NINE BELOW ZERO & DAVE THOMAS
As Johnson fiddles whilst the country burns, I fear that this will be the last show I see for a while. By all that is holy and unholy, I hope that will not be the case. If it is, this would not be the show that I chose to be my last gig for some time and I am here to fill in for an Outline colleague who can’t make it. Still, beggars can’t be choosers and all that and NINE BELOW ZERO delivered a damned fine set of blues-country-rock ‘n’ roll.
Vocalist/guitarist Dennis Greaves is resplendent in a white suit, looking not unlike a less rumpled and certainly less stained Lee Brilleaux. Throughout the show, Greaves is an entertaining, engaging raconteur. To his left long-term compadre Mark Feltham has the look of an east end tough and provides fiery harmonica, or, as Greaves puts it, “gob iron”. Joining the mainstays are bassist Ben Willis, Charlie Austen on vox and percussion, Greaves’ aptly named progeny Sonny on drums and Tom Monks on keys, guitar and vocals.
In an hour and a half, the band rock their way through a seventeen song main set plus two song encore. It is fair to say that Nine Below Zero do nowt new but they definitely do their thing very well. One Way Street rocks like a mutha, Ter Wit Ter Woo, with Austen taking lead vocals, and One of Sour, Two of Sweet are cracking country-rock. Austen takes the lead again for Recycle Me’s ode to organ donors that fair brings a tear to the eye. The driving blues of Cold Cruel Heart sees Feltham take the lead. Other highlights include the rollicking roots rocker Don’t Point Your Finger at the Guitar Man and the jazz-clues of Call It Stormy Monday but Tuesday Is Just As Bad, complete with scorching extended gob-iron work out from Feltham. And then there is a stormingDown In The Dirt Again, played in response to an audience request and, if Greaves is to be believed, a song that this line-up has never played together.
Finishing the main set with Eleven Plus Eleven before an encore of Rocking’ Robin and a jammed out Wooly Bully, it is clear that all of the members of Nine Below Zero have put their hearts and souls into this performance. What they do may not be completely my thing but by ‘eck it is fun and I’ve had a good time.
A quick word about support DAVE THOMAS. Active since the ‘60’s, Thomas is well respected on the blues scene and most recent album One More Mile has sold well in the UK, USA and Australia. Having only caught a few songs, I am not really in a position to offer any deep, meaningful comments. What I saw was decent, mid-paced blues rock with some searing lead guitar. It is not really my thing but I can recognise the talent and commitment on display.
