If music be the food of love I’m besotted

It’s Good Friday tomorrow, well, it’ll be good if it doesn’t rain again!! It’s been a very soggy week here in Edinburgh with only short bursts of sunshine to tease us. Sunday is egg-rolling day, but just how far will they roll on the sodden ground? Or maybe more eggs will make it to the bottom without being smashed to smithereens? I shall report back on Monday, okay, maybe sometime later depending on the weather.

It’s been a quiet few weeks on the music front – I was away again and managed to miss my favourite dynamic duo not once, not twice but thrice! They’re playing Stramash on Sunday night but as it’s the graveyard set I’ll probably miss that too. Oo, but it will be a good Friday evening, Jed Potts and Nicole Smit (my second favourite duo) are playing Whistlebinkies at seven, sweet, haven’t seen them there in ages! And according to Binkies website Jed and Nicole will also be back there in a couple of weeks (so it says).

I’ll catch The Scat Rats next Thursday (4th April) at Stramash but only for one set, a pre-gig warm-up before I pop round to the Mash House to see Ol’Times. Yes, the boys from Galway will be back in town! Hallelujah! I’m looking forward to that big time. Hmm, is there something in the air? Two more long-time-no-sees within the following week! Nicole and the Back-up Crew and The Buccaneers are back in Stramash and at reasonable times (am I getting old?!).

It’s all go in April on Sunday evenings too; there’ll be the usual Handsome House Jam on the 7th, but l may save heading out til later for the Harry Higgs Trio in Binkies as I rather enjoyed them last month (rock with a twist of blues and a dash of funky jazz). Yay, The Scat Rats are back in Stramash the next two Sundays in April. Yup, living in the Old Town part of Edinburgh really does have it’s advantages, times like these I feel quite spoilt.

It’s still up in the air about Bremen on the 30th. What do you mean, huh? Go back and read my last post! Missing seeing Logan’s Close at the Heartbreak Hotel in Bremen wouldn’t be too much of a disappointment as I’ll have already seen them twice in April. Oh hell, yeah!! Saturday 13th sees the lads back home in Dunbar for a rare acoustic performance, oh my heartses! That is gonna so amazing. Here’s hoping for good weather so I can make a full daytrip of it.

And there’s more! On April 23rd Logan’s Close head over West to play McChuills in Glasgow, of course I’m bloody going! Then with their sweet sounds still swirling round my head I’ll leave Ol’Blighty for Österreich, before catching up with them again seven or eight days later in Bremen or Berlin. It’s all a tad exciting!

In the meantime do have a happy Easter!

Notes from my calendar

It’s Friday the 13th, which means it’s only seven days until the album packed with the juiciest of toons, Heart-shaped Jacuzzi is released into the world. Oh yay! Interestingly I’ve spotted that the single of the title track was released digitally on the 21st October last year, hmmm, I wonder if that’s deliberate symmetry? And there’s not just a new album from Logan’s Close (available on digital, CD and vinyl), oh no, there’s a limited run of a special lathe cut vinyl single with Heart-shaped Jacuzzi on one side and Hot Blondes In Your Area Tonight on the other!! Plenty other new merch on their website, check it out!

So far I’ve got through today without anything bad happening, in fact it’s been a rather fine day (touch wood). As soon as I’ve done this I’m popping out to Stramash to catch Duke Duncan and the Hurricanes. Indeed, this next week is a great run-up to Friday, tomorrow there’s Jed Potts & Nicole Smit in Whistlebinkies at two, then The Breeze at seven. Monday evening Jed and Nicole are at Stramash with the rest of the Back-up Crew. Tuesday The Scat Rats are at Whistlebinkies (true this time), followed by the early evening slot at Stramash on Thursday. So, that’s a Marah triple in the next week, yay.

