BLUE BISHOPS REVIEWS
Forum Arts Centre, Rocking the Blues @ Tring & Darlington Arts Centre

Dont ever say we have crap bands that dont pull a crowd. This was one of the best bands to have played at The Roadhouse Venue. I could not fault them, neither could the audience, even Bertie (Vincent Flatts), was chorusing along in the background. They entertained 100%. Ask Led he imediately booked them for his 40th in January 2006 (Saturday to be confirmed). MUSICAL EXCELLENCE!

Grab the attention. Sound advice to bands playing largely seated venues. It’s certainly been adopted by the Blue Bishops, who launched into a fine boogie version of “Train Kept A Rollin’” as the crowd settled. “I’m A Mover” featured thunderous bass from Martin Turner and slowed the pace slightly, but was no less hard hitting, before a slower blues in the form of “Drifting” allowed the punters a breather.

The gig included excellent covers of tracks by Muddy Waters, Jimi Hendrix and Peter Green, including a stinging version of “Jumping At Shadows”, mixed with their own compositions that all held up well with the more familiar material. Simon Burrett’s guitar playing was superb throughout, especially on slide, emphasised during “Words Left Unsaid” and “No Religious Man”, taken from the current CD Deep.

A stomping version of “Close To You” and a jumping “Hurricane”, driven along by Justin Hildreth’s first-rate percussion, took us to the break and a welcome trip to the bar.

Drinks replenished and Geoff Grange launched into a rocking “Long Distance Call” that set the tone for the remaining set, interspersing excellent vocals, guitar and some terrific blues harp, notably on “Hip Shake Boogie”. “Take Me To The River” was given a blues emphasis, before “Place In Time” lightened the tone a little. Simon then took centre stage for solo guitar and vocals on “Rocky Mountain Way” and his own “Bar Room Blues”, before the whole band joined in for brilliant adaptations of “Blues Before Sunrise” and Dylan’s “Highway 61” that packed the small dance floor.

The cries for an encore were rewarded with a raucous “Stop Breaking Down” (Robert Johnson), before building to a crescendo with “Gimme Some Lovin’”. The Blue Bishops certainly have a real edge to their sound. Let them grab your attention soon!

Darrell Parsons The Blue Bishops – The Forum, Darlington: 21/5/05

I had seen these two bands in the previous few months in Oxford and High Wycombe - so you know this review will be a positive one or I wouldn't have ventured out to see them again! However, I hadn't been to The Limelight before. Following a full sell out trial back in October, the organisers decided to put a Blues event on every third Friday in the month. It's a lovely character building with a good auditorium, stage, pa and lighting. You get to see and hear the bands in their best setting. Book your tickets early though, I managed to get one of the last 10 for this gig, the others sold out within a few hours. The bar is well stocked, although the real ale - straight from the barrel - didn't quite match demand! 

Storm Warning did a short set to kick off a lively evening. They started with a cover of John Mayall's - "Pieces and Parts" and before long we were rumbling through "Long Grey Mare" a la Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac. Vocals and Harp are by Stuart ‘Son’ Maxwell, guitarist Bob "Mad Dog" Moore, Ian Salisbury on keyboards, Roger Willis and Derek White in the engine room producing a tight and formidable rhythm section playing drums and bass respectively. The band tried out some new material on us that night as well as some dodgy Christmas jokes. "Bullets" came with a little tale about its inspiration - the Eurostar. This is a great fast tempo number and a great addition to the repertoire.

Two tracks from their current EP were featured, "Love So Deep" a Walter Trout cover with a nice piano solo and "She Moves Me" the Muddy Waters classic. They wound up with "Don't Start Me Talkin' - Sonny Boy Williamson and off we went happily to the bar while the Blue Bishops prepared.

