Strawbs Xmas party 2006 part 3

Generally speaking, I submit a review and / or pictures to Dick Greener for inclusion on Strawbsweb. This time however, I have turned the tables by including Dicks review on my site ! Add a few of my own comments and a lot of my photos, and I think that just about sums the night up perfectly.

"After a second interval, during which the grub was served, the Blue Angel Orchestra squeezed its way onstage for a reprise of a good deal (pun intended) of the stunning repertoire they debuted back in September. Tighter and more polished than on its first outing, a delight to listen to, Chris Hunt on drums and Chas on bass providing a rocksolid foundation for some vocal and instrumental flourishes from the other members.

Opening again with “The Young Pretender”, Ian Cutler’s fiddle really swooped along with those riffs (although we’ve now heard it in its piano demo version on the boxed set, it’s really for me those fiddle parts which make this a standout Cousins track). Second up was “October To May” with some nice mellow electric guitarwork from Miller.

The rest of the set were non-Cousins songs (“Blue Angel”, “Absent Friend”and “Can You Believe” missing tonight owing to pressures of time). A showcase for Miller - an excellent “House Of The Rising Sun” excellent vocals excellent guitar. You can’t be at the Blue Angel without Marlene Dietrich’s “Falling In Love Again” (the last time we heard Dave do this in Deal, we’d already seen a transsexual magician and a transvestite torch singer, so Dave’s outfit tonight eerily echoed the Deal experience ...). Cutler cut loose again on a storming “Orange Blossom Special”, and the set ended with a barnstorming “Backwater Blues”, DC showing off his Leadbelly influences.

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The Blue Angel Orchestra in full flow

The final part of the show, Dave Lambert replaced DC at the front of the BAO, which metamorphed into a rock’n’roll combo with energy to spare at the end of a fantastic night. Highlights for me - “Summertime Blues” really stomped, “Hootchie Cootchie Man” with DL on harmonica, leaving the guitar playing to Miller was brilliant; and the finale, a blistering “Johnny B Goode” was just to die for. A little comedy from the bar staff during this set - he came into the hall with a note warning of last orders and stood at the front pointing at it during an epic “Hey Joe”.

Dave Lambert takes over lead vocals for some rock and roll

We could have danced all night, as the saying goes, but sadly we’d reached our limit - the NPL’s neighbours have to be considered - and that was that - everyone pretty much agreed that they’d been treated to a really smashing and special night of music and that the second of these (hopefully annual) events was even better than the first."- Dick Greener

Well the gig may have been over, but for the intrepid band of Witchwooders staying at the Travelodge the night was just beginning.... the story continues.......