I’m not impressed about next Sunday evening though (22th) as The Buccaneers are playing Stramash at the same time as Jed Potts & the Hillman Hunters play Binkies, bah. Mind, there’s always a chance the Binkies listing is wrong, haha. Moanin’ Bones are back on the scene now that main man Chris Buckley has returned to Edinburgh, I’m looking forward to seeing them again later this month.

And with that I shall bid you adieu, I shall away to Stramash for a pint of Stewart’s and some fine rhythm’n’blues. Toodle pip!

Bands with occasional overlaps

Today is the last day of June, it’s raining but still warm (for Edinburgh, that is); I’m often surprised how warm it is when I step outside, the moose cave is always fairly cool (in all ways, daddio). Was mid-June the best of this year’s Scottish summer? Don’t laugh, it might be! We could be in for a wet, miserable August – mind, at least Edinburgh doesn’t have midgy problems like plenty of Scotland (always look on the bright side, eh). It has been good being out late night without feeling chill. Oh, I did go along to The Jazz Bar to see Duke Duncan & the Hurricanes last Saturday, walking home going on three in the morning was rather lovely.

On my way there I glanced in the window of B Bar and noticed Nicole Smit with a couple of her Back-up Crew (Simon on drums and Ewan, this time on guitar), as I had plenty of time to hand I popped in. Not really my style (it’s quite a cocktaily place) but nice enough, the bartender was cheery, for a late Saturday night it seemed fairly quiet. Once in The Jazz Bar I noticed there were more hurricanes this time, a female backing singer and a saxophonist had blown in. Whilst I enjoyed the full band experience, I reckon I prefer the version at Binkies (harder and more intense?), yeah, sans sax for me; the backing vocals were very good (great voice), a different feel again, hmmm.

I was at the cinema last night til late, popped into Whistlebinkies on my way home as Willie Dug was playing, along with two musicians I haven’t seen before (at least I don’t reckon so) – as long as the name written up let’s you know what to expect, I guess. It was fine, but no Cosmic Gents outing. I left before the end of the first set because down the road at Stramash it was time for The Buccaneers to be taking to the stage (indeed, they just started their first number as I paid for my pint of Stewart’s, perfect). No keyboards tonight, again, you never can tell who’ll actually be up there, but hey, I love both versions equally with these dudes.

Stramash was heaving, plenty of students boisterously (or, drunkenly) dancing/colliding enjoying the music as much as The Buccaneers looked to be enjoying playing it. Oh, that iconic lick on I Heard It Through The Grapevine so, so fine, and the sparseness without the keyboards shows off the tight rhythms on the drums and bass (yes, that would be Simon and Ewan again, from Saturday night). I think I grinned from ear to ear through the whole set, such an irresistible joie de vivre when these guys are playing. Black Magic Woman finished the set in style, I finished my pint and popped back to Binkies, caught the rest of Willie Dug before home. No, I was too tired to stay up any later, hey, it was going up to two!

Oh, the film? I went to see The Flash, I knew very little about the film and even less about the character, apart from snippets in The Big Bang Theory. I actually quite enjoyed it, for a DC movie it had some humour to it! Okay, so the timelines thing was a bit, huh, but seeing all the various Batmans was fun. The Flash is a long film but as it keeps up quite a pace throughout, I didn’t really notice the time; if you go to the cinema to see it just be sure to go to the bathroom beforehand!

Must go and make something to eat, I’m Hank Marvin. After that, Fringey stuff – yes, I have tickets! More later……

Roll on Thursday….

Oo, it’s less than 48 hours until this year’s Fringe programme is out! This time on Thursday I’ll be perusing a copy, maybe in the Jolly Judge with a nice cider, yeah, good idea that. And as if the day couldn’t get any better, The Scat Rats are playing in Stramash at 7pm! That in itself is sweet enough, but the fun continues as Nicole & the Back-up Crew are onstage next. Mmm, a twixt sets mash-up?!

