Roadhouse Live at the Duck & Drake, Leeds – 24/8/2013

So to night two of our little Northern jaunt. Apparently crowds have been a little up and down at this really nice pub venue full of rock memrobilia. But we had a great night with lots of enthusiastic music lovers and a good number of Roadhouse fans, some of which had driven across from Preston for the show.
Set wise it was similar to the Harrogate show, ‘Blues Motel’ really kicked, Sarah sung ‘The Big Easy’ and ‘The Lying Game’ one after the other and got a great reception. We again revisited our version of ‘All Along The Watchtower’ which allowed Danny and I to branch out a bit while the ladies had a ‘rest’. Another great thing about playing this venue was that it allowed Mandie to perform to her family. It was lovely to see all of them looking so well, great folk!

There was a big shout for an encore and the positive vibe vibe/energy took us as far as Watford gap services. I reached home at 5.45am and Roger finally at 6.15.
Well done Roger for driving the Band bus.
Thanks also to Simon & Sharon for having us for the two shows and all of you for your great support
Gary

Roadhouse Live at the Blues Bar Harrogate – 23/8/2013
From the expanses of the big stage at the Cambridge Rock Festival to Simon & Sharon Colgan’s iconic little venue in the heart of Harrogate. Personal issues on band members made it appropriate the hire a tour bus for the weekend and setting off on bank Holiday Friday at 11am we were lucky t make the gig. the traffic was at an all time bad and pulled up at the Blues Bar at around 19.20 (We could have driven to Germany in that time). We set up close and personal on the little stage and as usual for this cool place kicked off to a full house of music lovers.

Due to the fact that the Colne festival was on this weekend, there was not as much hard core roadhouse support in the room. Its a real shame that after our 7 successive years on the big British stage at Colne, with 3 shut outs due to packed numbers, that we do not play there any more. Our record Company (Blues Matters at the time) lost that stage and as a consequence we’ve not even been considered to return, still who said that life was fair! So we threw a few covers into the set. The crowd response to ‘Hell On Wheels’ was great and they loved Mandie belting out ‘Blues Motel’ and Sarah’s superb version of the ‘Big Easy’. It’s brilliant to see loads of new people loving the original songs. we played Not Fade Away for the first time in ages and we even gave the girls a rest for Danny, Bill Roger and I to slog our way through an epic version of ‘All along The Watchtomwer’

The first half was packed and then as it drew near the witching hour the crowd thinned out a bit. But there was still time for ‘Preacher Man’ to send everyone off happily into the night.

Our 4th great gig at this venue, give it your support
Gary