St Harmonica's Blues Club - online - Palmers Green Community

st harmonicas online Missing Friday nights at the Southgate Club listening to the great bands playing at St Harmonica's? Well, we can't do anything about the lockdown, but we can do our best to recreate St Harmonica's in the comfort of your own home. So pour yourself a glass of beer, move the furniture aside to make yourself a dance floor, click on the first of the music videos below and start a text conversation with some of the people you usually meet up with at the club.

5 June 2020

This week’s playlist, selected by Chrissie and Dave Thomas, gives you a flavour of what would have been at St Harmonica’s over the last few weeks, and finishes with a train set for you to play with. Is there light at the end of the tunnel or is it just one of those on coming trains? We live in hope; enjoy the offering.

It would have been a magnificent few weeks during spring at the club as you’ll see. Over the last few weeks the playlists have featured Connor Selby, Guy Tortora and Frankie Connolly so, although they would have played for us in April and May let’s look at some of the other acts who would have entertained us this spring before playing with the train set.

These are musicians whose earnings have been seriously affected by gig cancellations. If you’re able to look at their websites and support by buying albums or through a ‘tip jar’ please do.

Keith Thompson Band

Storm Warning’s Derek White put us on to the Keith Thompson Band. Derek helps promote tours and gigs for some great players and this would have been a highlight on 24th April as part of their UK tour.

Two offerings from Keith here: one from the band, and a solo performance recorded under lockdown.

Keith Thompson: Crash N Burn - Music from the lock-down No 3

David Sinclair Four - Little Rock & Roll

David kindly provided us with a terrific playlist a couple of weeks ago but didn’t include his band in that list! They should have been at St Harmonica’s on May 22nd. Can’t wait to get this classy band booked in the future

Dexter Shaw and The Wolftones - Black Angel

You may have seen Francesca Shaw with her double bass at St Harmonica’s with Eddie Angel amongst others. We were so pleased that her father, Dexter Shaw, a legend amongst those on the 60’s British Blues scene, was booked to play. His set would have taken you right back.

Sam Kelly's Station House - When Will You Be Mine?

It’s always a pleasure to host Sam Kelly and his band in whatever incarnation they may be. One of the best drummers around, Sam leads from the drum throne and always brings top drawer musicians. This is his bands version of the Average White Band’s ‘When Will You be Mine’ and features musicians who have played with Sam at St Harmonicas.

TRAIN SET

Grateful Dead - It Takes a Lot To Laugh, It Takes a Train To Cry

One without extended solos, but a lovely laconic version of Bob Dylan’s song. Many have covered this, including the St Harmonica’s House Band. Check out also Bob Dylan’s own version from the 1975 Rollin Thunder Tour.

The Band with Paul Butterfield - Mystery Train

The Band could hit a groove like no others and Butterfield’s harp sound is terrific. Complete with false start. Trains sometimes take some getting going!

Willie Nelson - Desperados Waiting For A Train

This may not satisfy the blues police, but it’s a beautiful song from the legendary Guy Clark given a special treatment by Willie Nelson and his family. There’s some great train footage too.

Billy Bragg & Joe Henry – The Midnight Special

The Midnight Special steamed out of Houston and passed the Sugarland Penitentiary. Prisoners would hold on to the belief that if the light from the train fell on them they may be next up for parole and better times. If you haven’t read Bragg’s book Roots, Radicals & Rockers: How Skiffle Changed the World, then you must. Bragg pays homage to Lonnie Donegan’s influence on the early UK R&B scene.

Mad Dog Dave Barnes - Love In Vain

Dave always does a beautiful version of this very sad Robert Johnson song which uses a departing train as a metaphor for lost love. A few familiar faces in this recording of Dave in the Broomfield Park Orchard - a reminder of what we’re missing and a symbol of better times to come. Let the good times roll!

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