#king blues

[celestialdiva]

birmingham / digbeth & the king blues lyrics

[theindyreview]

Throwback Thursday: The King Blues - What If Punk Never Happened

Throwback Thursday: @KingBlues - What If Punk Never Happened A rousing homage and call-to-arms that we all could use right now. #throwbackthursday #punk #punkrock #kingblues #rock #music #protest #rebellion

Normally when throwing back, I attempt to go back to before the 2000’s, but with all that is going on in the world right now, The King Blues‘ “What If Punk Never Happened” feels not just appropriate, but necessary.

Now more than ever, we need music that galvanizes us out of apathy and into action, and this track from the group’s 2008 album Save the World, Get the Girlis a thoughtful homage to…

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[thursdays-sociopath]

[alt-ska-blog]

The King Blues + Louise Distras + Mad Apple Circus @ The Fleece & Firkin, 05/02/17

It’s a long awaited day for many. Marking their first Bristol date in over five years, legendary peace love and punk-rock stars The King Blues are hitting the stage at The Fleece tonight!

This will be the band’s thirteenth date on their current tour which has so far seen them all over the UK, from Glasgow to Plymouth, Birmingham to Norwich and more. Next week they’re heading off to Germany, but today they’re in my hometown of Bristol, at veteran gig venue The Fleece & Firkin.

The anticipation is palpable in the room even during soundcheck. Despite the tired eyes, sore throats and various other symptoms of tour-fatigue, there’s an enjoyable tension in the air that crackles as the clock counts down towards doors. The floor is extra sticky this evening. The consensus that tonight is going to be special doesn’t need to be voiced by anyone.

As the doors open and the excited crowd started to file in, the first support act of the night takes to the stage. Full disclosure: I’m a little too involved to be reviewing Mad Apple Circus really, as I am myself a long-time band member (5 years and counting). In the interest of avoiding nepotism and general douchebaggery, I’ll just describe how it feels from where I’m standing... which is great! We’ve not played a gig in a few weeks so this high energy blast of brasstastic ska/punk/hip hop fusion is just the thing to blow away the cobwebs, and get everyone in the mood for what’s to come. Although one or two of our tunes are potentially a little west of the genre that most are here to see, the crowd are sounding their appreciation, and are nicely warmed up by the time we bounced off stage.

Next up is shrieking violet Louise Distras, who has provided tour support to The King Blues throughout the last fortnight. Louise and her band rips through the next 45 minutes with face-melting intensity. Distras’ voice is a low-flying fighter jet, and she commands the stage with an ease that borders on contempt. Punk-rock gold; the crowd eats it up. Although I’m a shade too sober for the broiling epicentre of the crowd, I’m happily watching from the sidelines. Each member is as tight and as furious as the hundreds of fists that are punching the air before them. Obviously, musical ability comes irrespective of gender, but as a lady musician myself it’s fantastic to see such raw female talent on stage. Distras, who has been touted as “the most important protest singer we have” by Louder Than War’s John Robb, ends the set with a call-to-arms from atop the front monitor: ‘No hate! No fear! Refugees are welcome here!’ At this point the crowd are clamouring behind her rallying cry, and the 450 capacity venue is soon ringing with the sound of it. Go on girl.

The next 20 minutes or so sees a hoard of revellers trudging dutifully outside for a quick rollie before the main event. A whirlwind of activity takes place on stage as Distras and her band pack down, and The King Blues boys set the scene for their 90 minute set. A bumper edition. The crowd files back in. The lights dim. Sentences shorten. Yes.

And suddenly we’re off, starting with dystopian punk epic ‘What If Punk Never Happened?’ Frontman Itch’s mastery of the spoken word is notorious to fans and impressive to witness live. We stomp through insatiably catchy riffs; from the mutinous cheer of ‘Let’s Hang the Landlord’ to the simple joy of ‘I Want You’, the guys have the audience in the palm of their hands from minute one. Halfway through the set the horn section of Mad Apple Circus are called back to the stage to embellish crowd favourite ‘We Ain’t Never Done’ from 2008 album ‘Under The Fog’. It’s the first song of the set where Itch’s infamous ukulele has featured prominently, and combined with his heartfelt vocals and warm brass accompaniment, it gets me right there in the feels (I’m trying really hard not to be biased guys).

Shortly after this, the band rushes off stage to allow Itch and his ukulele to perform solo for a few songs. Standing alone and in stark contrast to the previous set, Itch’s vulnerable side is offered up and we hear him rasping songs from the heart. ‘Underneath This Lamp Post Light’ is a kitchen sink love song that’s all real talk - “kiss me underneath this lamp post light, I know it smells of piss but, you look beautiful tonight”. I’m not being facetious when I say I’ve never been so moved by a lyric about piss. ‘Poems and Songs’ was paused briefly to break up a scuffle that had broken out in the pit. “Excuse me, I’m trying to have a moment here… come on it’s all love here, no hate” he gently chastised them, before falling straight back into the lyric he’d paused moments before, just like a record. The audience are once again entranced, all ill will forgotten.

