Music > Live Reviews
Jug Jaw's Beat Club feat Guadalupe Plata
Bedfords
15/09/16
Jug Jaw's Beat Club continues to go from strength to strength and in association with Punk Rock Blues to bring us acts you'd be lucky to see anywhere in the UK, especially outside of London. This month saw another coup brought to Bedfords Crypt, with Guadalupe Plata from Spain, and a rare support slot from our own incredible duo, Ida Mae, aka Chris and Stephanie, the founders of Jug Jaw's Beat Club. They treated us to their own take on a few country blues classics as well as previewing a few new numbers which all being well will make it onto their debut album having recently signed to Decca. Watch out for them they are going to be Big. As brilliant as their songs, playing and voices are the electric onstage chemistry between them is utterly compelling. Truly talented, natural performers.
Headline act Guadalupe Plata helped to make this a sellout before the doors even opened. There was a palpable sense of excitement in the air around Bedfords and as I arrived I become aware of a number of Spanish voices but was unsure if they were fans or the band themselves. Heading into the venue and upstairs I could hear a mighty sound coming from the soundcheck down in the Crypt so it was obvious they had their own following here tonight as well as the Jug Jaw's regulars.
Having only heard one or two songs beforehand on YouTube I was somewhat surprised to find that the huge sound actually only comes from just three people; drums and two guitars, one being a Gretsch though that was often forsaken for a washtub bass or a three-string cigar box. The guy playing this had a finger fully bandaged too! Amazing stuff.
The Crypt is rammed to its low and beautiful rafters. The overall sound is full, dirty bluesy rock and roll and with eyes closed it's like listening to The Cramps waiting for Lux to come in, only when the vocals do occasionally come in they are in a high Spanish voice that serves as a reminder of just who we are listening to and where we are seeing them. It really is incredible to have a band like this playing their filthy garage rock in the perfect venue. It was no surprise to see one or two Cramps t-shirts in the audience, the sound is appropriate, add a bit of Gun Club and a Western cinematic feel with lots of fuzzy tremelo through vintage 1960s PA and you'll get the picture.
As chance would have it I was stood next to one of the Spanish contingent in the audience who asked me what my favourite aspect was; it was impossible for me to pick out just one thing being totally in love with the overall groove. Chatting further I learned that this Spanish lad now lives here but the band come from his home town in Spain, he has followed them for at least twelve years and was thrilled to see the appreciation from the Norwich audience. I learned some chants and lyrics too!
Other than "thank you" I don't think they speak any English so the songs segue into one another for a thrilling set of around hour and a half and the band duly obliged to the raucous demands for an encore.
The ingredients of Jug Jaw's Beat Club, Punk Rock Blues, Guadalupe Plata, Ida Mae, Bedfords Crypt and the audience made for something special. These gigs are precious as evidenced by the sellout crowd on a Wednesday night and the number of people I overheard afterwards speculating as to whether this was one of the greatest gigs they had seen. Incredible to experience music in this venue in this way, there isn't anywhere else like this, and I'm not talking about just Norwich but the whole of the UK. We are extremely lucky to have it.