The 21st century has seen a huge number of young blues guitar prodigies emerge from the UK and then establish themselves to a greater or lesser degree- Joanne Shaw Taylor, Oli Brown, Virgil McMahon and Aynsley Lister to name but a few. Liverpool born, Warwickshire raised Laurence Jones is another, and it was a reminder of the expertise we will miss when Pete Feenstra hands over the reins after over 20 years at the Boom Boom, as he introduced him with a potted history going back to coming to Water Trout’s notice as an ambitious teenage hopeful over a decade ago.

First we had an unexpectedly good support band in Blue Nation, or more specifically just singer/guitarist Neil Murdoch and bassist Luke West doing an acoustic set. Some choice covers such as ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ and ‘House Of the Rising Sun sat alongside originals- ‘Come Back Home’, ‘Innocent’ and ‘Cold Night’. The vocals were particularly excellent with some sweet harmonies and though I’m sure the format played a part, they had the feel of the. American West coast than the blues act I had been expecting.

There were also a couple of surprises, debuting a new song ‘Time That We Lost’, then ‘Down on the Riverside’ was given a fuller beat by a ponytailed guest drummer, none other than one Mr L Jones. Their earthy Brunmie humour also engaged the crowd, and ending with ‘Echoes’ with its anti suicide message, this was a very impressive set enough to have me hunting down the merch desk for a CD after the show.

Since my only previous sighting of him, supporting Glenn Hughes in 2018, there have been changes in Laurence Jones live act. Gone was the pinstriped suit and short hair, and more significantly the keyboard player and backing singers, leaving a classic power trio. As a lengthy instrumental intro led into ‘What’s It Gonna Be’, the music was to match, with the dominant strand those late sixties and early seventies days when the blues morphed into the birth of heavy rock.

The piledriving Anywhere With Me’ and a slightly boogiefied ‘Don’t Need A Reason’ had me drawing comparisons with the likes of Stray and Ten Years After. Mistreated (no not that one!) saw Jack Alexander Timmis laying down some funky bass, before the song that has long been his signature one, ‘Thunder in the Sky’ was a 10 minute epic, a slow blues concluding in a lengthy and emotion filled solo.

‘Destination Unknown’ had some interesting twists, including a vocal contribution from drummer Ash Sheehan before he previewed two new songs from a new album later in the year- and both ‘Don’t You Leave Me This Way’ and ‘Women’ were seriously heavy, while his voice has a more powerful rasp to it than I’d remembered from previous exposure to him.

Given the musical territory I was not overly surprised when a cover of ‘Purple Haze’ proved the latest vehicle for Laurence’s guitar pyrotechnics as well as Ash bashing away with a wicked glint in his eye, even before that rarity, an entertaining drum solo. The set ended with ‘Foolin Me’, even further away from his blues roots, reminding me of Ted Nugent or Pat Travers.

There were two encores however beginning with a supercharged version of the old Lead Belly standard ‘Good Morning Blues’. Finally Laurence told the story of his recent tour with Status Quo and Francis Rossi telling him that he had ripped them off on ‘Stop Moving The House’. It certainly had that chugging rhythm, leading to quite a few in the crowd shaking their thing, but in the mould of the early seventies Frantic Four, not the watered down later variety.

Indeed comparisons could be made to Quo’s post ‘Matchstick Men’ volte face at the end of the sixties in Laurence’s decision to dress down, go back to basics and pursue an uncompromising sound. It may disappoint some of his purer blues fans, or indeed those hoping he would maintain a more song-oriented direction but, in following his instincts, Laurence Jones is attracting a new audience, albeit for a rather retro sound, and may be guaranteeing himself a more sustainable long term future.

Review and Photos by Andy Nathan

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.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 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)