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!

Hogmanay 2008-2009 at the Clutha Vaults, Glasgow

Although not technically an Open Mic night I did attend the Hogmanay Party at the Clutha Vaults.

Johnny T Millar was on stage with his band for most of the night, but he did get Bob Leslie up for a few songs.

Bob had asked the 'Chicken Supremes'

[consisting of Elspeth and Vivien] to do some backing vocals, and after Bob finished, Johnny asked them to stay on stage to sing backing vocals for a few of their songs.

A very good start to the New Year 2009.