Review: Greg Phillips Photos: Jason Rosewarne
The afternoon at Newport Bowls Club aka Way Out West Roots Music Club kicked off with some tasty blues and roots music from the Liam Kealy Trio featuring Shane Gilbert on guitar and Conrad Tracey on drums. The trio’s performance was impressive, delivering a great mix of originals and covers and adding their own personality to standards like The Thrill Is Gone. The accomplished musicians left plenty of musical space to maneuvre in, allowing each player to explore the gaps and have their turn in the spotlight. It was great to hear a fabulous version of Healing Force’s Golden Miles too, a classic Australian song which everyone needs to hear.
The Matt Schofield Trio hit the stage soon after, featuring blues stalwarts Jonny Henderson on keys and Evan Jenkins on drums and ripped into ‘Don’t Know What I’d Do’ from the 2011 album Anything But Time. Immediately the band locked into a groove like they’d been playing night upon night for weeks, when in reality they’d just arrived in Australia a couple of days earlier. They were pushin’ the party hard from the get-go and clearly meant business. A New Orleans inspired tune gave the band the opportunity to showcase their versatility. Armed with his beautiful blue SVL Strat, Matt’s licks were already fluid, clean and seemingly effortless and we were only a couple of tunes into the set. This rhythm section fits Matt’s playing style perfectly, like a warm pair of gloves. As the set went on, the energy levels raised and the Way Out West blues devotees appreciated every moment.
During a slow blues piece Schofield’s note choices are imaginative and thoughtful, ranging from slick fretboard runs to fat, killer rock and jazz chords, all contributing to such a dynamic performance. The audience weren’t keen for Matt to leave and the trio obliged with an extended, energetic encore. Blues singer and Schofield manager Jay Stollman joined the party for a tune to let the good time roll. As Matt said from stage earlier in the afternoon, last time he was in Victoria, it was a fleeting visit. He travelled all the way from the UK, played one 90 minute set at the Wangaratta Blues and Jazz Festival, then flew back home. Thankfully this time, courtesy of promoter Gerrard Allman, there are enough gigs to go around for all to properly take in the talents of the man voted British Blues Guitarist of the Year three times.
The Way Out West Roots Music Club is the love child of Rob and Wendy Rowe, who have been presenting music fans in the west with their blues fix for a couple of decades now, and working from the current venue in Newport since 2016. A book of their adventures, ‘Wow’, edited by Rob Rowe and Bernie Bicknell featuring the history of the club with some fabulous photos from Wendy is available now.
MATT SCHOFIELD TRIO TOUR DATES
THU 24 NOV HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB CANBERRA TICKETS HERE
FRI 25 NOV MEMO MUSIC CLUB ST KILDA TICKETS HERE
SAT 26 NOV PORT NOARLUNGA BLUES FEST ADELAIDE TICKETS HERE
http://gerrardallmanevents.com.au/
