Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to one and all!

Hope I get to more open Mics in 2010 than I did in 2009!!

Missed a lot!

Sorry there have been no reviews since April the 1st - just coincidence honest!! - My times have changed at work and I have usually been too 'knackered' by the time I got home to get ready and get out again [ in fact I have often fallen asleep after having my meal!!] Hope to be back soon though as my times are changing again soon!!

I have heard though that the Clutha Vaults have been doing pretty well on Wednesdays, [despite not having MY presence!]!

8th April 2009 - Clutha Vaults

Sorry I was unable to attend this Open Mic so no review.

Wednesday 1st April 2009

- Sandy’s Open Mic at the Clutha Vaults

Sandy's new hairdo

- for April Fools Day!!
Sandy started the evening with a chorus of Happy Birthday to Elspeth who was celebrating yet another year on the planet.

He followed this with a few nice gentle ballads, ‘I will promise you anything’, ‘Mr Mud and Mr Gold’ and ‘Flying shoes’ before handing over to Elspeth, who was accompanied by Bob Leslie - on acoustic guitar, and Johnny T Miller - on Bass. They did a cover of the Eagles favourite ‘Lyin’ eyes’ followed by ‘Will you still love me tomorrow’.

Bob and Johnny stayed on stage and played one of Bob’s songs ‘It wasn’t down in Texas’ and then Bob sang another of his originals ‘Cordelia Jane’ by himself.

Next to the stage was Joe Kidd, also with Bob and Johnny, singing his own songs ‘Grass don’t pay no heed’ and then ‘Good Day’.

Ally and Maria had then arrived and got up to sing ‘You’ve got a friend’ followed by a Jazz version of ‘No regrets’, after which they left the bar.

Sandy then decided to follow them with an excellent rendition of the Walker Brothers version of ‘No Regrets’ with some help from the audience on the chorus.
Next up was Brendan who gave us his version of ‘Moon River’ which had quite a few people joining in.

Brian McGinty then got up to the sing ‘Love makes me feel blue’ and Bob & JT joined in along with Elspeth on the tambourine. It was very popular so he sang another somg in a similar vein ‘Nothin you can do’.

Johnny T stayed onstage to sing ‘Help me’ by Sunnyboy Williamson.

Stuart and Jenni through from Edinburgh then got up and sang ‘Sweet Home Alabahma’ followed by ‘I remember you’ and then ‘The Eirie Canal’.

Final singer of the evening was Ian Adie who had just arrived after being at the big football match at Hamden, [Scotland 2 - Iceland 1 I believe]. Sandy(acoustic), Bob(acoustic), JT(Bass) and Elspeth(tambourine) all joined in with Ian on ‘Go Bonnie Scotland, Go’.

The evening finished with a jam session at the birthday girls table!!

Patch, Elspeth's dog who has now been banned from the bar as the new owner does not like dogs!!!

- and all Patch ever did was sleep under the table and through most of the music !

Wednesday 25th March 2009

Sandy’s Open Mic at the Clutha Vaults, Glasgow

After another lovely spring, blue-sky day, musicians headed for the Clutha Vaults for Sandy's Open Mic.

Sandy started with ‘Must be loved’ followed by ‘Dancing for the Beast’.

First up was Jim with ‘I shall be release’ and then the Leonard Cohen song ‘Manhattan’.

Elspeth Durkin was next up singing ‘Autumn Leaves’ and then ‘After the Goldrush’.

Sandy then sang ‘I’m looking through you’ He then mentioned that he has a new band called Lucky Jim and sang one of the new songs he wrote with them called ‘Ode to blue’. Bob Leslie then sang ‘It’ll last another day’ followed by ‘Her eyes’.

New face Heather then asked Bob if he could play along with ‘Both sides the Tweed’ and then she played and sang ‘Caledonia’.

Duncan then played ‘Hum Drum Days ‘ followed by his own song about St. Andrew’s day - after an inordinate amount of tuning his own guitar!.

Sandy then asked Big Ronnie Simpson to come up and sing ‘The Green fields of France’.

Kate McGee was in the audience and she got up to sing ‘Valerie’ followed by ‘Ain’t no sunshine’. Kate is hosting a new Monday evening Open Mic in the Clutha as from the 30th March.

Sandy then asked Catriona up to sing ‘Can’t explain’ and then she tried ‘Louis louis’.

The incomparable Willie ‘Jukebox’ Mathews was then asked up to the stage - He performed ‘The lady is a tramp’ followed by ‘Flip, flop & fly’ and then ‘How blue can you get’.

George then got up and sang ‘Back to black’ and then ‘Wheels on fire’. Final act of the evening was Bob, Willie and Kate performing ‘Love the one you’re with’.

A very short jam session followed before everyone was being asked to leave the pub at midnight.

Band Notice

Fraser Lindsay's band

"Blind Panik"

are playing at The Scotia on

Saturday 28th March

&

Saturday 4th April

21:30 Kick off.

