Review: The Tuesday Night Music Club, Coulsdon By Nigel Foster.

Transcript of review by Nigel Foster:

Introduce me to a man that arrives at a gig with 3 pristine Gibson Les Pauls, one of which was a beautiful gold top, then I am interested. Start your set with a rip snorting version of Messin' With The Kid and you have got me hooked.

That sure happened tonight when The Neil Sadler Band rolled into Coulsdon to deliver two totally superb sets of real blues, much of which was rooted in the earthy delta blues sphere.

After tonight I have immediately added the band to those that I consider as authentic blues power trios. The trio being completed with Kev Langman on bass and Ray Barwell on drums.

The trio performed a high proportion of original compositions, taken from 2024 album release Past to Present together with some stone cold blues classics. That said the latter were not slavish covers, they were superbly interpreted versions with a high degree of self expression from the band.

One thing that struck me early on was that tone is clearly hugely important to Neil because he generated a beautiful clean tone from each of his Les Pauls.

Bright Lights Big City butted right against Messin' With The Kid and resulted in a fiery start to the gig as the rhythm section pumped out a throbbing groove that lay under Neil's initial riffing that he then sliced open with scorching sustained solos, all of which framed the howling vocals.

The trio showcased their versitility and understanding of the blues when they showcased the slow burn blues of No Love Left No More. Ray and Kev slid in together pouring out drum and bass lines that Neil framed with a sweeping lead break whilst laying down the evocative vocal.

Let Your Hair Down Honey was delivered as a slab of dirty delta blues, a real shin kicker built on a greased rail heavy groove that laid a platform for Neil to don the slide bottle and arc and spark his way up and down the frets. Neil's down and deep voice was draped atop all of these sounds.

Jimi Hendrix's Red House was another slice of slow blues with the stretched rhythms that Neil was in step with some nice lead breaks before he took his leave to unleash an extended Wah Wah driven solo rammed full of notes. Neil was still able to handle the rough edged vocals.

40 Miles Of Bad Road showed itself to be a straight ahead foot to the floor blues rocker that roared to the mid show break.

The second set opened in quite magnificent style in the form of instrumental No Rush. Neil's fret work was absolutely beautiful as he played blues drenched tones and dexterity that immediately evoked memories of Gary Moore for me. Further evidenced by the string bending and sustained notes all of which rested over the subtly rhythm laid down by Kev and Ray.

Memphis Minnie's When The Levee Breaks was a low gear grind of clipped hard riffs dueling with the forcing drum fills and bass patterns that lifted Neil's brooding vocal delivery.

I ain't Gonna Cross No River showed out as a deep haunting song built on the low deft drum and bass flurries that wrapped around Neil's vulnerable voice and his dexterous sweeps across the frets.

We were then treated to a double shot of furious Status Quo style piledriving boogie as the trio punched out A Bad Case Of Company Blues and Led Zeppelin's In My Time Of Dying. In the former Ray and Kev locked in a throbbing groove that Neil jumped on with a series of rabid riffs and in the latter he carved out a tumultuous solo, hands high on the neck sqeezing out notes then switching to slashing the strings.

Then a lovely touch and nod to Neil's great friend Larry Miller as the trio delivered two Larry classics in fine energetic raucaus style, the piston pumping rocker Daddy's Car and the threatening FBI.

Similarly there was a firm nod to the godfather of the blues, Robert Johnson as the trio ripped into a hot Crossroads Blues, heavy throb. drum and bass salvo matched by scorching lead riffs from Neil as he also pushed out the vocal.

The standing ovation that followed was thoroughly deserved and ensured an encore that was a riotous celebration to finish the gig. Rory Gallagher's bruiser Bullfrog Blues. One last demonstation of a locked in driving rhythm section and searing, scorching slide runs from Neil. The voice needed and and got power to rise above the maelstrom of sonics.

A second standing ovation hopefully conveyed our appreciation to the guys.

Richard and Rosalind another triumph and same to Mikey at the sound desk.

THANK YOU NIGEL. PHOTO BY JOE STERRY