The weather this weekend is pants. It’s cold and windy, there’s still snow on the ground and I am still full of the lurgy kindly donated to me by Gun the other week. But. There’s a party to go to so I pull on the dancing trousers and head up the M6. First of all, things aren’t looking good – the show was due to be at the Alhambra but due to the aforementioned weather there was a burst pipe and a LOT of water there, so the lovely ladies from RPM made some frantic phone calls and managed to source and prepare Johnny’s shed at literally the last minute. To be fair they did a brilliant job, and the new venue comes very much recommended by me. Decent sound, decent bar, friendly staff and RPM threw in free chocolate – what more could a girl want? 

The night starts with the set that you might expect to be the headline – Baz, Adam and Steve from Massive Wagons belting out a banging acoustic set. It’s mostly reworked songs from their most recent release “Triggered”, and I would have to be honest and say that although I’m a massive fan (did you see what I did there?) this particular album has been a slow burner for me. However, seeing “Fuck The Haters” and a handful of other songs being mashed up with a bit of Bob Marley and even Peter Andre was a real treat. The crowd were warmed up nicely, the drinks started to flow and we got ready to see what the rest of the night would bring.  

Well first it brought us Bastette, with Caroline’s powerful yet dreamy vocals, a strong performance from the band and the shiniest bottom in rock. The crowd, already warmed by Wagons, were positively sweating now as the melodies swirled around the room like the smell of cooking in a Tex Avery cartoon. Lovely stuff.  

The Hot Damn followed, with their particular brand of bright and bouncy bubblegum rock. They really brought the party, including a game of pass the parcel which I won! I have to admit that for all the party rock I like to watch I’ve never actually had party games before. A brilliant twist by a great band who are really starting to find their feet in the rock world. They tread their own path and scatter it with colour and laughter and all power to them for it.  

I was a bit meh about Laurence Jones, for a start I’m not sure if it’s him as an artist or them as a band but hey-ho. Turned out OK though, they are a competent blues band who throw in a bit of a Quo-alike curveball every now and again. Not really my thing but very good at what they did.  

Finally we get to These Wicked Rivers, RPM’s current secret weapon. The lampshades and paisley scarves are out in force on the stage, and although they are also mostly a blues band it’s a different sort of blues. It’s a dirtier, grittier, more accessible kind of blues and it just begs to be danced to. They also do a fine line in beards! They stomp and strum through a fine set, maintaining both a party atmosphere and some serious rock n roll. That’s a pretty fine balancing act, but they make it look easy and despite the weather, the last-minute venue change and the lack of mulled wine we leave with spirits uplifted and smiling faces.  

Huge thank to Heidi, Terri and Josie from RPM, to the Wagons and the stage/sound staff, to the venue staff and to the crowd who came, saw and partied. It was a grand way to close off my gig-going year!