Blue Angel Orchestra Clarendon Hotel Dec 2007

Blue Angel Orchestra
Clarendon Hotel, Deal 16th Dec 2007

Deal had a rare treat on 16th Dec when the Blue Angel Orchestra played an afternoon gig at the Clarendon Hotel on the seafront. Witchwood members were a little thin on the ground, with just Dick, Pate, Calli, Mike and I being able to attend, however, the Deal locals turned out in force to support the band and the venue was crowded with revellers starting to get into the spirit of Christmas.

Review by Dick Greener

A few quick comments from Sunday afternoon’s Blue Angel Orchestra show. Hard to believe that these guys have only played together a handful of times, they’re really cooking. A bigger PA than the Astor Theatre one for a much smaller room space meant that we were in for a loud occasion, but the Clarendon is a big noisy Sunday lunchtime pub with lots of chattering in the background, so that was a good thing for those there primarily for the music.

Newly added to the set were two of the rockier numbers From Boy In The Sailor Suit - “Mother Luck” and “Lonely Days, Lonely Nights”, joining “Hellfire Blues” and “Skip To My Lou” as tracks which live really transcend their studio versions by leaps and bounds. It was amusing to watch Miller looking for one of these in his “cheat book” but, unable to find it, just shrugging and getting on with it - quite seamlessly as it turned out.

Surprises (welcome of course) were Cousins Cronk and Cutler opening the second half with the crazy fiddle version of “The Shepherd’s Song” which we saw at Chatham; and “The Young Pretender”. Miller got two lead spots - great to see “House Of The Rising Sun” back again.

I’ve said it before but it’s worth saying again: BAO benefits hugely from a really rock solid rhythm section - Chris Hunt, as I agreed with George at the bar, just makes it look so easy, with a smile and a nod to DC as he pulls off little flourishes; and of course we all know how good a bass player is Mr Chas Cronk! And with two sublime instrumentalists in Ian and Miller, and an excellent set of songs to draw from off the new album (be nice to see a couple of older Strawbs or DC numbers work their way in - no Blue Angel ?) the BAO can’t fail to be interesting melodically.

WOT ? NO ENCORE ?

MORE!

Setlist from Pete Bradley

Never take sweets from a stranger
Mellow moon
Mother Luck
Wish you Were Here
Borderline - Miller Anderson
Lonely days, Lonely nights
Skip to my Lou.

Shepherds song - Dave, Ian and Chas
Young Pretender
Calling out my name
House of the Rising Sun - Miller Anderson
Orange Blossom Special - Ian Cutler
Hellfire Blues
Part of the Union

Photo Gallery 1

Click on each thumbnail image to view a larger version.
Click on the arrows to scroll through all the images.
An outlined arrow v shows there are no more photos to scroll through in that direction.
A solid arrow u shows that you can continue scrolling in that direction to view more photos.

Click here to go to Part 2

Click here to go back to top of page