Visit our website:

www.myspace.com/blindmcpanik

Sandy's Open Mic 11th March 2009 Clutha Vaults

Sandy started off with a Gram Parsons song ‘Gold-plated door’ with a little help from Bob on second guitar, followed by a Townes Van Zandt song ‘Early in the morning’. Niall was back after several months absence and he did his own songs ‘Millie and Me’, ‘Still I miss you’ and the ‘Take my time’. Bob Leslie then sang a couple of his own songs ‘It’ll last another day’ - inspired by his cat sleeping in the dirty linen basket! And then ‘The cultural imperialists have got me’. Sandy then got back on stage and sang ‘Love Hurts’ and then ‘The games people play’. Alan Stewar then got up with his mandolin and performed a Rory Gallager song ‘Goin to my home town’ and then with Bob and Fraser on other guitars, his version of the Who’s ‘Magic Bus’. Fraser Lindsay then sang his own song ‘LA status quo’ and then another Who song , with Bob on second guitar, ‘The seeker’. A new couple Ally and Mariea then got up and sang a couple of duets with some nice harmonies - ‘I can’t make you love me’, ‘Waiting for the train to come’ and after Sandy’s insistence that they do a third, ‘Why don’t you stay’. [after which they left!!]. Joe MacAtamany then sang ‘Eldorado’ and ‘The broom of the Cowdenknowes’. Elspeth Durkin was next , accompanied by Bob and she sang ‘Autumn Leaves’ and then she and Bob sang the Little Feat number ‘Dixie Chicken’. Gavin Watt then took to the stage and performed a Rolling Stones tune ‘Love in vain’ followed by ‘You don’t dance the techno anymore’. Duncan Adams was the penultimate performer singing ‘Lay down Sally’ and his ever popular ‘Where am I gonna live’. Final performance of the evening was a bit sad as Sandy announced that our good friend Stuart Nugent was emigrating to Australia soon and this would be his last performance at the Open Mic. We are sad to see him go but wish him well in his new country - and hope he fulfils his wishes. He and John - his partner from their duo Figure 8, then performed part of a song ‘Joni Mitchell’ unfortunately John had borrowed Bob’s guitar which had a duff 13th fret - and this particular song called for a lot of finger picking using the 13th Fret!! So they gave up and did the Springstein song ‘Dancing in the Dark’. There was a short Jam session after the Open Mic whilst Sandy put the equipment away, and folk finished their last drinks.

Sandy's Open Mic 4th March 2009 - Clutha Vaults

We arrived to find that Sandy had managed to ‘blow-up’ the PA system and was also having trouble with the old back-up system - it was because there were new ‘powered’ speakers - but we got it sorted out and started the evening a little bit later than normal. First up was John Alexander, and he was followed by Bob Leslie with his songs ‘The Star Harmonica Band’ and ‘Her Eyes’ Sandy then got Elspeth to join Bob and she sang ‘Summertime’ and then joined Bob in a duet of ‘Dixie Chicken’. Clare was back singing ‘Nothing left to live for’ and then ‘Light up my life’. Brian, a left-hander who had brought his own guitar along, then sang ‘Honky-tonk woman ‘ followed by ‘Fulsom Prison Blues’. Sandy and Bob once again performed ‘Carolina’ by Townes Van Zandt. Eddie was then up singing ‘In the Jailhouse now’ and ‘Fallin’. John was next singing’ a John Pryde song ‘Hello in there’ and then ‘Mr Tambourine Man’. Duncan [who was more than a little drunk by this time] then attempted the Eagles song ‘Take it easy’ and followed it with ‘Hum Drum Days’. John Alexander was then back up and with Bob accompanying, performed a Byrds song ‘Tomorrow ‘s the day my Brides’ gonna come’.
We then had a couple up who were just back from Venezuela - she was Spanish and he was from Glasgow but I am afraid I did not catch their names, however they performed a couple of Flamenco songs -’Fandango de Huelva’ followed by ‘Alegrias’ . Joe MacAtamany had the task of following then and in his own inimitable style he sang ‘Tae buckle my shoes’ and then ‘Lay ye doon love’. Stevie Osbourne with Bob then performed ‘The Eastender Blues’. Duncan Adams and Bob then sang ‘Lay down Sally’ and his ever popular ‘Where am I gonna live?’. Final performer of the evening was Andy the candy Logan singing ‘Good -hearted woman’, ‘St. James’ Infirmary Blues’ and finally the David Bowie hit ‘Sorrow’.

