Review: Nine Below Zero at The Cluny 18/05/13

Keeping British Blues Alive




For a band, after 4 decades to be able to comfortably fill the Cluny with fans, you have to have a quality live product. Nine Below Zero have been delivering this quality since they reformed for their 10th anniversary in 1990. The crowd clearly loved the band and Dennis Greaves (lead vocals, guitar) provided much cockney banter to fill the gaps between the perfectly-performed blues numbers. It’s amazing (to a novice like me) that a band can manage to have such a diverse repertoire while still working within the Anglo-American blues style. No plodding blues, everything coloured with the individual talents of the band members.




They stormed through such numbers as “Can I Get A Witness”, “Homework” and “Got my Mojo Working” with such enthusiasm, you wonder how they keep it going after so many years, and miles of touring.

Mark Feltham, a very much in-demand master of the harmonica played a blinder of a gig tonight. How he made the sounds he did, I’ll never know, amazing stuff. Brian Bethell,  as a provider of the lower register rhythmic melodies in the music, is not satisfied with playing simple bass but adds something more to the mix, as did his shiny suit, to the visual experience. Brendan O’Neil, on drums helped tie together what is an incredibly tight onstage performance, no wonder their first album was live, it’s where they are at home.




You can listen to Dennis Greaves’ interview with Jo on NE1fm on Mixcloud.


All photos by Jo Oliver.

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