Congleton Jazz and Blues Festival 2012 - 25/26th August 2012
The Robin Pierce Band
Now, by this time, it's getting on for 8 o' the clock and I need to walk across town to prove myself right, yet again.
It's RPB Time!
Robin Pierce is someone I should know more about. My lack of knowledge of these local acts is largely down to public transport. Bear with me...
Since I came back from Germany (my car had been written off whilst I was away) I found myself back in Congleton, with no transport. As I didn't 'need' a car, and they are so damn expensive these days, I thought if I need to go anywhere I can get the bus. In fact, I had got used to the excellent Munich public transport system and it had just worked. Oh. Yeah, 'The 38'. If you've ever been on it, you know. Get a bus to Hanley? If you have a fortune, a spare spine, and a whole day to waste. Bus to Leek? Only if you go to Macclesfield first and change. Bus back from anywhere to Congleton after a gig in, say, Newcastle? Not bloody likely!
So, I don't get to gigs like I used to.
See, public transport is causing me to be ignorant.
It's RPB Time!
Robin Pierce is someone I should know more about. My lack of knowledge of these local acts is largely down to public transport. Bear with me...
Since I came back from Germany (my car had been written off whilst I was away) I found myself back in Congleton, with no transport. As I didn't 'need' a car, and they are so damn expensive these days, I thought if I need to go anywhere I can get the bus. In fact, I had got used to the excellent Munich public transport system and it had just worked. Oh. Yeah, 'The 38'. If you've ever been on it, you know. Get a bus to Hanley? If you have a fortune, a spare spine, and a whole day to waste. Bus to Leek? Only if you go to Macclesfield first and change. Bus back from anywhere to Congleton after a gig in, say, Newcastle? Not bloody likely!
So, I don't get to gigs like I used to.
See, public transport is causing me to be ignorant.
Robin Pierce is someone I should know more about. I have seen him twice before, at The Dirty Dozen, in April, and The Rittz and Friends Festival, in August. At The White Lion, I couldn't get close enough to see anything. At The Club, I did but it was overcast and raining and the camera was playing silly buggers. So, technically, I hadn't seen The Robin Pierce Band before.
It was not what I was expecting, I have to say. Acoustic guitar, drums, and keyboards? I've seen some combinations, over the years but, this one, was unusual. The Doors? Last time I saw guitars, drums, and keyboards, it was, er, Atomic Rooster!
Well, it wasn't quite Nuclear Chicken-heavy, then again, not many bands were/are. If I write that it was 'surprisingly good' don't take that to imply that I expected it to be bad. I didn't. I mean that I didn't expect RPB to be as good as they were.
It was not what I was expecting, I have to say. Acoustic guitar, drums, and keyboards? I've seen some combinations, over the years but, this one, was unusual. The Doors? Last time I saw guitars, drums, and keyboards, it was, er, Atomic Rooster!
Well, it wasn't quite Nuclear Chicken-heavy, then again, not many bands were/are. If I write that it was 'surprisingly good' don't take that to imply that I expected it to be bad. I didn't. I mean that I didn't expect RPB to be as good as they were.
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I already know that Robin is a pretty good guitar player and that he has a fine set of pipes on him. His original songs are very good, with a nice anthemic, memorable feel The choice of covers is clever, too. Once again, he did The Chain, with the loop. It is damn impressive. What I didn't expect was the drummer. Pure, 100% octopus-in-a-bathtub. Fantastic! The keyboard player gives off a Ray Manzarek vibe, keeping everything in order, letting the show-offs hog the limelight. Together, they make one hell of a sound, it has to be said.
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Robin is the focal point of the eponymous band, but the drummer just hammers the hell out of the kit, rebuilding it after every onslaught, and you just can't help but watch his antics, it adds a kind of Ren and Stimpy quality to the proceedings. He's great fun to watch; action behind the action, as it were. It's the kind of thing that draws you to a band. It makes them human. That the songs kick ass doesn't harm, either. Of the original songs, Fanfare and Coming Home I particularly like, although they have yet to play something I hate. Of the covers, The Chain, I already mentioned. Tonight (and I wish I'd video'd it) I saw one of the most astonishing versions of Robert Johnson's Crossroads that I have ever seen. It was incredible. Just ass-kickingly amazing. Normally, Crossroads is not a song that gets a high-octane, full-fat, leaded treatment. With RPB it did and how it rocked. I would go and see them again just to see them do that one song.
I could not have been more impressed with The Robin Pierce Band. Because you are seeing a bunch of local guys, in a small pub venue, you tend to forget that they may well be used to playing to thousands of people in arenas, the rest of the week and, for them, they just play, no matter if you're right next to the microphone or, half-a-mile away, across a field.
I have seen lots of blues/rock/R n B bands over the years and most are excellent. Many have been doing the circuit for years, are total professionals and have been there, done that, vomited on the t-shirt. Some are young and have potential but need to tread the boards and learn some gigcraft. Then, sometimes you see a band and you think, yeah, that's really good. If they get a decent break, they could go places. At this point, I feel about The Robin Pierce Band about the same as I did after seeing The Aynsley Lister Band for the first time, back in the '90s. And, if you've been paying attention, you'll know that I rate Aynsley, rather highly.
A decent support slot, a good festival opening, a bit of radio airplay, some useful promotion and you could be hearing much more of these chaps.
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
1st September 2012
I have seen lots of blues/rock/R n B bands over the years and most are excellent. Many have been doing the circuit for years, are total professionals and have been there, done that, vomited on the t-shirt. Some are young and have potential but need to tread the boards and learn some gigcraft. Then, sometimes you see a band and you think, yeah, that's really good. If they get a decent break, they could go places. At this point, I feel about The Robin Pierce Band about the same as I did after seeing The Aynsley Lister Band for the first time, back in the '90s. And, if you've been paying attention, you'll know that I rate Aynsley, rather highly.
A decent support slot, a good festival opening, a bit of radio airplay, some useful promotion and you could be hearing much more of these chaps.
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
1st September 2012