I’ve had a ganders at the online programme for this year’s Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival in case there’s anything I fancy. It’s on from Friday 14th to Sunday 23rd July with the Mardi Gras in the Grassmarket on the first Saturday afternoon. Most late evenings there’s a Jam Session in the Jazz Bar, I guess it would be potluck who’d be there any evening, do I feel lucky?

The Spiegeltent will be back up in George Square Gardens, with bands every evening and Blues Afternoons at the weekends (at three hours long, thank heavens there’s a bar!) It’s a tent that travels around, so it fits that Nicole Smit: The Travelling Tent Show is back – promising to be bigger and better! I’m tempted, but then again there’s Sister Cookie to consider, hmmm.

Naturally, Jed Potts & the Hillman Hunters will be out to play; they’re at St Bride’s Centre, a great venue hosting a lot of acts throughout the Jazz Festival. I’ve been to a number of events at St Bride’s over the years, I like it, it has a lovely ambience; it’s tucked away on a little street in Dalry, a short bus ride or taxi from the centre of town.

Completing the circle back to the Fringe programme; I have had a few sneek peeks at it online and noticed Aaaah Look Who It Is: Nicole Smit and Jed Potts! at the Jazz Bar. Just four dates and the first is 241 Tuesday! A chance for all those not fortunate enough to live in Edinburgh all year round, to see these two great talents together.

Toodles!

Rhythms, blues ‘n’ balls

The end of another Six Nations Rugby weekend, the end of Scotland’s winning streak. If only they’d bucked up sooner in the second half, for a short time there it looked like they could possibly catch up, but no. Ah well, at least England beat Wales, not a consolation to my Scottish friends but I’m happy with that. Ireland beating Italy was pretty much presumed, at least Italy had a valiant try. They face Wales in the next round, mind, the Welsh won’t want to lose yet again!

No Six Nations next weekend but plenty of good music, on Friday 3rd there’s The Scat Rats in the seven o’clock (or half past six, or going on for eight o’clock) slot and The Moanin Bones in the after midnight slot at Stramash. Also, if my memory is correct I’m sure Logan’s Close mentioned on Instagram that the new single is available to play on the 3rd, alas it was on their storyline so gone now, I could have dreamt it!

Saturday 4th sees Nicole and the Back-up Crew in the ten o’clock slot at Stramash, yay. I had the pleasure of catching Nicole and Jed Potts playing an awesome second set at Whistlebinkies Tuesday gone. I was quite annoyed with myself for turning up so late – what delights did I miss? They really were on excellent form, riding on a country vibe for much of the set, yes, I should have just left the washing-up!

Actually, thinking about it, the line-up for last Tuesday at Whistlebinkies was very confused, the Edinburgh Gig Guide, Binkies own website and Facebook posts were all saying different things, Jed Potts was also publicising a time which was right by one account but wrong with another! Ah ha, yes, it hard to tell what was happening up until quite late on. So far in March Whistlebinkies have The Scat Rats playing twice, I may check that with Mr Marah closer to the dates.

The second weekend in March (the next round of the Six Nations Rugby) has a Carl Marah double on the Sunday night in Stramash with The Scat Rats at seven and The Buccaneers after midnight. Also, the later bands listed for Whistlebinkies look interesting – a possibility for some of the time between nine and half past midnight.

I’ll not see the Saturday matches but I may catch the second half of Scotland v Ireland on the Sunday afternoon if I’m back in time. I’m off on a wee jaunt! No, not to the mother ship, I’ll be heading there the following weekend for Mothering Sunday, but it is down to Yorkshireland (and lots of real cider, oh yay!)

Oh, that rant I mentioned last post has subsided to a grumble, I’ll tell you about it next time. For now I’ll leave you with a couple of pics taken in Dr Neil’s Garden this week. Toodle pip!

