Pablo van de Poel

Connor Selby Band - Tuesday Night Music Club - 05/02/19

I had really been looking forward to this gig for some time as, although I had heard so many good things about this young man of just 20 years of age I hadn’t seen Connor Shelby or even yet laid my hands on his highly acclaimed debut release ‘Made Up My Mind’. Connor had a very strong band in tow; Rob Shearer who had also contributed on the aforementioned album on drums, Fergie Fulton the father figure on bass and Joe Anderton on guitar and vocals. Strangely enough, the last and only time I had seen Joe Anderton was at The Great British Rock and Blues weekend in Skegness last year when he, having unfortunately lost the services of his band shortly beforehand, took his chances, nonetheless, armed with just his acoustic guitar on the Introducing Stage. He performed admirably under those circumstances.

The Band kicks in with the first four numbers from ‘Made Up My Mind’, the first being the title track with a thumping bass line introduction from the excellent Fergie Fulton, followed by a slower blues ‘This Old World’, Connor letting loose with some fine guitar. The mood rises again for ‘Help Me’ followed by another classy slow blues, ‘Tired Of Wasting My Mind’, which put me in mind of early Van Morrison. Connor then allows his friend Joe Anderton to showcase one of his songs, ‘Angel (Heaven Sent)’.

Connor at such a young age has a great future ahead of him as not only is he a supreme guitarist, he has a fantastic voice and has the confidence to perform every song on his debut release, especially as he wrote every single one of them. Connor has many influences and B.B. King and Clapton can certainly take a bow. Connor gave us a splendid version of B.B. King’s ‘You Upset Me Baby’ before closing the first set with another number from his debut album, ‘That’s Alright’.

The second set, again opens with another from the album, ‘See It Through’, an upbeat number that would have stood its ground during the late 60s British Blues Explosion period. Clapton influence presents itself with an excellent cover of Cream’s ‘Outside Woman Blues’. Muddy Waters’ ‘Going Down Slow’ followed, once again with brilliant guitar from both Connor and Joe. Another cover, this time from one of Connor’s favourite artists, Ray Charles’. The Band puts its own spin on Cream’s interpretation of Robert Johnson’s Crossroads’ by slowing it down. Connor includes that classic line from ‘The Lemon Song’.....’squeeze me baby, ‘till the juice runs down my leg’ and when the song comes to a close, Joe jokingly asks Connor what he meant when singing this line.

The Band was always going to get an encore from the ever appreciative TNMC audience and Connor chose to cover another song from the Ray Charles’ catalogue ‘Let’s Go Get Stoned’, a faded memory perhaps for many in the ageing audience followed by Memphis Slim’s instrumental ‘Steppin’ Out’.

Joe Anderton very animated, reminiscent of a young Paul Weller, has a great rapport with Rob Shearer on drums. Connor very serious and why shouldn’t he be, he’s got the damned blues good Lord in spades. Nevertheless his band’s attempt to lighten the mood brings an occasional smile to the young man’s face.

An excellent evening and I walk away from this classy performance in deepest Surrey with the appreciation of the adulation this young man receives together with a copy of his debut album safely tucked in my pocket.

A point of note, Richard Dunning has introduced a house rule that both audience and artist appreciates in a venue hosting musical performance; refrain from idle chit chat during a performance. When will other promoters follow suit? It is having the desired affect here as both audiences and bands look forward to returning.