Search Results for: Merry Hell

Destined to be bull-dozed, the Hermon Chapel was purchased by social worker and Oswestry Town Councillor Duncan Kerr, whose vision and sheer hard work has transformed the building into a premises for public meetings, music performance and movie screenings.

Retaining the layout and furnishings of a traditional Welsh chapel, Duncan has added a tiny licensed bar, a sound system and stage lighting to create a performance space accommodating an audience of a little over 100.

There are some who might possibly play merry hell over the thought of  the former holy building being used for rock music, and that, figuatively speaking, is what happened last weekend. It was, of course, all good natured as those nicest of folk rockers, Merry Hell, descended from Wigan to perform their stuff.

The band’s six-piece acoustic(ish) line-up played two 45 minute sets that included many of their old favourites like Bury Me Naked and Drunken Serenade, and some from their newly released album Bloodlines, (a hairy review of which will follow soon).

The cosy atmosphere was fabulous and the band’s energetic enthusiasm for everything they do rubbed off onto the appreciative audience, many of whom where, quite literally, dancing in the aisles. Bob kettle’s new ‘alternative anthem’ Come on England, was one of the highlights for me. Another was his emotional and poignant song about refugees, Coming Home, sung by the entire band, a cappella.

The band were, as always, stunningly brilliant. If you’ve never seen them, please do! And if you can get to see them in a lovely little venue such as this, all the better.

Can you just imagine the telephone conversation…

“Hello, This is Grateful Fred …No not dead, FRED …Yes, we’d like to play Merry Hell in your church”.

Well Colin Maddocks (aka Grateful Fred) and Merry Hell’s Virginia Kettle obviously managed to convince the powers that be, that their intentions were good and that the request had nothing to do with Zombies or Satanism, because the Concert For The Refugees went ahead this week at The Nordic Church in Liverpool, raising over £1,300 for  “Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)” who undertake amazing work throughout the world helping refugees.

It was a great night of music at this magnificent venue, with Wigan-based folk rock band “Merry Hell” in the headline spot, supported by ‘The Grateful Fred Ukulele Trio” and “The Good Intentions”.

And that’s how the evening started – with Good Intentions. Or at least two-thirds of them. Peter Davies on guitar and Gabrielle Monk on accordion, opened with a lovely set of Americana Country songs from the band’s extensive repertoire.

Then it was over to the Grateful Fred Ukulele Trio.

I’d heard good things about these guys but …Wow! this was not the sort of sound I was expecting from three blokes strumming ukuleles!

This was largely because there was little or no traditional uke strumming going on during their fantastically entertaining set. And definitely no leaning on lamp-posts!

These guys have transformed my perception of that humble little instrument forever! Colin has put together a band in the classic lead, rhythm and bass formation – but using ukuleles instead of guitars!

Yes, that’s right, I did say bass!  Halfway through their first song I found myself wondering why they had a bass player hidden away somewhere out of sight.  But no. It was Colin, stage centre, with a tiny (in bass instrument terms) bass ukulele, who’s 21 inch scale was producing a sound as deep and rich as you’d expect from a full scale bass guitar.

His right-hand man Vince Gillespie made a tiny uke sing like an electric guitar, with lead riffs at times reminiscent of those heard on Elvis’s Jailhouse Rock album.

The Rhythm section came in the animated form of Pete McPartland performing on a six stringed uke and sharing lead vocals with Colin.

Their set was varied, lively and highly entertaining, with Pete and Colin ripping through the instrumental solos with the rock ‘n roll style face-offs normally reserved for Quo rockers Parfitt and Rossi.  Magic stuff!

And the rock ‘n roll continued …with the gusto and fervor that comes with every Merry Hell performance. The infectious enthusiasm, the rousing melodies and the catchy meaningful lyrics  had the whole audience tapping, clapping, singing along and (quite literally) dancing in the aisles.

You never see a glum face at a Merry Hell gig.

