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GA-20 Live @ St Mary’s, Chester

GA-20 ring a few bells in St Mary’s, Chester

Since dropping out from a tree, and unable to see GA20 in June, I’ve been keeping my fingers crossed that the November tour would go ahead, and I would be fit enough to go. Come the day, all dropped into place nicely, the church of St Mary in Chester, was set for the boys from Boston. Just one disappointment, where were the GA20 amps? Just carrying guitars across the pond these days is a bit of a trial, so I’ll forgive that, but Fender amps!!!!

A good crowd had gathered for the band, but first, we were roundly ‘warmed up’ by local blues shouter, Tom Blackwell, who also brought a touch of blunt humour much appreciated by anyone residents or ex residents of Whitehall. Certainly worth a check out if he brings his Americana/Blues to a venue near you.

On stage, an eclectic collection of guitars awaited Matt Stubbs and Pat Faherty, he’s the one with a ball of black hair and bushy beard, his voice emanating from out of the tightly meshed ‘nest’. Stacked behind were the aged Fender amps, Tim Carman’s big age matured drum set sat between the walls of sound. The band burst into life with their distinctive sound that nestles nicely in the late 50’s, early pre pop/blues explosion 60’s, it’s a wonderful vibe that fits like a second skin, ‘Just Because’ it can! It slips smoothly down like a spoonful of honey. ‘Dry Run’, is equally lush, a new girl but just a flirt, who cares, what a fabulous 5o’s soul brother to prop you up at the bar as you console your loss.

They dipped into their Hound Dog Taylor album for the effervescent ‘Give Me Back My Wig’, now there’s a name to conjure with Theodore Roosevelt Taylor! Matt is on his ‘Telecaster’, Pat electrically charged, is hopping round the stage with a Kawai that bristles with pickups or cutting some riffs with the “toy” Harmony Stratotone, the sound far exceeding rational expectation. Tim does the biz, with a smile on his face, delivering with deft touch or percussive explosions, to the crowded Nave, bodies moving and shuffling to the engaging sounds. ‘She’s Gone’ has Pat’s shimmering slide burning through, with Tim breaking out some thumping paradiddling drums.

Thump, thump, a slow heavy pulse and Pat’s burying the slide into Houndog’s, ‘It Hurts Me Too’. It’s difficult to leap forward with such a dynamic show, but needs must, I’m just about, ‘Cracking Up’, I’ve already reserved my vinyl, just need it signed, and I’ll soon be ‘Sittin’ Home Alone’ again, with that heart breaker, slide riven song in mind. Still time to luxuriate in the fabulous, ‘Fairweather Friend’, we all know a few, but if they grooved like this, we wouldn’t care. Pat’s howling out the opening vocals of the beautiful, ‘Easy On The Eyes’, the old Harmony Stratotone sounds wonderful, despite looking like a half pint next to the Kawai. The song calms the soul, your pulse settles to the rhythm as your ears drink in the stunning slide work, Its easy to overlook Matt, but his input is essential, he’s cutting riffs or weaving frameworks, it just wouldn’t work without him, any side man of Charlie Musselwhite has to be taken seriously.

GA20 are working up a lather as we head toward the close, it's been an unforgettable evening, one of the most enjoyable gigs on any measure, it was time to get, ‘Funky’, a blistering rockabilly paced Hound Dog Taylor floor filler, no time to stand still in a corner, you have to get out and move to the groove.

With so few shows allocated to the UK in their European tour, chances are you’d have missed them, but make a note, I’m assured they are returning in spring, Matt hints, maybe with a new album, join me there, it’ll be memorable.

GA 20 are Matt Stubbs, Guitar; Pat Faherty, Guitar, Vocals; and Tim Carman, Drums

http://ga20band.com/ http://www.facebook.com/ga20blues/

Albums; Lonely Soul; GA 20 does Hound Dog Taylor; Crackdown

Extra; as I write this, GA 20 have released a superb new single (29.11.22) ‘ATL’, recorded late after a show in Atlanta, the single is inspired by Muddy Waters ‘Electric Mud’ an album where Chicago Blues crashed headlong into psychedelic music. Its an instrumental groove that might just catch you out. Destined for their next album? I don’t know, but Matt does like to slot in the odd instrumental.

Words & Photos Graham Munn

#livereview #GA 20 #live #st mary's #chester