Cherry pink……
…. and apple blossom white

Strictly can wait – I have a date

It’s been a week since Logan’s Close released Heart-shaped Jacuzzi, today I realised I’d been whistling it as I headed home from the Farmers Market (just a couple of bits from it over and over and over again). Oh, I inadvertently hum and whistle a lot, only realising I’m doing it when someone gives me a look. People don’t whistle so much anymore, at least not around here, hardly at all I’d say, which is a shame, well, I think it is.

This week saw more new Edinburgh music splash into the streams, yesterday Jed Potts & The Hillman Hunters released a new album Swashbucklin’ (also available in solid form, CD and vinyl). Their gig next week that’s part of the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival Autumn Series is now the official album launch show, coincidental timing I gather, at least it saves on organising another show for it (it does seem that the album release date is possibly a tad earlier than expected?) The show is at Leith Dockers Club on Thursday 3rd November; I have no idea where Leith Dockers Club is, presumably in Leith, but am definitely considering getting a ticket.

Mr Potts will be playing at Stramash this evening as part of Nicole & The Backup Crew, unusually they’re playing the seven o’clock slot, yes, I shall be trotting along. I’ll be back there on Sunday evening too for the Handsome House Jam; the Handsome House Band play on the first and last Sundays of the month and invite a guest musician to jam with them – on Sunday it’s Carl Marah, yay! So glad I wondered who the guest was this week, I often don’t think to check.

And as if that wasn’t enough fun for one weekend, Monday night Stramash have the Moanin’ Bones on at ten o’clock at their Hallowe’en Haunted House Party. It’s been a wee while since I last saw them, well looking forward to that! I may even get spookified for the occasion.

Meanwhile back at the Close …… their December show at Sneaky Pete’s sold out a few days ago, but our lads aren’t going to have anyone miss out on their juicy goodness – Logan’s Close will be back in Sneaky’s the following evening (so thats Tuesday 13th) to do it all again!

Must go eat. Toodle pip!

The good, sad, sublime and mad

It’s been an interesting week since I last posted, some bits sublime, some ridiculously weird, some totally unexpected; it’s all left me too bamboozled to put anything down ’til now. Let’s start where I finished last time, about to head to see See How They Run, I didn’t see it. We arrived rather late, my chum wasn’t fussed about seeing it so we saw Bodies, Bodies, Bodies instead (I still haven’t seen it yet but I shall). Yeah, umm, we should’ve just call it quits and gone to Stramash early, really I could not have cared less if all they’d all ended up dead (I don’t think we were the intended demographic for it).

At least after that particular ridiculous, there was the sublime Nicole & the Backup Crew to pick us back up, and she was wearing another unitard, oh my (I’ve seen her wearing one before, I get it, very comfy, like a onesie but with sexy sass). Stramash was jumping, a great crowd. After midnight The Buccaneers took over, the crowd kept dancing, it was a lot of fun but I called it a night after the first set, hey, beauty sleep is required if I’m to stay so handsome!

A last minute decision saw me heading to the cinema on Tuesday night to see Clerks III, I hadn’t been aware it was even out, just as well I flicked right through the list! The first time I saw Clerks I was not impressed, then some time later I saw it again, much better, I loved Clerks II; I’m sure I have them both on dvd somewhere. If I can find them I can have a Clerks Day, watch them both then see Clerks III again. I enjoyed it but its definitely just one for the fans, quite poignant at times and it really points out how old we’ve all gotten (wow, Dante looks sooo young in clips from the first film!).

Sad news, Accordion Ryan has now left Edinburgh, he’s taken his two bags and accordion to Vienna. Good news, Ryan enjoyed Edinburgh and his Fringe experience so much that he may well be back next year, yay.

Wednesday saw me back at Legends for another blues evening. I missed the first band but arrived just as Jed Potts & The Hillman Hunters took to the stage; or in my head as they became, The Janitors, the mild-mannered janitor (as previously explained in this blog), the cooler slightly edgier janitor and the janitor you really wouldn’t mess with (yes, my mind does wander down some strange paths). As brilliant as ever and I do believe there was mention of an album coming soon?!

