It takes a special kind of love that brings Californian based band Beaux Gris Gris and the Apocalypse to an Ipswich pub on a Wednesday night in late Autumn but rewarded with a packed and enthusiastic audience, it seems like the passion is utterly mutual. No wonder though, as the five-piece run through a two-hour set of euphoric blues stompers that bring some glorious sunshine to the ancient port town, played with a passion and verve that is irresistible.

Somewhat incongruously, a dartboard hangs just behind the drumkit but this juxtaposition of the gritty realism of this traditional English boozer and the exotic style of the band makes for a wonderful contrast, the music transcending it all.

At heart, Beaux Gris Gris and the Apocalypse are a blues band but there’s so many more layers to them than, elements of pop, rock, soul and psychedelia dappled throughout. It’s all played with an unalloyed joy too, the lines between a show and a communal party blurred to a feint line with only the instruments differentiating between audience and artist.

Sartorially striking, Beaux Gris Gris and the Apocalypse look like rock stars but without the attached wildly inflated ego, the lack of the stage allowing both singer Greta Valenti and guitarist Robin Davey to freely come into the audience, something they frequently do.

It’s a nice touch and adds another dimension to the show, even more so when the band declare they’ll be splitting the set in half to allow for the hosting Blues club to hold their raffle. You get the feeling that only in the UK this would happen.

The fuzzy, swampy blues of ‘Heart Breaker’ kicks off the night, its stuttering feel getting feet moving immediately, the whimsical shuffle of ‘Bungalow’ adding to this further as Valenti’s gorgeous vocals float and weave. Having made the trip down from Norwich, old friend Giles King was invited to join the band to add some blues harp to the old school, dirty, brassy and bold ‘Louisiana Good Ride’, the extended harmonica and guitar solos with Davey thrilling and primal.

A real change of pace in the haunted torch song ‘Thrill Me’ showed their range, the 60’s vibe heightened by the shimmering keys of Emma Jonson and the sight of Davey walking into the crowd to play the solo with his guitar held over his head.

Enjoying mixing things up, drummer Alex Thomas and bass player Stephen Mildwater added a delicate shuffling country beat to a take of Springsteen’s ‘I’m On Fire’ before the Paris fairground feel of ‘Cyclone’ followed, the harmony vocals shimmering before the psychedelic wigout of the solo.

Slow blues ballad ‘Don’t Let The Bastards Grind You Down’ was outstanding, Valenti yet again putting her whole soul into it, her tone shot through with vulnerability and defiance. It was just down to The Hoax cover ‘Fistful’ to close this half of the set, the song by Davey’s former band bristling with attitude and the addition of King onstage again bringing things to a tumultuous end.

There was a very jaunty, cool vibe to the opening of the second half of the evening, ‘Gris Gris’ and ‘Have Mercy’ juxtaposing a deliciously languid start into these two upbeat roof raisers, all there encouraged to sing along and something they did heartily.

Boogie woogie stomper ‘Baby Was Rich’ highlighted some great playing by Jonson, the keys player adding some great touches throughout and an edgy and seductive ‘Trouble’ concluded with a maelstrom of sound, Davey sneaking a subtle phrase from ‘Purple Haze’ into his solo.

There’s always more than meets the eye with Beaux Gris Gris and the Apocalypse, scratch just a little below the surface and dynamics that Led Zeppelin or Queen would be proud of lurk there.

This is perfectly illustrated in ‘Baby Baby’, its stripped back vocals and piano first half transforming into something much bigger when the rest of the band come in, the guitar again a lynch pinch.

The Lou Reed flavouring of ‘Is This The Blues’ adds another dimension and the pneumatic pop rocker with bounce and grit ‘Fill Me Up’ is a delight, the single distilling all that’s great in the band into one perfect four-minute slice.

With a joyful cover of Jackie Wilson’s ‘Your Love Is Lifting Me Higher’ and the irresistible party anthem ‘What’s My Name’ bringing an end to evening it was just down to a much-demanded encore to round things off. 4 Non Blondes ‘What’s Up’ may have never sounded quite as euphoric as it did here, the cover played with a gusto that sapped the last vestiges of energy from the both band and those crammed in to see them.

A fitting conclusion to an evening of life affirming music, Beaux Gris Gris and the Apocalypse laid out everything they had and their continued rise is testament to the hard work put in and the undoubted talent they have. Better than any stadium or arena gig, seeing a band this good, this close, is a transcending experience and one to be embraced and cherished. The future is theirs for the taking.

Review by Paul Monkhouse

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 1 December 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)