Charlie Parr Jumpin Hot Club: Live Theatre, Newcastle

BLUESMAN Charlie Parr’s music seems firmly entrenched in a time before the majority of people walking this earth were born. Playing a guitar that was originally a 12-string acoustic, but whittled down to a six-string at various stages – as revealed between a couple of songs – Parr secured the attention of the audience.His songs deal with life of people born and raised with little, and of the hard times especially of those from rural settings.

Getting down to the basics Parr largely pulled on his own songs, but paid tribute to Harry Smith’s Anthology Of American Folk Music with Old Dog Blue. Whether the songs were accompanied by a pulsating groove or he was bringing to life an old blues gospel song, or sat back a little, Parr ensured there was nothing left to chance, in that the audience were connected and tickets for the ride had been punched.

A smart songwriter, he repeatedly impressed as he spoke of someone walking in salvation army shoes with the soles wore out, before one of his best numbers, featuring sweet slide guitar, Remember Me If I Forget. His appearance is of someone used to playing his music out on the back porch in a cabin back in the hills certainly helped with performances of Over Red Cedar, Cheap Wine and telling tales of Wounded Knee and of Jesus being a hobo and the many parables inspired by him.

Though steeped in the old folk blues tradition Parr did spread his wings on one occasion as he lay down a song and rhythm akin to some of the American bands of the late 1960s. Brilliant it was too.

Maurice Hope

The Longsands: The Cluny

THE fans were there, in their hundreds, old and young alike – even former guitarist, Gaz Ormston put in an appearance in support of his old colleagues.

Opening with Craig Redpath and The Red Jets, setting the tone for what would fast become an exhilarating night of non-stop indie rock that was certainly worth the journey out. When The Longsands finally took to the stage the place erupted, and rightly so, it had been some time since they last played together as a full band.

The opening track from their new album, Adrenaline Junkie Flu, eased the delighted crowd into their set. It set the tone for a full repertoire including Meet Me in Spanish City and Us and Them. There was even time for an unscheduled acoustic set mid-show thanks to Callum Thompson’s guitar requiring urgent repair.

Interaction with the fans was in order throughout, as tracks such as Bully, Where’s My Daddy Gone and Scissors and Stone flowed. Favourites from the band's albums,such as Streets and Pavements, North South Divide, Standing in the Shadows and Little Britain, got welcome reception.

Trevor Cox and Ian Barnes vocalised to the hilt, and Callum Thompson and David Stanyer chipped in while strumming to their hearts content, and Paul Stephenson had his drums reverberating around the venue, addingto the occasion. No matter what they played, Longsands followers old and new hung on every last note. It was like they had never been away, and the return, well it could be the start of something really special.

Peter Mann