A totally "hip" operation
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- lazarus
- Location: Kingdom of Wessex
- Posts: 1659
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Hip Route Swindon, Wiltshire
Review Rating
Posted Fri 17 Oct 2008 08:20 by lazarus.
I happened upon the second half of a Hip Route gig in the Beehive the other night. Well, when I say Hip Route, it was advertised as Jim and friends, but as one of those friends was the bands wonderfully talented bassist, Matt, it was essentially the band with a guest drummer. The drummer in the this instance being the woefully unrehearsed Rich Millin, a not unfamiliar situation for him and a challenge that he always meets with style and humor. Also present was a lady percussionist adding Djembe's, shakers, blocks and musical items so obscure that I'm sure the names were known only to her.
Anyway, the net result was a fantastic set of songs, Jim's trade mark warm, whiskey soaked vocal tones and deft guitar work are always great to watch and the rhythm section weave such a solid web of sound that the result is an irresistible and infectious acoustic southern blues. Along the way you get a show case that argues that there are at least some white men that can play the blues, and a display of slide and intricate picking styles that underlines this. By the time the last song is up and running the audience is suitably armed with all manner of percussive devices and the glorious cacophony of sound that is created is both amusing and dreadfully fun, as well as being the perfect way to send everyone home grinning like a Cheshire cat.
A brilliant set by a band that make serious music without resorting to taking them selves too seriously. Tonight was all about having a good time and both band and audience seemed to be having a ball. Not bad for a Wednesday night in the back streets of Old Town.
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