Oli Brown "came home" on his band's "Open Road" tour when the trio played Norwich Arts Centre on 13th March. Half of my blues band were able to attend, as part of a sold-out crowd, as we discovered we'd been supplanted (by a much worse band, I'll be bound) at a pub gig we had been booked six months earlier to play on that very night - ah well, what do they say about organising drinky-poos in a brewery?
The NAC crowd was well-enthusiastic about Oli's two generous sets (there was a fair-to-middling support act too) and the NAC sound system was not as unflattering to the band as is sometimes the case at that venue - they did manage to fail completely to bring the sliders up for Fred Hollis's one (well-telegraphed) bass solo, but what's new?
Sound levels generally were pretty thunderous, but the arrangements were excellently executed, and the band's dynamics were absolutely superb, from a roar to a whisper and back again. Oli played very well (as always) and his voice improves all the while - now he's in his late teens a little more timbral weight has enhanced his expressiveness noticeably. The rhythm duo (both of whom supply harmony vocals) are an interesting blend - Simon Dring's drumming is rock-solid and very much in the blues-rock mould, while Hollis's six-string bass work is fleet, quite complex for a blues band (if that's what it still is)and very much flavoured with funk figures and jazz-rock patterns.
Oli's now moved away, at least on the evidence of this gig, from his previous custom Stonetree guitars, as a result I understand of a new endorsee deal with Vanquish guitars (January 2009) – and pretty impressive are the results of the change of axe, both visually and, more important, in terms of tone and delivery. The band oozed professionalism from every pore, from their stage dress to Oli's conscious moves to ensure that all parts of the venue get a decent sight-line to his part of the stage, and the slickness of the stop-times. unison rhythmic accents, rests and endings is admirable.
A packed house and a good night out - the blues moves on to another place . .
