19/02/2015
“Keeping Live Music Alive”
BJ’s Rock In The Blues Club
The Minstrel, Eaves Green Road, Chorley, PR7 3PQ
www.facebook.com/themiinstrel
9.15pm Start
Free Entry!
LIVE ON STAGE!
The After Hours Blues Band
This super blues/rock trio return to BJ’s once again featuring the inspired guitar skills of Lee Wharton who opens a portal into the past with the bands classic Hendrix trilogy of “Voodoo Chile”, “Machine Gun” & “Red Patrol”. It will also be an auspicious evening as it will be the last appearance at BJ’s for bassist Doug Long who is leaving the band after eight years. Looking forward to giving Doug a great send off and another great night at The Minstrel. Can’t wait for this one!…see you all there!
Band Web Site www.afterhoursbluesband.co.uk
Band line up…
Lee Wharton – lead vocals/lead guitar
Doug Long – bass/backing vocals
Ann Batty – drums
https://www.facebook.com/lancsbluesarchive/photos/a.279181428827610.67207.277399472339139/790813820997699/?type=1
Review taken from the Lancashire Blues Archive on Facebook:
Rosy Greer’s Review for the ‘AFTER HOURS BLUES BAND @ BJ’s ‘Rock in the Blues’ Club, The Minstrel, Chorley – 19/02/15 – Photo by Lucas Campbell http://www.afterhoursbluesband.co.uk/
A welcome return, after a year, of this local Prestonian band, the ‘AFTER HOURS BLUES BAND’, at the premier venue of BJ’s ‘Rock in the Blues’ Club at the Minstrel in Chorley.
The talented three piece play a mix of self penned and covers of blues rock, with a definite penchant towards Jimi Hendrix . Fronting the band on guitar and vocals was the talented Lee Wharton, with superb bass man Doug Long keeping that rhythm going with the excellent skin lady Ann Batty on drums.
A great rockin’ opener to the evening, with the self penned ‘Driving Home’. This was followed closely by a Stevie Ray Vaughn classic ‘Pride And Joy’ and what a great take. A slow, self written number ‘Midnight Colour’ with a touch of ‘wah wah’ was next, with an After Hours take of the classic ‘Black Magic Woman’ with some superb guitar work from Lee to follow.
‘Tin Pan Alley’ gave us a slow blues with a ‘singing’ guitar performed with passion. Then the ‘Hendrix’ trademark of ‘All Along The Watch Tower’, finishing off the first set with their own version of ‘Crossroads’.
The second set brought us some upbeat slide guitar, a great version of the Stones ‘Jumping Jack Flash’ and an ‘epic adventure’ in the form of a Hendrix trilogy of ‘Voodoo Child’, ‘Machine Gun’ and ‘Red Patrol’. Doug did a great bass solo in this number and the whole track took us on a ‘long journey’ with Lee recreating the Hendrix passion.
A change in tempo, with an upbeat funky number giving us some mega guitar, – Ann and Doug were also working hard on this one. Back to some super slide guitar and rockin’ it up with the old classic ‘Shake Your Money Maker’ . To finish the set, an After Hours version of the Zeppelin classic ‘Communication Breakdown’ with an encore of a mixed tempo slide guitar driven 12 bar. A great end to a great set.
Doug Long on bass, will be leaving the band shortly, so this was his last BJ’s gig with the band. All at BJ’s wish him well and look forward to seeing the new line of the After Hours Blues Band next year.
Rosy Greer – Lancashire Blues Archive and Independent Reviewer http://www.facebook.com/lancsbluesarchive