Headliners were The Cinelli Brothers who have just won The 2022 UK Blues Challenge, needless to say they were pretty damn fine – but my mind went for another walk…… Okay, so at the time it was very funny, I wasn’t drunk or nothing, I mean no disrespect, but come on, I bet I’m not the only who’s looked at the drummer and thought “porn star”. He had the ‘tache, the hair style, the satin shirt; actually I blame the guitarist/keyboard guy (they all sang various songs) he started it with his odd vaguely eighties trousers with a pattern that reminded me of curtains my Mum had in her kitchen years ago (probably the eighties). Then the other two band members, tiger print shirt and blue tinted glasses, paisley shirt and a hat straight from the seventies; obviously the director and producer of the porn movies. Like I said, they were great, it was a great evening – the deflated blow-up doll lying abandoned in the Cowgate made for a bizarre ending.

That wasn’t the bizarrest part of my week though. Oh, I had a good idea that the gig on Thursday would be different – I had no idea how different it would be! Firstly, it was in the Banshee Labyrinth, not a pub I frequent (just in August for the odd Free Fringe show, usually in the cinema room), well named as I wandered what was obviously the long way round to find the right room. Just about another dozen souls had found their way there to see Nestter Donuts with support from Diogo Augusto, and the trip began.

Loud doesn’t come close, ear-splitting, the backing track for Diogo Augusto was intense, I’ve never done it before, but thank god for a spare tissue to stick in my ears. The guitar was pretty low in the mix so was hard to made out a lot of the time, maybe if he’d just turned down that infernal backing track. Aside from the music he seemed quite a funny Portuguese chap, definitely preferred the stand-up bits, haha. I realised it did seem like some odd Free Fringe show I’d stumbled upon; the headline act stripping down to his undies at the side of the stage to put on his leopard print unitard did nothing to dispel this thought (personally I reckon Ms Smit wears a unitard much better than Mr Donuts).

the artist prepares

Nestter Donuts was another solo act, he sings while playing electric guitar, bass drum and high hat; he has two large Spanish fans as stage adornments (trying for a kinky boudoir look?!) He describes his music as flamenco trash, a fair description, there’s flamenco stylings in his singing and guitar. There’s also a lot of bizarre, like getting an audience member up to sing the words for his song Meow Meow (those are all the words and boy, did she go for it, obviously a fan). A strange act that somehow compels you to keep watching, thank god I was able to avert my eyes away at the end, most of the few there did – he’d pulled the unitard down and his undies, yes, deliberately! Ye gods! Ridiculously unexpected that was.

More sad news, the Scat Rats won’t be playing Binkies after the Fur gig on Tuesday night, good news is it’s the Willie Dug Duo, or at least that’s what Binkies have their website, hmmm. Unexpected good news, I should be picking up a new toy that I bought on EBay tomorrow. One of those quick ganders that threw up a beauty, I won’t actually say what it is, don’t want to jinx it, maybe I’ve already done so by just mentioning it. Yes, it’s paid for but you do hear things.

Anyway, my tea’s almost ready, I can smell it, yum.

Toodle pip!

P.S more pics and vids on Facebook and Instagram

I’ve been away, did I miss much?

Hello! I know it’s been a wee while, I’ve been down in the old country doing family things – what a time to be out of Edinburgh, eh! In case you somehow missed it, our queen Queen Elizabeth II died on the 8th September at Balmoral, three days later the Queen’s coffin was brought down to Edinburgh by hearse to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, from where it was taken the following day by procession up the Royal Mile to St Giles Cathedral. Her Majesty’s coffin stayed in St Giles for 24 hours, so that folk could pay their respects, before being flown to London. Many thousands came to Edinburgh to bid farewell to a much respected and admired lady, the queue reached right back to the Meadows apparently.