Sandy's Open Mic - 18th February 2009

Sandy - ‘Flying skies’ followed by ‘Snow on Route one’ and then ‘Two Girls‘. First up was Bob Leslie singing a couple of his own tunes - ‘Her Eyes’ and then ‘It’ll last another day’. Stuart Workman was next ,with Bob accompanying him, performing ‘My old friend the blues’ and then the Leonard Cohen song ‘Manhattan’. Sandy then got back on stage and sang a Tim Hardy song ‘Red Balloon’ Andy Logan was next - singing his version of ‘The St. James’ Infirmary Blues’ followed by his popular rendition of ‘The Games people play’. Newcomer Claire was up next, singing and playing an unplugged acoustic version of ‘Nothing left to live for’ and then ‘Light up my life’ which was very well received by the audience. Elspeth Was up next, accompanied by Bob, and she sang ‘Autumn Leaves’ followed by ‘After the Goldrush’. Stevie Osbourne then got up with Bob to perform ‘The Eastender Blues’. Peter then took to the stage and sang a couple of his own songs ‘I’m a livewire’ and then ‘At the bottom of everything’. Alan Stewart then took his mandolin to the stage and ,accompanied by Bob, did a version of the Who song ‘Magic Bus’ followed by a James Taylor song ‘’Steamroller Man’. Willie Mathews had appeared by this time and he took to the stage and performed ‘Over the Rainbow/What a wonderful world’ also on a mandolin, and he followed this with a George Formby song ‘Leaning on a lampost’ which of course EVERYONE joined in with! Sandy let him do another song with Bob - a rendition of a J J Cale song ‘The Breeze’. Sandy and Bob then played a Townes Van Zandt song ‘Carolina’ with Sandy singing the ballad beautifully. Johnny T was next up also asking Bob to join him in two songs ‘Walking the Dog’ followed by ‘Don’t know what you want to do’ Joe MacAtamany then stepped up to sing ‘Eldorado’ and then You picked a fine time to leave me Yvonne’ -{a Glasgow version of the famous tune}. Bob Leslie then got back on stage in his own right and performed ‘Who do you love’ and then Stevie Osbourne was back with Bob, singing his song ‘Good to be alive’. Newcomer Chris then took a seat and sang an Eagles song for his friend - Jill. ‘Peaceful, Easy Feeling’ which finished off the evening.

Open Mic 21st January 2009

Sorry, I didn't make it to Wednesdays Open Mic at the Clutha Vaults!

Big Bob Is Back!! 19th January 2009

Big Bob Leslie is back with an Open Mic at the Clutha Vaults on Mondays, as from this evening.

Unfortunately, as it was only decided after the Open Mic on the 14th, there was not a lot of time to 'Spread the word!'

However Bob did a wide selection of ballads, and invited a few people who had turned up onto the stage to perform.

[Patch making friends with the audience!]

Elspeth sang a few songs and provided some backing vocals for Bob later on in the evening. Her dog, Patch, even joined in when she sang 'How much is that doggy in the window?' to him - he answered with barks in the appropriate pauses!!

George popped in and stayed to sing a few songs as well. A quiet start but I am sure it will pick up quite quickly once word gets around!

14th January 2009

Sandy was just finishing as I arrived this evening [ I had been at a school production of 'Joseph and the amazing technicolour dreamcoat' at the Eastwood Theatre]. First up were Dede and Chris who were great - great voice for the songs 'House of the Rising Sun' and 'Highway to Hell', and excellent guitar playing.

Elspeth Durkin was next with accompanyment from Bob Leslie. She sang 'Autumn Leaves' and 'After the Goldrush' despite suffering from the tail end of a severe cold.

Scott Peden was up next with two songs 'No Doubt' and 'Who wants to be a millionaire?'

Next to perform was "Wee Jasper" who started with a Randy Newman song from Toy Story ' You got a friend in me' followed by 'Deep River Blues' and finishing with 'What a day for a daydream' [Sandy had been slow to get back to the stage area!]

Next up was Brian who did a little of 'Fulsom Prison Blues' and then 'Last thing on my mind' with Sandy.

Johnny T Miller and Bob Leslie took to the stage next with Johnny singing 'Barefooting' and then 'Red Dress'

Bob stayed up and sang a couple of his own Ballads - 'Her Eyes' and then 'It'll last another day'

Dave was next with a couple of songs written by his pal - but he never gave the titles.

Sandy then got Big Ron up to sing 'The Green Fields of France' beautifully.

Sandy then informed everyone that Andy the Candy Logan had arrived by this time - complete with his new BUS PASS - yes he has now turned 60 years of age - which was a surprise to many people [ who commented that they thought he was older!!!!] Sandy and the entire bar then sang 'Happy Birthday' to Andy! Andy sang a beauiful ballad 'He stopped loving her today' and then at special request sang 'Games people play'

[Andy and Duncan]
Stuart Workman, with Bob, then took to the stage and performed the Leonard Cohen song 'Manhatten' followed by 'Copperhead Road' especially for Andy.

Joe MacAtamanay was next up singing 'I'll lay ye doon love' followed by 'Up the Northern Water'!

George then sang 'Rock and Roll suicide' followed by 'the night they drove old Dixie down'

Penultimate performer was Duncan Adams who sang 'Lay down Sally' encouraging everyone else to join in with him.

Final performance of the evening was from Ian Adie singing a Neil Young song 'Lonely Man' followed by 'Stand by Me', with a little accompanyment from Bob Leslie.

Not so sure about the seating position Ian!!

Final announcement of the evening was that Bob Leslie would be resuming the Monday night Open Mics at the Clutha Vaults commencing on the 19th January 2009 - and that all would be welcome!

There is also going to be a BURNS SUPPER to be held in the Clutha Vaults on thursday the 22 January costing £10 per ticket. SHould be well worth it!