

I’d thought after the Saturday night madness, that Binkies wouldn’t be so busy last Sunday midnight for the Scat Rats, it wasn’t, but the ones that did come out were loons. Honestly, it was one of those times, like a very strange Fringe show when I haven’t a clue what’s happening or why, or is there nothing to comprehend, I’m meant to just appreciate the oddliness?! I ended up surmising that Valentine’s Day had been a disappointment, so each was out determined to finish the weekend, erm, with a bang?!

Oops, time to eat before heading oot. Enjoy your weekend, folks. Toodle pip!

A wee catch-up … and more

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It’s the Sunday evening before Christmas, thought I’d tap out a quick update before I head off to see Fackham Hall, and joys, the Louis Crosland Trio are playing Whistlebinkies at midnight (one can never too sure too soon). My Christmas week starts tonight!

A bit of a departure on my advent calendar today, I reposted a montage of ice creams from Thistle & Churn, well, the track with it was Ice Cream Man by Tom Waits, a classic in my book, and so are their ice creams. Oh, and I have three precious tubs from T&C in my freezer! Two of Caledonia Cream and one of Clootie Dumpling, they should see me into the new year, yeah, should.

It was my first time back in the reopened Filmhouse to see Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Mind, I’m still a little confused about the scene that was meant to explain what happened in the wood, nah, kept running it through my head. Help, someone. Even better for me was The Running Man, and I went in not sure about it, but yay, Edgar Wright wove his magic again. Had a wee inward cheer to myself, when I spotted Rich Hall in a brief scene, nice one.

On a much smaller screen, Carl Marah has a video on his YouTube channel to go with his latest song Cold Cold Christmas, do give it a watch. Mind, if you want to just listen to it, I wouldn’t bother asking your smart speaker! Certainly Alexa refuses to understand the name Carl Marah, stupid, stupid !!#*?!! I was round at a friend’s, it just confirmed to me why I’ll never bother getting one.

Tonight will be the second time this week seeing Louis Crosland as I caught the band in Stramash on Thursday evening, but it wasn’t a trio, oh no, added keyboards. I did wonder beforehand, but any doubts were quickly dispelled, a part of the puzzle that we hadn’t even realised was missing. A perfect fit for Louis’ sound, especially his own songs; sadly, it was only for the one evening so far, but hopefully, he’ll be back, that’s Guilhem Forey.

With more originals on the setlist some of the usual had to go, so not much Dylan except, of course, Knocking on Heaven’s Door, Louis’s all time favourite song. I’ve heard the band play Louis’s My Kind of Heaven a few times, but it was a first outing for Losing Game, apparently voted into the set by the rest of the band, they all really like playing it. Yeah, I could tell you the names of the other two new originals, but I wasn’t taking notes, just enjoying being in the zone. Like I’ve already said, the keyboards slotted in so sweetly, the bass vibe was brilliant as ever, thanks to Rob Henderson; I’ll leave that there, just add a few pics for you.

Blimey Charlie, time I shifted! More very soon. Toodle pip!

I’m beginning to feel christmassy

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It’s late on a Tuesday evening, not one of those Tuesdays, last Tuesday was meant to be, but it didn’t happen as Mr Rough was unwell, the next of those Tuesdays isn’t ’til the 30th, boo; but the Scat Rats are playing Stramash at the more reasonable time of 9.30pm on Tuesday 23rd, yay. The night before, Marah and Rough will be in Glasgow with the rest of Logan’s Close at the Hug and Pint for the band’s annual Christmas bash; I’ll be there too, of course. Just one downer (apart it being in Glasgow), sadly it’s the same night as Blue Christmas 2025, a wonderful evening of blues, r’n’b and rock’n’roll festive tunes performed by Jed Potts (curator of the event) and a bunch of his friends (honestly, the amount of talent in that one room, wow, only for LC will I miss it). It’s like a warm fuzzy hug of Christmas cheer (and it’s happening at La Belle Angele off the Cowgate, Monday 22nd).

