Guitar heroes is a place where the music is still really experienced, the German audience is honest and courteous towards the bands. They sing and clap when asked and it is completely silent when necessary. It feels like a warm bath for the artists at Gerd’s Jukejoint which they translate into dazzling performances.
The opening act of the weekend was the English band Connolly Hayes. This band was formed when singer/guitarist Frankie Connolly met singer Jesse Hayes, the click was there immediately and the style in which they wanted to operate came naturally. They are often compared to Tedeschi/Trucks because the song Midnight in Harlem was shared a lot on social media.
However, the band is more than that, although that comparison does have some similarities. The power of Connolly Hayes lies in the match of the voices but certainly also of the guitars. In addition to the pointed playing of Frankie Connolly, this is alternated with the soulful sound of Richard Clarke. The interplay is a magical match on both levels. Keep an eye on this band.
The King King tour bus really stirred up the organizer Gerd, he had never had anything like it on his terrain before.
King King is a band that needs no further introduction, yet I spoke to many German blues fans for whom this performance was their first introduction to this band from Scotland. Given the enthusiasm of many, it was a pleasant introduction. The blues of King King is also pleasant to listen to. And although Alan Nimmo complained of having a cold, there was no sign of it. I had already seen King King twice this year, where they played almost the same set but had completely changed it. It was enjoyable, you could hear a pin drop during “Stranger to love”, and then sang along to classics like “Waking up” and “Rush hour” at the top of your lungs.
On Saturday Java/Webster made their appearance. At the beginning of the year Erwin and Sean had released a new album of which they played many songs here and that was refreshing. As soon as Sean starts a slow blues the audience melts away, it is the power of his voice, a voice that radiates hopelessness that radiates an intensity that makes everything a tearjerker of the highest order. The Clapton song “River of tears” went through marrow and bone. After the lack of volume on Erwin’s guitar was solved, it became clear how competitive a duo they are on guitar. What they conjured up in a duo solo of “Hey Woman” was something I had never heard before, goosebumps and simply fantastic. Tour manager Suse said that she had never seen Erwin shine. It is the magic of Guitar heroes, of Gerd’s Juke joint.
At the festival, on the camping and with the people you spoke to, there was a strange “buzz” about the English band Brave Rival. It was what people came for, that buzz that blew around this band made me very curious. Brave rival would perform twice on Saturday their regular show and on Sunday an acoustic set.
Now that I am writing this, both performances come back to mind and I am just as speechless as I was then. This band belongs in the champions league of blues rock. Everything is right, the presentation, the voices, the sound, the power of the songs with the accompanying emotions, the individual class of the musicians. They touch your soul.
During their regular set, things get heavy, it is full speed ahead. They opened with “Bad choices”, the opening track of their new album and a perfect calling card. The core of Brave Rival is formed by singers Lindsey Bonnick and Chloe Josephine, together with multi-instrumentalist Donna Peters (drums, guitar, keys). After the arrival of guitarist Ed ‘the Shred’ Clarke, Brave Rival got the boost they needed. The man can fly off the handle at a blistering speed to show a subtlety in no time that makes you wonder where he gets it from. However, the eye-catchers are Lindsey and Chloe, they determine the atmosphere with their voices, with their incredible timing. They have been singing together for twelve years, know each other’s deepest valleys and know how to translate them into the most beautiful songs.
Especially during the acoustic performance on Sunday, the audience could not keep it dry, introduced by their own experiences not shying away from sharing them with the audience, everyone could express their own emotions, whether it was about your loved ones or the loss of people who are dear to you. Brave Rival grabbed you by the throat.
Their fusion of Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whisky” with Etta James “I Rather go blind”, and a bewitchingly beautiful performance of “The sound of Silence” earned a standing ovation. With many British blues awards under their belt, their talent is recognized, but this will certainly not be the last we hear from this band. Their new album Fight of Flight is a spectacle of the highest order. Their first performance in Germany was a great success, I hope they will soon make the crossing to the Netherlands, go see this.
