This show, one of the occasional live spinoffs from the Blues Power shows on one of GRTR’s fellow radio stations, ticked a lot of boxes for me. I’ve steadily been getting more into When Rivers Meet but my ambition to see more of them in 2024 was stymied first by a gig clash for their headline show at the Garage, then when technical issues at Maid of Stone festival chopped their set by a half. I’ve not seen Chantel McGregor for too long, since the pandemic in fact, and in that time she was a featured artist in GRTR’s ‘Grotto of Greatness’ (sic) to mark our first 20 years.

Finally Xander and the Peace Pirates’ laid back charms were one of the highlights of this year’s Firevolt festival and again something I wanted to repeat. After a very low key introduction, there was already a good crowd in place at Dingwalls as they took the stage with a couple of songs influenced by seventies American classic rock in ‘Eye Of the Storm’, a new song complete with a snatch of twin lead guitar, and ‘Fire’. ‘Rain’ was slower and more atmospheric but featured another harmony lead climax.

It was as if frontman Keith Xander was providing the soul and fellow guitarist and slide expert Mike Gay (Mickey G) the country, blues and cowboy hat in a reincarnation of the Allman Brothers. Keith’s prosthetic claw hand is unique in the world of rock, though we certainly doesn’t make a point of his physical difference, although he was not beyond riffing on the pirate theme, asking ‘let me hear you say aarrrgggh’!

After ‘Let Go’, even a short set featured a couple of nine minute epics in ‘Searching For The Light’, Keith’s soulful vocals on the first part even reminding me of the likes of Jamiroquai or Terence Trent D’Arby before it became a bluesy guitar marathon; and a cover of ‘Red House’, one of those overplayed standards but enlivened by fine solos from Mickey, on slide, and Keith. ‘Dancing To the Light’ concluded a very enjoyable set on a breezier note, even with a bit of a singalong.

Chantel McGregor was there with only her keyboard player (and partner) Jamie Brooks for company. While I might have preferred a full band, the ever chipper Yorkshirewoman switched seamlessly between acoustic and electric guitar depending on the song, and ‘Southern Belle’ was enjoyably uptempo with prominent organ work from Jamie. In contrast. ‘Walk on Land’ was ethereal and built to a wonderfully sweet, slow lengthy solo worthy of David Gilmour.

Sadly at that point attention to turned to a commotion in the crowd as there had been a medical emergency in the crowd but the solo was so good that, once she established the man was on the road to recovery, she treated us to it again! Joking this format lent itself to her more miserable songs, ‘Anaesthetise’ was followed by ‘I Can’t Make You Love Me’, recorded by Bonnie Raitt but also popularised by George Michael.

After a delicate instrumental in ‘April’ there was a totally unexpected final song, a reimagined cover of Radiohead’s ‘Creep’ during which she barely played guitar, with the keys the main musical backing to a high-pitched, haunted sounding vocal treatment. It was something you would be as likely to hear, possibly used on a John Lewis TV ad, from someone like Ellie Goulding as a rising star of the blues. It concluded a short but fascinating set, not the one I might have expected but showing a whole different side to this talented woman.

While husband and wife pair Aaron and Grace Bond have been playing some shows this autumn as their original duo, When Rivers Meet have toured as a full four piece for some while now and this show marked a further point in their progression towards the rock mainstream, as for the first time they played as a six piece with the addition of Emily Francis on keys and a further guitarist in Craig Garrod, though on the cramped stage he was rather hiding in the shadows.

However my initial thought was they opened with ‘Infected’ and the staccato ‘Seen It All Before’ was that the subtlety of the lo-fi, homely feel that initially was the basis of Grace and Aaron’s appeal was in danger of being diluted by this wall of sound. After ‘Play My Game’, ‘I Can’t Fight This Feeling’ included Grace’s first violin playing of the night, and I could sense the crowd warming up as ‘Bound For Nowhere’, early favourite ‘My Babe Says That He Loves Me’ and ‘Battleground’ were condensed into a bit of a medley.

‘I’d Have Fallen’ was an acoustic song beautifully sung by Grace, complete with more violin, though it was just my luck a group of people from the guest list who had pushed their way to the front next to me spoiled it talking loudly about ordering their Uber home. ‘Kissing the Sky’ prominently featured Grace playing slide on her mandolin while ‘Lost And Found’ was the heaviest in the set yet and the first where the benefits of the expanded line up was really felt with solos from the two newbies as well as impressive bassist Adam Flowers.

Personable as ever, they spoke of their pride and gratitude to their fans for putting last album ‘Aces Are High’ into the national top 10, the first independently released blues album to do so apparently. For me though ,their best material was being saved to later on the set with ‘Perfect Stranger’, Grace sounding a bit like 1980s Heart, and one of my favourite of theirs, the big hooks of ‘Never Coming Home’, where Emily seemed to be enjoying adding some extra colour with her keys. In contrast ‘By Your Side’ featured Grace and Aaron looking in each others eyes and harmonising perfectly.

Their influences draw on the more modern generation of blues artists, with Aaron telling how Seasick Steve was an inspiration, and ‘5 Minutes Till Midnight’ had the garage blues feel of the Black Keys or White Stripes. The crowd were really getting into ‘He’ll Drive You Crazy’, enlivened by Grace’s violin and Aaron’s dirty slide playing. The latter has a simpler style than many of the guitar heroes of blues rock, and though his cigar box guitar seems on this evidence to have been retired, he did give a debut to a new three string guitar on ‘Trail to Avalon’, where the couple shared the vocals.

‘Golden’ was another ballad where, supported by Craig’s acoustic guitar, they duetted and harmonised in a way that was either sweetly touching or overly saccharine depending on your point of view (and one of my gig partners took the non-romantic second view!) However to close out the set they got more down and dirty with a fuzzed up and rocking ‘Walking On the Wire’, seguing into ‘Free Man’.

It was a great night of music with three diverse acts, all influenced by the blues but not tied to its musical structures. There was one other common link, which is that all three had a personable and inclusive stage presence that generated a reciprocal warmth from the fans. In what are ever troubled times in the world outside, the contribution that made to a fun evening cannot be underestimated.

view and Photos by Andy Nathan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

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 20 October 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 22 October 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
RIOGHAN Hands (Inverse Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)