Posted by Nick Courtney My first gig at the well known RMA Tavern and not what I expected at all. I have been here many times as a spectator and it has generally been a very well behaved, attentive atmosphere where the melody and lyric rules. Unfortunately (or fortunately - depending on your set list) half way through Tom Kelsall's set the pub was invaded by a gaggle of giggling girls in cowboy hats on a hen night :-) Lucky for Ade Cull, he had managed to fit his 20 minute set in before the girls arrived. And their appearance was exactly what Tom's set needed, as they really appreciated his Oasis, Tina Turner and Elvis Costello covers. I, on the other hand, had planned to do a nice, quiet set of my more reflective numbers which, in this new oestrogen-charged atmosphere, would have gone done like a fart in a space suit - and a fart that no one would have heard above the screaming and laughter. So I revised my plans. I played Damien Rice's 'Delicate', Coldplay's 'The Scientist', 'A Lover Sings' by Billy Bragg and finished off with a couple of my own - 'Mini Ha-Ha' (a request from the girls :-))) and Mister Barista. Nick Courtney got up next and, despite telling everyone that he wasn't very good, was very good. Slightly worried about his last number which was a manic, half-crazed rendition of the 'Laughing Policeman', but it kind of works. Kind of. Ross Patrick struggled a little I think. His set was absolutely fine, but without his rapturous minions hanging on his every word I don't think he gave it the 100% he normally does. Having said that, of course, Dave Trott said to me during Ross's set "Do you remember when he was too shy to even look at the audience when he was singing?". Which I do because it's not all that long ago :-) Milwaukee Dave finished the evening off in exactly the right fashion, bashing out some classic covers. A girl standing next to me asked me why he kept shouting so much? I told her he had issues :-) but I was a bit worried when he stopped, pointed at me and shouted "You boy, stop!" - I thought for a second he had heard me - but he then went into a rendition of Floyd's 'The Wall'. Phew :-) An enjoyable nights music in the end, but not the night I was expecting. I managed to escape the clutches of the hen party and was back home by midnight for a cup of cocoa and a good book before bed. Somehow I don't think the same will be true for the mighty Tom Kelsall who's birthday it was. Link: http://www.kevhardy.com/
on August 27, 2005, 1:40 pm
172.200.58.165
Roger Courtney open mike Club members road Show at the RMA Taven as part of the Southsea Folk Roots and blues festival. Reviewed by http://www.kevhardy.com/
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