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Ginny Brown Band

Venue: The Red Lion
Town: Isleworth
Date: 08/12/13
Website: http://www.gbband.info/

To me, the prime reason for reviewing a gig that you've enjoyed is to try and inspire others to go and see a band that they too might also enjoy. The Ginny Brown Band at The Red Lion in Isleworth on the 8th December 2013 is different. Not that I didn't enjoy the gig immensely, and not that you, wouldn't enjoy them should you ever be lucky enough to see them.

I'm writing this review for posterity!

For no matter how much I tempt you by telling you how good they were, you're unlikely to ever get to see them, as Ginny Brown has retired. This, sadly, was their final concert.

Ginny will be sorely missed. She was born for the stage. (she started out at the age of fifteen performing as 'Litte Ginny'). She bubbles with charm and charisma, and between songs she fires out streams of witticisms. She refers to her fellow band members by the collective noun: "girls", and despite (or perhaps because of) the fact that this was their last gig, she playfully threatened them with the sack if they didn't get it right, and gave stage directions to her "girls" such as "Don't flower it with all sorts of stuff. They've got to listen to the lyrics."

Other witticisms from her that stuck in my mind where "It was like this last night when we played the Albert Hall". "Can't remember who did this, but this isn't a history lesson". "I don't want to be too loud - You might suss me" and "In the old days I used to have staff to do that". Well worth going to see them, for the banter alone.

The band consists of Ginny (acoustic guitar and vocals), Simon Bishop (electric guitar and vocals), her husband, Paul Kirkby (bass and vocals) and Richard Hudson (drums). All of them have at some point been members of another of my favorite bands, 'High Society' (they play 1930's style jazz along the lines of The Passadena Roof Orchestra). 'High Society' was formed as a spin off from the Punk Rock band 'The Monks' (Nice Legs, Shame About The Face), which formed as a spin off from the Prog/Folk Rock band 'Strawbs'. Richard Hudson and Simon Bishop play in a Rock 'n' Roll band called 'The Good Old Boys' and Ginny spent many years with Tammy Cline as a folk duo called 'Two Hearts. They thus have a wide range of genres to draw experience from and play a variety of different styles such as blues, folk and boogie, and perform covers from a variety of different artists such as Woody Guthrie, Bonnie Rait, and Brenda Lee.

They were joined on stage for two numbers ('Will The Circle Be Unbroken' and 'Rolling In My Sweet Baby's Arms') by a Mandolin player, confusingly known as "Mandolin Jack", despite actually being named Chris Tulloch. In the second half, another guest artist, Willy Finlayson took over from Ginny (borrowing her guitar and committing the heinious crime of altering her guitar strap) and played Ry Cooder's 'Every Woman I Know (Crazy 'Bout An Automobile)'. Ginny quipped that she only let Willy play one song, as he hadn't ever let her play when his band ('Meal Ticket') were performing.

Simon Bishop had marked the occasion by wearing a suit. Ginny enquired "Are you Wearing a whistle? I feel like I'm at my own funeral". Yes, the audience were sad to witness the end of this band, the band were sad as well, but Ginny's bounding energy ensured that this was a joyous, happy performance.

Set List
I Believe I'm In Love With You
Small Town Saturday Night
Making Believe
Choo Choo Ch'Boogie
Bring It On Home To Me
Do Re Mi
Sweet Home Chicago
Will The Circle Be Unbroken
Rolling In My Sweet Baby's Arms

Chip Shop

The Rock
Sunday Morning Coming Down
Every Woman I Know (Crazy 'Bout An Automobile) - Willy Finlayson
Elvira
Sweet Nothings

Encore
Out Behind The Barn

Pete Bradley