Another fantastic Triple Bill featuring Rebecca Downes & Her Band, Robbie McIntosh & His Band and the amazing Chris Bevington Organisation.
‘There’s Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Robbie McIntosh.’ – Chris Rea
‘The guitarist’s guitarist.’ – Q Magazine
Guitarist Robbie McIntosh has one of the highest musical pedigrees you’ll find anywhere on the planet and has legendary status among his fellow musicians. His career to date includes spells as guitarist with The Pretenders, Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Tom Jones, John Mayer, and Norah Jones. Robbie has played many of the world’s top festivals and venues. Among his numerous TV and radio appearances, Robbie was with Sir Tom Jones on Jools Holland’s Hootenanny BBC TV show on New Year’s Eve 2015 and Zucherro in 2016. As a long-term member of The Pretenders, Robbie played at Live Aid in 1985 and on UK hits Don’t Get Me Wrong, 2000 Miles, Thin Line Between Love and Hate, Middle of the Road, Hymn To Her, My Baby and US platinum selling albums Learning To Crawl and Get Close.
Rebecca Downes
Birmingham-based Rebecca and her band are a ‘must see’ live act that often leaves newcomers simply blown away by the power of the performance.
With her co-writer Steve Birkett alongside her, a very tight band behind, and Rebecca’s powerful voice to the fore, the 5-piece outfit performs original rock/blues tracks from the EP Real Life, the highly-acclaimed debut album Back To The Start and the superb second album Believe, punctuated by one or two classic covers.
Rebecca was voted Best Female Vocalist and Best Emerging Artist at the British Blues Awards 2016 and was again voted Best Female Blues Vocalist of the Year in the FORM UK Blues Awards 2018.
Rebecca was born and grew up in Wolverhampton. She first started performing live music when aged 13 and as a teenager wrote and performed her own material.
The current band started when she linked up with Steve Birkett a few years ago – a partnership that ‘clicked’, to the intense excitement of those around the pair. Their core genre was the Blues, but right from the start they have stretched their music in the direction of rock and that move is set to continue. Other core members of the band are Rick Benton (keys), Vince Yarrington (Bass) and Lloyd Daker (Drums).
The autumn of 2018 will see a third studio album containing exciting new material honed by Rebecca and Steve with advice from producer Chris Kimsey, famous for working with the Rolling Stones and Peter Frampton amongst many others. Rebecca will be touring in 2018, both as a support and headline act, as well as appearing at festivals in the UK and Europe.
Join us on the journey, catch and enjoy a live performance, come and say hello, be part of something exciting, spread the word and, above all… Believe
Chris Bevington
Some artists break the mould with staggering new sounds and others take the known and create something new. Then there are artists who simply play with such verve and joi de vivre that they make the common sound fresh and alive and that is where Chris Bevington finds himself – this album is full of the classic sounds of Blues and soul but it has a great life and swing.
Chris Bevington has been around for years mainly playing with local bands in the North West and playing support to some of the bigger names on the circuit but as far as I know this is his first solo escapade and he seems to have brought many years of playing and of picking the sounds he likes to this album. Musically the styles vary from big and brash Blues/soul to slow Blues and every track seems to drip with groove and feeling but the general feeling is of a man having a blast in the studio and the fun seems to leap off the speakers and infect the listener – this is just damn good!
He is joined by a host of musicians, all of whom are fine players, but it is definitely his album and the bass playing throughout is excellent. The vocal side sees a traverse from Blues shouting to deep and soulful emotive wailing. On ‘All I Need Is You’ Scott Ralph pleads with passion and the harmonica from Rob Wilkinson is dark and mournful while ‘I Don’t Need No Doctor’ has the right punch and force with backing vocals by Sarah Miller and Angela Lazenby giving some pizzazz. ‘Crossroads’ is dense and swampy with some fine guitar and a brilliantly heavy bass line and ‘Blue On Black’ takes you in a very American direction – almost Doobie Brothers like but the absolute standout is the closer ‘Party Right Here’, a brilliant bit of boogie that just hits a spot that needs hitting.
He has been getting some rave reviews and after listening to this I can understand why – belting album that just needs to be played on repeat.