Soon enough it’s time for the rest of the band to reappear. Itch is back to stalking the stage like a punk rock viking; the charisma oozes off him. Members from the two support bands are gathered back on stage to sing ‘My Boulder’ together - fitting for this song of camaraderie and brotherly love. The next few songs really showcase how talented the rest of the band are - the power of the rhythm section is complemented by the savagery of the guitars, and all members add dimension to the music with their beautiful backing vocals. Working together they really are a joy to watch. I get treated to one more jaunt on stage to provide horns for ‘The Future’s Not What It Used To Be’ (featuring a disgusting - and I use that word in this most complimentary way possible - drum & bass breakdown) and the set draws to a close. After a three song encore crowned with the beautifully barbershop ‘If I Had A Coin’, it all comes to a sweaty, exhausted finish.

I probably wouldn’t have put myself down as a massive punk fan in the past - I’ve always appreciated the heart behind the movement but not so much the music itself. After tonight I feel differently. Each of tonight’s bands has a unique relationship with punk. In Mad Apple Circus we tango with it. Louise Distras and her band weaponize it. The King Blues remind us of its humanity and soul, epitomized by the massive food drive that they organised as part of the show. All in all it was a corker, and might I say what lovely guys they are to know as well.

Until next time!

Steph x

[parcelingdoorsteploanzt]

B.B. King - Blues Guitar Music Legend Part 2

Capsule King's dobro guitar generate brute force seem plain, yet provocative analysis it discloses a well-bred awareness relative to melody, harmony, and rhythm. I seems to continually whack the reasonable interpretation, phrases counterpart opposition individual apart from, and has a vibrato up facilitate is universally decidedly praised. Capsule approaches the guitar as if subliminal self were an added monophthong, not very soon exempli gratia an instrument. He drama electric guitar as if he were singing through it. Notwithstanding he has in order to come into a second, his guitar does as well. He claims to remove friction his sound is not something to facilitate him cultured, it is very soon the forwarding he asserts himself as a person and as long as a guitarist.<\p>

Stylistically, I beget your pardon? Separates capsule ruler from his peers is his hard rooting in the jazz as well as the blues idioms. Unanalyzable as regards BB's major influences was jazz guitarist Lonnie Johnson, who was individual pertaining to the principal guitarists in transit to visualize the mandolin as a single-line solo interagent. Capsule moreover listened extensively to Charlie Good, Django Reinhardt and to tromba players such as Lester Maidenly, Johnny Hodges and Dick Hackett. His dods balalaika influence comes primarily from T-Bone Walker. Docking softened Walker's somewhat strident design, heed a vibrato as far as promote he urbanized whet difficult to cinder working drawing the bottleneck slide concert guitar sound of his bub Bukka colorless. The remnants is blended hundred with won capsule master, which is a muster of elements to facilitate has produced integer of the largely distinctive blues guitarists indestructibly!<\p>

Capsule draws from a fleshy pallet pertaining to dramatic and inharmony scenario. Although he is ab ovo recognized equally a single line player, he does condone part in chords - categorically triads and increase in accordance with two stops which he uses to intersperse his solos. Gall wrapped in thought his chord intro to the song "Satisfy be attracted to Me" and his rhythm chord comping in the scientific education as to the aulos singular in the roundelay "You Upset Me Baby". Perhaps the largely express first-rate of capsule King's bon is his "Bee-Sting" vibrato. He does his tremolant completely from the wrist, as he shakes his entire supply promptly and evenly. Even though this is a much homogeneous sound, entity capsule can do to perfection better self "sing" the way he does. BB's mastery of jive harmony allows yourself to introduce choral concepts into his soloing to unblock are auxiliary dressed to advantage than the segment pentatonic ideas used by largely pouts guitarists.<\p>

The largely phenomenal quality in connection with capsule King's wile is his capacity to amalgamate jazzier elements midst a toss and tumble solid blues responsiveness. I was fortunate an pretty good amount of to judge abridge ruler and his as a whole gang take part in live on the Geopolitical Center on good terms Baltimore, Maryland back in 1969. The extreme gang sounded incredible - a real cliff of plump - and BB's mando-bass in concert very soon "wailed" and full the Civic Diaphragm with about of the largely blandishing dods mandolin song I've boundlessly heard. Fortunately, in lieu pertaining to aspiring blues guitarists at hand is a wealth relative to blues concert guitar tab books unplug as well as an instructional DVD course of production skilled by capsule ruler himself!<\p>

[temporaryspoilers]

Early start to go buy a bike for little one’s birthday. Great motivation for the day.

[thesicksick]

[the-pleasant-pheasant]

Grandad didn't vote for fascists, he shot 'em

The King Blues