Addison's Uncle

A cool and breezy Saturday lunchtime, and a crowd is gathering at the top of Norwich Market. Backed up against the wall of The Undercroft, and facing the four stalls that make up 'Upmarket Vintage', is Philip Pearson and his band Addison's Uncle. Without a microphone or a pair of mittens to share between them, they ran through a programme which included numbers from their recent album, 'I'd Like to Tell a Story'. This was the first in a series of free concerts planned by the four stallholders to welcome and entertain visitors onto the market in what could be seen as a move to complement the innovative promotion of the nearby Norwich Lanes. Already Jess Morgan has agreed to play on April 8th.

Apart from a tiny portable amplifier for Joe Hartley's bass, this is a purely unplugged performance. Songs like 'Beeston's Hill' perfectly illustrate Pearson's love of Norfolk folklore in a story of the mermaid that came ashore and wandered into the local church. 'The Devil Went Down to Georgia' is one of only a few covers that the band perform, and no Addison's Uncle gig is complete without a rousing sing-a-long to 'B1159', the crowd-pleasing tribute to the scenic route from Great Yarmouth to Cromer.

A well-received performance that could have possibly been even longer had their fingers not been chilled to the core, and an appearance much appreciated by shoppers and stallholders alike.