If you’re ever in need of a healthy dose of blues hits and expertly hypnotic guitar solos, I can safely say Ray Beadle is your man.
Warming up the newly renovated venue was roots-rock three-piece Eddie Boyd & The Phaterpillars. Coupling hyper onstage energy with heartfelt lyrics, the Blue Mountains trio played songs from their debut EP, A Lover And A Fool. From wah-wah ukulele solos to head-banging rock, barefooted lead man Eddie Boyd displayed real talent. However, their more crunchy tracks felt somewhat out of place in the smallish replica 1920s jazz bar.
Nevertheless the tantalizing talents of blues three-piece Ray Beadle Band gave the people what they were looking for and more. With heavy influences from the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan and John Lee Hooker, Beadle’s lengthy improvised solos infused song after song as he played through delightfully bluesy tracks like Money’s Getting Cheaper and Can’t Be Satisfied. Beadle’s suave grey suit and complex guitar licks were nicely complemented by the chocolate tones of the accompanying double bass and the drumming of George Bradley.
However, the highlights of the show were their covers of blues classics such as Charlie Segar’s Key To The Highway. Beadle’s stunning and experimental lead breaks brought out the best dance moves in all blues lovers in the venue, receiving well-deserved cheers. He also covered blues greats such as Albert King’s Born Under A Bad Sign and Robert Johnson’s Crossroads, arguably made famous by British super group Cream, and Beadle did them justice. He achieves a raw emotional honesty in his own songwriting and his smooth voice carries them out well. His improvised solos sizzle with style and surprise, captivating all ears that have the pleasure of hearing them. Ray Beadle is a fine musician and one of the best blues artists Australia has ever produced.
