The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
● ROCKTALK GIG GUIDE
Guitar dynamo Ben Poole unleashes his new album today – and brings his latest tour to Kinross on Sunday.
The Bedford-born sixstringer’s at Green Hotel on Sunday and says the arrival of his latest offering Trio Live 19 signals an extensive road trip in 2020.
“The album’s been available for the last couple of months at gigs, but the official release is to start off this tour,” declares Ben, who’s played with such legends as Jeff Beck, John Mayall and the late Gary Moore.
“It’s cool that a lot more people’ll be able to reach it through itunes, Spotify and everything. I’ve had such a busy couple of years – my last album was a year in the making and I needed a bit of a break.
“I don’t want to force myself to put something new out every year. I want to wait until the hunger’s there for it again.
“At the start of next year it’ll be the case that I start the plan for the next album, whatever that may be.
“I’ve already been thinking about a few different options. I’ve plenty of songs kicking about but it’s nice to really not be having to think too much about that. I just want to concentrate on playing this year.”
Ben, 30, started out playing in pubs as a teenager before moving to Brighton to study music.
“There’s a nice little blues community in Bedford and they took me in at quite a young age, 15 or 16,” he recalls.
“There were always guitars lying about the house because my dad used to play a bit and I was about nine when I started having lessons.
“I wasn’t particularly interested at that age but started getting into it a bit more seriously aged 12 or 13 and started actually wanting to learn songs after my guitar teachers introduced me to Jimi Hendrix and Gary Moore, and more rock stuff like Guns ‘N’roses and Metallica.”
The two studio albums Ben’s completed since his 2012 debut have perfectly captured the essence of his swaggering but soulful brand of blues rock, with fans also lapping up a recording of a Royal Albert Hall performance in 2013.
Clocking in at more than 100 minutes, his new double CD was recorded at three exclusive concerts last July.
“They were great shows and the audiences were fantastic,” says the frontman.
“The first show in Barnsley was during that heatwave in the summer and was the hottest gig we’ve ever done in our lives. There was no aircon inside the venue and it was 45 degrees or something in there.”
A cover of Eagles legend Don Henley’s Dirty Laundry awakened ears in 2018 and Ben, bassist Steve Amadeo and drummer Martin Deering – covering for absent ex-king King sticksman Wayne Proctor – are ready to throw in more Californian rock stylings at Kinross, along with a host of tried and tested favourites.
“One of the ballads from the last album, Don’t Cry For Me, is an enjoyable one to do live,” he adds.
“It’s nice to have the space to let the music breathe and not over-play, and to think more about conveying some emotion.
“Another one’s Start The Car – it’s just a fun kind of driving along song – and Take It No More’s always good.”
Tickets for Sunday’s gig are £21.50 at Ticketweb.
● Punk hopefuls The Troublemakers are at Conroy’s Basement tonight.
Featuring frontman Pete Smith, Chris Findlay (guitar), Ronan Mclennan (drums) and Lee Laidlaw (bass), the Dundee combo are launching their new single Heaven’s Rain. Support is Scouse skifflers Tony Steel and The Massacre – with ex-la’s drummer Nick Minski – plus Harry Livingstone and Kieran Fisher / Reel Movement.
Book at bigcartel.com
Jethro Tull legend Martin Barre goes unplugged at Green Hotel on Thursday.
It’s the first of two Kinross dates for the Brummie guitar maestro who’ll perform songs from across his five-decade career with his acoustic trio – his electric gig’s next Friday.
It’s £37.25 via Ticketweb.
● Conroy’s has USA altrockers Bandaid Brigade – Pears songsmith Zach Quinn and Scorpios pianist / singer Brianwahlstrom – tomorrow.
Glasgow pop-punk exponents Goodbye Blue Monday and Arbroath noiseniks After Party also play. Entry’s £8.
● It’s Simon and Garfunkel homage Sounds Of Simon at Green Hotel tomorrow. The tribute act cover the folk-rock legends’back catalogue as well as Paul’s solo career. It’s £26.75 via Ticketweb.
● Romo popsterswalt Disco hit Beat G tomorrow. Dundee outfit Magnum Haus open for the Glasgow five-piece, with BBC jock Vic Galloway Mcing. Tickets £9.50 at Tickets Scotland.
● Dunfermline’s PJ Molloys hosts punk trio Messed Up Youth tonight and indie popster Amy Lou tomorrow. It’s £8.50 / £7.50 a ticket via Ticketweb.
● Perth rockers Parliamo plus Medinas, Ruvellas and Logan Gilmartin hit Church tonight.
Tickets are £11.50 at Tickets Scotland.
● Blackpool neo-punk firebrands Strangebones blitz Beat G tonight. It’s £8.75 via Tickets Scotland.
● It’s Cherry Bombz at Balmore Bar, Arbroath’s Newgate and Harlequins this weekend.
● Aberdour’swoodside hosts Dunfermline hopefuls Tamanfaya tonight.
● Number 57 has Itchycoo Park tomorrow and The Mivvies on Sunday.
● Blues dudeswolftrain play Arctic Bar tomorrow.