Aw sweet, the night before again (so that’s Sunday 21st), the Louis Crosland Trio are on the midnight slot at Whistlebinkies, well, that’s what the poster says. Oh, but that would be a great three night run of great music, please Binkies, don’t screw it up! At least I know they’re definitely playing Stramash on the 18th, but not as a trio, no, there’s gonna be keyboards too! I’m looking forward to it, I’m intrigued. Up until then things are a tad quieter, no bad thing, I’m recovering from a bad cold and there’s a number of films I want to see. Oh, I may wander into Binkies on Saturday afternoon for Louis Crosland solo; I wonder if there’ll be any Bob Dylan covers. Instagram says the Moanin’ Bones are playing there this Sunday midnight, go on, I’ll believe them.

There’s four films that I want to catch before they disappear from the big screen, The Running Man is a definite, being Edgar Wright’s latest, well, I’ve loved everything else he’s done. It could be good, it could be awful, but I’m willing to give Fackham Hall a shot. The cast looks fun, but will it be funny or a tad cringey? Would I go see it if I didn’t have an Unlimited card? Probably not. Another that I’ll see just because I can is Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, I enjoyed the previous films, how will this one measure up? Annoyingly, Benoit Blanc’s latest investigation, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is not on at Cineworld (I’m so not impressed), but it’s still a definite for me. There’s a second Five Nights at Freddy’s coming out on Friday, the first was okay, I thought about it but then I looked it up on Rotten Tomatoes, hmmm, don’t think I’ll bother. Fitting the four in will be interesting enough.

In other pre-christmas news, I’ve finally made jam from this year’s harvest of park brambles, my fridge freezer needed defrosting so it made sense. There’s also new batch of bramble wine just started fermenting! That made sense too. I’m a tad nervous about the jam but my previous attempts have always been well received, so hopefully this lot will be just as delicious. It’s the frozen plate test bit that never works for me, but afterwards the jam sets perfectly well anyway!?

I’m doing another Advent Calendar of music from the last year on Instagram, it’s fun going back over stuff, picking out what to include has been fine so far but I know it’s gonna get harder, too many to choose from, too few days! Haha, I just can’t help going in deep with my silly notions. They’re all still available to view in my highlights, including a clip of Carl Marah singing his new Christmas tune at the Auld Hundred last week! I’m looking forward to hearing it in all it’s full glory!

Anyhoo, it’s very late, I must away to my bed. I’ll leave you with a pic….

My box of jars is now somewhat depleted

Sounds and visions and pies

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Last time I wrote I was on a bus down to Newcastle, well, ultimately Gateshead to see Carl Marah doing his solo thing at Station East, the lad did not disappoint, and neither did the pub! Station East is only just on the other side of the Tyne, and definitely worth a wander over. It’s a smashing pub, the bar staff were great, plenty of beers and ciders, and a fridge full of pies!! Okay, it being a Sunday the fridge wasn’t full but there was still plenty of choice. A couple of hours in, I refuelled myself with an Aberdeen Angus Steak Mince & Onion pie, oh my lord! It was sooo good. I had fancied a Mexicana but was warned that it was quite spicy, yeah, no.

Local musician AJ.Potter (he played support when Carl was last down in Newcastle) was in and delighted the crowd with a few of his tunes before Carl stepped up to the mic. Sunday afternoons don’t come better than this! Seven songs, including a new one Fountain of Youth, then two favourite covers (one by Squeeze, natch), a short break, then plenty more, with a couple of brand new songs in the mix. All the while I was enjoying the great range of ales on offer, and a couple of halves of cider, it was an interesting trek to the train station afterwards! Oh yeah, I bought one of the Mexicana pies to take home, had it with a yoghurt dip to cool it down, definitely the right thing to do! Do try a Pitman Pie if you’re ever down that way, bloody tasty.