Queen Elizabeth II will be a tough act for King Charles III to follow, I wish him well in what may well be turbulent times. She was a strong figurehead for the United Kingdom, without her the status quo has been shifted, there may well be a few aftershocks before a new equilibrium settles in. Will some take this opportunity to make the changes that they’ve said would happen after the Queen’s reign came to an end?

So, I was down in Yorkshire for a while, a place name I usually precede with “deepest, dampest”, well it’s not so damp at present and water levels are far from deep, see how low one of the local reservoirs is…..

Yup, seriously low.

When the water level was low was in the mid seventies, the area below the road bridge was littered with looted safes, shot guns and the like! Now if we trot back up to the bridge and look upstream from the dam wall, you can see the much, much older bridge I was standing on to take the above photo.

The old packhorse bridge is usually well under the surface. It’s like a local barometer, can it be seen just under the surface? Oo, the top of the arch is visible; this view of it is extremely rare, possibly the first time there’s only been the smallest of streams trickling below it. It’ll take an awful lot of rain to refill the reservoir, anyone know any good raindances?

I came back up to Edinburgh on Friday after a longer stay than I’d intended, the Scat Rats were playing Stramash so it was definitely time to head north. What a gorgeous day for travelling (unlike the journey down) and at the end of it a lovely pint of Stewart’s and great sounds, yay! As I was leaving Stramash afterwards I asked the lads if they could confirm a date down in the Edinburgh Gig Guide of a midnight set in Whistlebinkies on the 27th – err, not in their diary! Then I mentioned it was the same night that Fur are playing the Mash House, oo, that perked them up, indeed yeah they’ll be playing that night! Goodo.

The Rats were out to play again on Saturday afternoon in Binkies; a new ale for me to try, mmm, so good I treated myself to a pint. And yay, Mr Marah is out again tonight with The Buccaneers, midnight at Stramash; before them it’s Nicole and the Back-up Crew, so thats four sets for some folk tonight. Maybe one time there could be a big mash-up of the two bands right through, I’d love to see that! To take me up to ten o’clock I’m shortly off to see See How They Run at the flicks, the trailer looks wonderful.

Best be off now, toodle pip!

I had my cake …..

Yes, I bought a couple of conference pears and a punnet of raspberries and set to work. If you plan to try this yourself be aware that all the added moisture from the sliced pears means that the middle of the cake will take longer to cook. Oo, thinking of yummy food, I’ve just remembered that I took photos at the Farmers Market yesterday morning, post-it reminder to do a thing with them in the morning. Well, I’m popping oot soon as the lovely Nicole Smit is at Stramash tonight with her Back Up Crew, just a half pint of something, honest; a sweet ending to the month.

I did think I’d be warning about a wet start to the Fringe, the forecast a few days ago was bloody awful for Tuesday and Wednesday (kinda expected, you know) but as it’s got closer the amount of rain predicted to fall has seriously declined to You might want to have a brolly.

My cake was delicious, thank you. First little try was fine, above is the cake slightly warmed in the microwave then passionfruit and mango coulis drizzled around it. A trip to Madeira a few years ago really opened my eyes to the delights of passionfruit, especially with cake!

I’ve realised I can cheat a little this year as a number of shows I saw last year are back this year – I could do pingbacks to last year’s reviews and hope standards haven’t declined since then (for most, a couple have hopefully improved). Straight off I will say that Shakespeare’s Fool and Watson: The Final Case are back and jolly well worth seeing. Yes, I am wholeheartedly recommending these two shows, bloody marvellous they both were! Right at the bottom of this page there should be a search bit, if you can’t wait to see what I wrote about them.

Okay, so I may have had another piece, with more coulis!

Must dash. Toodle pip!

A somewhat potty weekend

Friday late afternoon, the weekend had begun! I had an inkling, so I took a long detour to Tesco’s via Waverley Bridge – good call! The Kennedy’s Project were playing, so I settled myself on one of the concrete roadblocks to watch. Two songs later the heavens opened and the band had to stop and I scarpered home double-quick sans shopping.