The Blue Bishops opened straight off the blocks with a great rendition of “Train Kept A Rollin’” and cruised straight into I’m A Mover – Free. We heard three of their own compositions off the current CD “Deep”, which incidentally was selling like hot cakes after the gig. They did “Words Left Unsaid”, “No Religious Man” and Slim Harpo’s “Hipshake Boogie”, and also “Place In Time” which isn’t on the CD.  

Slower tracks were included, especially notable was Duster Bennet’s “Jumping At Shadows”. Martin Turner did a great Bass intro to “Take Me To The River”, although I’m stuck with the vision of an animated fish singing this song! We heard marvellous renditions of Joe Walsh’s “Rocky Mountain Way” with a tremendous guitar solo from Ben Smith on a wonderful Cherry Red Gibson. Simon Burrett got his turn at a guitar solo with the closing Fleetwood Mac number “Stop Messin’ Around”. Vocals, Guitar and Harmonica are very ably handled by Geoff Grange and the band are backed up by Justin Hildreth on Drums. The full capacity crowd had them back for an encore when they let rip with “Let The Good Times Roll”. They certainly did and the audience all went home with a big smile on their faces.

Paul Stiles 17th December 2004

The Blue Bishops have recently trimmed down from a five to a four-piece, with lead vocalist and harmonica player Geoff Grange taking over lead guitar duties from Bob Sellins.

Tonight's gig also had guest bass guitarist Jon Noyce [current Jethro Tull bass-man], deputising for Martin Turner who had to miss the gig due to a family illness. [Martin is probably better known for being the founder member of British Rock band Wishbone Ash].

The set list tonight consists of well-chosen covers, and self penned material taken from the band's highly recommended new album, "Deep."

The show got underway with an old Yardbirds number, "Train kept rollin" which has lashings of slide guitar and powerful vocals.

Free's "I'm a Mover," Albert King's "Born under a Bad Sign," and Duster Bennett's "Jumping at Shadows," [although better known by Fleetwood Mac], all presented with powerful deliveries and all with well executed lead, and slide guitar solo's.

Simon Burrett's slide guitar is direct and vigorous and played with a 'no nonsense' approach - this guy takes no prisoners!

The band's own "Words left unsaid" is almost a ballad, which builds slowly to a wonderful lead guitar break from Geoff that was electrifying.

Another number from the c.d., "No religious Man" also builds nicely to a terrific wah-wah slide guitar solo that finished the number on a high spot.

"Long distance call" got the second set off with a slow blues before Geoff set the scene on the harmonica intro to Slim Harpo's "Hip shake." The dancers have been a little subdued until now, but this number never seems to fail to get any dance floor jumping.

Joe Walsh's "Rocky Mountain way" is another barnstorming arrangement with copious amounts of slide and a very funky rhythm section, held in place by Justine Hildreth on drums who is the driving force behind Jon Noyce's rock steady grooves.

Further covers included great versions of Chuck Berry's "Nadine," Muddy Waters' "Hoochie Coochie Man" and a particularly rocky version of Al Green's "Take me to the River."

Between all these the band included further material from the new c.d., with an exceptional version of "Bar room Blues" which Simon sang with a cheeky little swagger in his voice.

The set finished with two well-dispatched numbers; Bob Dylan's "Highway 61" and the Jimi Hendrix version of "Let the Good times Roll."

Simon's slide guitar seemed to be almost intoxicating- I certainly couldn't get enough of it! Geoff also pulled out all the stops on another lead solo on the latter number, to leave the audience pleading for more. Justin performed wonders, and led [corrected typo. Sorry!] the band from the rear especially on "Highway 61" - he was faultless.

The band return to the stage for a well deserved encore and played their own [arrangement of the Robert Johnson number] "Stop breaking Down." [Geoff's rasping harp solo overlapping Simon's expressive slide guitar. A well crafted number and one that typified the whole gig.

All in all, a most exciting and enjoyable performance from a terrific band - a band that are almost, the best kept secret on the current British blues scene'. I think it's about time they were revealed to a wider audience!

Mike Prendergast.