The Rittz and Friends Festival - The Club Congleton 4th August 2012
John Ainsworth
The Rittz and Friends Festival 2012
Two words for you: John Ainsworth.
I have to exercise some restraint now. Otherwise, you will never believe my review. You will just think I'm related to him. I'm not. However, it is a long time since I have been so blown away by seeing a guitar player live that I can't stop telling everyone about John.
A lot of guitar players are good, or really good, or awesome, and you enjoy their playing and that applies to everyone I saw on Saturday, to some degree or other. Some, though, are just so different, in some way, that it knocks you right out.
John Ainsworth, I knew nothing about, at all. Someone had said I should check him out so, I did. All I saw was this skinny, young lad with lots of hair and a twelve-string guitar that, almost, looked too big for him. As I waited for him to tune up, I wondered what all the fuss was about. Was he some kind of freaky Spanish Guitar fetishist, perhaps? Well, it was a sunny afternoon and I might enjoy a bit of flamenco.
Did I get my gob smacked? You bet your sweet bippy, I did.
Within thirty seconds of John beginning his set I was standing, mouth open, looking like I had just been slapped with a wet kipper. The kid was playing some seriously good blues rock and, not only was his playing and singing divine, I couldn't believe it was coming from such an unassuming young man. I was not alone in my astonishment. This was truly one of those moments of epiphany. Acoustically-speaking, he is John Martyn, Richard Thompson, Tim Buckley, Roger McGuinn, and Jorma Kaukonen all rolled into one pair of skinny jeans.
You probably think I'm mad, senile, or both. I am not. I have never been more sane. OK. Considering that anyone who knows me will attest to my madness, that's not such a smart statement but, seriously people, this lad is incredible. You remember how, when we first heard of Seasick Steve, we all went 'Wow! I have never seen anything quite like that before!' That is how I felt on Saturday. If John isn't going down a storm on the stage at Glastonbury in the next year or two, I'll go to the foot of our stairs.
But, you don't have to take your friendly, neighbourhood God of Thunder's word for it, visit johnainsworthmusic.com and listen for yourself. You can thank me later for steering you in the direction of this fantastic musician.
I just cannot understand why he isn't playing at The Congleton Jazz and Blues Festival later this month (although, I do believe he is appearing at the Down The Rabbit Hole bash this coming weekend).
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
8th August 2012
I have to exercise some restraint now. Otherwise, you will never believe my review. You will just think I'm related to him. I'm not. However, it is a long time since I have been so blown away by seeing a guitar player live that I can't stop telling everyone about John.
A lot of guitar players are good, or really good, or awesome, and you enjoy their playing and that applies to everyone I saw on Saturday, to some degree or other. Some, though, are just so different, in some way, that it knocks you right out.
John Ainsworth, I knew nothing about, at all. Someone had said I should check him out so, I did. All I saw was this skinny, young lad with lots of hair and a twelve-string guitar that, almost, looked too big for him. As I waited for him to tune up, I wondered what all the fuss was about. Was he some kind of freaky Spanish Guitar fetishist, perhaps? Well, it was a sunny afternoon and I might enjoy a bit of flamenco.
Did I get my gob smacked? You bet your sweet bippy, I did.
Within thirty seconds of John beginning his set I was standing, mouth open, looking like I had just been slapped with a wet kipper. The kid was playing some seriously good blues rock and, not only was his playing and singing divine, I couldn't believe it was coming from such an unassuming young man. I was not alone in my astonishment. This was truly one of those moments of epiphany. Acoustically-speaking, he is John Martyn, Richard Thompson, Tim Buckley, Roger McGuinn, and Jorma Kaukonen all rolled into one pair of skinny jeans.
You probably think I'm mad, senile, or both. I am not. I have never been more sane. OK. Considering that anyone who knows me will attest to my madness, that's not such a smart statement but, seriously people, this lad is incredible. You remember how, when we first heard of Seasick Steve, we all went 'Wow! I have never seen anything quite like that before!' That is how I felt on Saturday. If John isn't going down a storm on the stage at Glastonbury in the next year or two, I'll go to the foot of our stairs.
But, you don't have to take your friendly, neighbourhood God of Thunder's word for it, visit johnainsworthmusic.com and listen for yourself. You can thank me later for steering you in the direction of this fantastic musician.
I just cannot understand why he isn't playing at The Congleton Jazz and Blues Festival later this month (although, I do believe he is appearing at the Down The Rabbit Hole bash this coming weekend).
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
8th August 2012