The Kennedy’s Project on Waverley Bridge

The downpour wasn’t actually for too long before the winds blew it away and the sun reappeared, thinking about it now, I would have possibly dried quicker if I’d gone back outside but once soaked twice shy, and meals don’t make themselves. I had more musical entertainment lined up for my evening – a Scottish Blues Train. Not on a train, in a bar on the Cowgate called Legends, next door to Sneaky Pete’s. I’m not sure when it became Legends, it was called Opium for quite a few years (I was only ever in Opium once or twice, I didn’t care for it); back in the late 80s/early 90s it was called the Casbah, that’s when we regularly headed late on, unwilling to let the night end. We had some epic times in there!

Anyway, this Scottish Blues Train was made up of three bands, first up Fullfat, sadly I missed most of the set but what I did catch was sound. Second up were Eustace, I liked them. A good solid sound, a powerful voice and a fine banter between songs; I would definitely see Eustace again next time they’re in town. It felt a bit odd being back in that upstairs room, I kept looking round trying to remember how it was. Either the back wall has been moved forward or I was standing where the bar used to be, the little vaulted ceiling bits at the back of the stage were from the opulent Opium days and definitely no mirrors anywhere, it was dark and dingy. The bar still serves cans of Red Stripe, always our tipple there, now as before, there wasn’t much else I actually care for.

And then the mild-mannered janitor came on stage, okay so it was Jed Potts and the Hillman Hunters. Mild-mannered janitor? Err, there was a cartoon back in the mid 70s and for some bizarre reason Mr Potts always brings it to mind. It would probably make more sense to think of Clark Kent – the quiet, unassuming guy in the heavy-rimmed glasses, takes them off and picks up his guitar…… Okay, one, I don’t much care for Superman, and two, that’s a little ott, not that Jed Potts isn’t a brilliant guitar-player, he definitely is. Brilliant but a light air with it, he has a joie de vivre about him that’s infectious (I’ve put a short clip of him on Instagram, see if you’re not grinning by the end of it!) So Friday night was pretty damn fine, I wandered home wondering when I’d next get to see Potts play.

Sunday evening I had a date with a hot Brazilian lady – Flavia Couri was playing the Voodoo Rooms again, okay, with her husband along too, they are The Courettes. This time they were in the Ballroom, last October they packed out the Speakeasy; you read my thoughts at the time in Speak easy at the Voodoo Rooms if the pingback works (hopefully a click or two will take you to it). For just guitar and drums, the music sounds so full, must be the fuzz, and Flavia’s voice is straight from the sixties with the look to match. Standout favourite song for me was Strawberry Boy, yes, The Courettes were, as their backdrop said, fabulous.

That would have been a good evening in itself, but the night was not over! From the Voodoo Rooms I headed to Stramash where another lovely lady was playing the ten o’clock slot, Nicole & The Backup Crew, I was in time for the second set, sweet! And oh yes, Jed Potts is part of the Backup Crew (when he’s not busy elsewhere like the previous time), nice to see him again so soon. There’s a wee clip of Nicole Shakin’ All Over on Instagram, so’s my recording of it but it’s not too bad (not paying for premium, I can’t put video clips on my blog).

Nicole giving it some sass ❤

I would have headed home but I checked Facebook as I left Stramash (no signal inside) and happened to see a recent post by Whistlebinkies; the band at midnight was Fly Mo and The Strimmers. This name meant nothing to me but one of the two pics was of Jed Potts, hmmm, Binkies was only a short detour home and it wasn’t yet midnight…… Of course I went along, and indeed there he was, this time with Euan on bass (fellow Crew member) and the drummer from Friday night (I’ve mentioned a few times how incestuous the band scene is here). What a fine way to finish off the weekend!