I did said at the end of that last post that the following week wasn’t looking up to much, how quickly things change! Louis Crosland posted about three gigs on Instagram, yay, then Carl Marah was playing the Three Marys in Leith (I’ve never been in there, so it seemed like a good reason to go), and Power Denim playing Binkies on the Friday evening turned out to be another of Mr Potts’ sidelines (just the band name had my moosedar tingling with suspicion). There was also a few films that I fancied catching on the big screen …. I took myself off to see the Bruce Springsteen biopic on Wednesday evening, hmmm. It was okay-ish, very long, the actor playing Springsteen was very good, but it was for the more ardent fans, methinks. Roofman and Good Fortune were both way more my thing, hey, two out of three, you know. It’s great having an Unlimited card! The new Emma Stone film will be next.

Halloween had the town packed with all manner of weird creatures, but none so strange as seeing Jed Potts on stage sans guitar! I surely wasn’t the only one mumbling, what? huh? wow, really? Yes, Power Denim had Jed centre stage with just a microphone (I wonder if he kinda felt naked without his guitar?), oh, and a guitarist, bassist and drummer, playing classic rock; they’ll be back in Whistlebinkies at the end of the month, or so the gig guide says. I left after the first set to catch a number 14 down to Leith to see Carl at the Three Marys, what a lovely bar! It wasn’t very busy so, yay, more Marah’s Originals in the mix, sweet. The weekend saw Louis Crosland out twice with his trio and once with the Moanin’ Bones (two of those in one evening), naturally I was out to catch the vibes.

And now I’m about to pop out again, it’s nearly midnight, on a Tuesday – if you don’t know where I’m going you haven’t read enough of my musings! Time for another Scat Rats top-up fix, it’ll take me through nicely to tomorrow evening when Mr Marah takes to the stage in the Voodoo Rooms with a band too! It’s gonna be bloody, bloody brilliant, oh, my heartses.

Toodle pip!

When Harry met Louis

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After a day of sorting and cleaning Chez Bruce, I took a stroll up to Whistlebinkies sometime after ten to catch the second set of the Louis Crosland Trio, mighty fine as usual, and the floor show was a joy! Those folk who just get up and do their thang, and with such style and ease, last night there were a few in. One young couple were so in tune with each other and so fluid, at times I felt I applauding them as much as the band!

There was a new beer on tap to try, Golden Hour from Natural Selection Brewing, a rooibus infused blonde ale, and also a very quaffable ale. What more could a moose want? Great beer and great sounds. Those bass lines were sounding so good, I realised I was zoning into them quite a bit, such a sweet balance of sound, but then it was Nico at the desk, I’d expect nothing less. Oh, and it was my preferred drummer, I like his style, for me it seems much more in keeping with what the band requires; for me the other drummer is too bombastic for the LCT (oh, I can appreciate he’s a great drummer, I’ve seen him plenty times, just, well, my opinion).

The band following on at midnight was The Moanin’ Bones, so a double shift for Louis, but as midnight came and went there was no sign of main man Mr Buckley. I wondered that the rest of the band might play as a trio, time ticked on …. then in came Harry Higgs with two guitars! Oh yeah! Like, hell yeah! This was going to be something else, and I was there to see it (usually I hear about these sort of things later).

We were treated to a mix of blues and rock covers from Louis’ and Harry’s sets, so there was the likes of Sharp-dressed Man, Crossroad, Miss You, some Hendrix, of course (there’s a reel and stories on Instagram). The drummer and bassist were well up for it, they know their stuff, a good solid rhythm section for Harry and Louis to play above, swap roles, riff off each other; a little bit of musical alchemy 💛

Both guitarists are back in Whistlebinkies later this week with their own bands, the Louis Crosland Trio at midnight on Friday, and the Harry Higgs Trio at midnight on Saturday. I’m not planning on seeing any morning Fringe shows this weekend!

G’night, sweet dreams!