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DID YOU EXPERIENCE
THE TROUBADOUR?
What a great night! Again. The
weekend of 17/18 September has turned into an annual commemoration
of Jimi Hendrix's impact on London, and London's impact on Hendrix.
The date marks the anniversary of Hendrix's death in the city in
1970. It's truly remarkable that 41-years on Hendrix can still sell
out Earls Court's Troubadour Club; at least he can in the guise of
Are You Experienced, undoubtedly the UK's top Hendrix tribute band,
admirably lead by the incomparable John Campbell.
The Troubadour Club is the ideal venue. It's a small,
basement club, not much changed since Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Nick
Drake and other folk-rock luminaries launched their careers there.
The low ceilings, alcoves and almost claustrophobic atmosphere
engendered by 120 or so howling Hendrix acolytes send shivers up
(and down!) your spine.
And Campbell knows how to manipulate his audience; with
Purple Haze he gives just enough pause for 120 voices to get to 'scuse
me while I kiss the sky (this guy)' before he does, and everyone
gets to 'where you going with that gun in your hand' that planned
fraction early. It's a perfect, crowd-pleasing performance. But not
just populist; AYE's rendition of Machine Gun is delivered every bit
as meaningfully now in these current war-torn times as it was during
the Vietnam years. Drummer, Kevin O'Grady, keeps time like an M16,
and Mark 'I Blame it on Rio' lays base notes down like well-placed
mortar rounds.
A good percentage of the crowd were 'Rhodes Rockers'; guys enjoying
a reunion weekend having met at the Lindos Rock Festival (check it
out:
http://www.classicrocktours.com/). A fair number had gone to the
bother of 'fancy dress' and it made for a colourful crowd in more
ways than one.
Great night. Nice also to some regular faces, not just the
Lindos crowd but 'authentics' like Mouse O'Brien who was a roadie at
the gig where Hendrix jammed with Cream at the Regent's Street Poly.
'Good gig', said Mouse. 'Yeah, didn't Clapton walk off stage in
tears?'. 'No, not that one. This one.' Praise indeed.
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