The old favourites were there, including the likes of Drunken Serenade, Crooked Man, Baker’s Daughter and Bury Me Naked, and some new favourites too like the title track off the “Ghost in our House” album. There were moments of  poignancy, and a sense of outrage even, on their the anti-war song Old Soldier.

Then, at the end of the evening, just before their usual rip-roaring finale, they silenced every tapping foot and touched every heart in the room with the most beautiful a cappella rendition of a brand new Bob Kettle song, Refugee.  All six band members took a verse each. How they did it without choking up on the touchingly beautiful sad lyrics is testament to their professionalism.

All in all, a fabulous evening thoroughly enjoyed by the capacity audience who all gave generously to the worthy charitable cause. And it was all down to the organising skills of Virginia Kettle and Colin Maddock.

We are ALL grateful Fred!

Feeling down, depressed, under the weather?  Forget the potions and pills…  If you’ve got the Monday morning blues, let Dr Hairy prescribe a dose of Merry Hell!

That was precisely the situation last Monday. By the end of the evening, practically every foot at Conwy Folk Club was aching from tapping merrily to the uplifting songs from the most upbeat folk rock band in the business.

Merry Hell has growing band of ardent followers, myself included, who wouldn’t dream of missing another opportunity of seeing them perform live.  Looking around the packed auditorium I recognised many faces from other North Wales clubs and beyond.

This Wigan based band never disappoints.  Their songs have the kind of hook that you hear once and evermore instantly recognise. Virginia and the Kettle Brothers deliver their wonderfully lyrical songs with such energy and enthusiasm, you can’t help but sing along.

And those in the room who’d not had the pleasure of seeing them before, found their perception of folk music suddenly elevated to a whole new level.

We heard many of the old favourites including some off their current album “Head Full of Magic and Shoes Full of Rain”.  It wouldn’t be a Merry Hell gig without Drunken Serenade, Fear of Falling, Pendle Hill and Bury me Naked.  But we also had a taste of what is to come on their forthcoming 2015 album with “A Ghost in our House”.

They appeared this time as a six piece comprising their main acoustic line-up of  singer Virginia and the Kettle brothers John on guitar, Andrew on vocals and Bob on mandolin, plus their bassist Nick Davies and Neil McCartney on violin and stomp box.

At larger venues they often perform and an eight piece with the addition of drums and keyboard.

It was a night of good spirits, good music and good humour.  Conwy is, in the main, an enthusiastic friendly club – apart from the one gentleman who objected with very rude sarcasm to my obscuring approximately 10% of his view of the stage for a full 20 seconds!

Regardless of that, it is a club I would happily recommend to anyone on that part of the North Wales coast looking for a Monday night live music venue.

I can’t let this review end without mentioning the lovely Lori Campbell who opened the evening.  This young singer songwriter from Bristol absolutely captivated the audience with her beautiful voice.  Although her style was totally different to that of the main event, she certainly set a very high standard for them to follow.

Suffice to say I will be looking out for any future appearances she makes in our neck of the woods.  And to do her justice, she and the EP I bought from her on the night will be the subject of a separate review to follow shortly.

Watch this space.

• If you are looking for the December 2014 review, click here •

According to the saying… “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”   Well let me add another to that maxim – “the certainty of a hellishly good night out when the sound of Merry Hell is ringing in your ears!”

Take three Wigan-born brothers name of Kettle, a guitar, a mandolin and a wife named Virginia;  season this recipe with the occasional bassist, keyboard player and drummer, stir and simmer in the cauldron that is the music business, and what do you get…?  The most delicious serving of folk rock, that’s what!

Although ostensibly a seven piece band, Merry Hell have a trimmed down acoustic contingent that play the smaller “folk club” type of venue, comprising John, Andrew and Bob Kettle and John’s wife Virginia.  At Conwy Folk Club last night, they were joined by their bassist Andrew Dawson.

With an ever growing catalogue of their own material, they have a rocky style that is foot-tappingly uplifting with story-telling lyrics set to catchy melodies that get everybody singing along – even Merry Hell virgins!  Their collective song-writing is superb with evocative titles like “Criminals in Pin-stripped Suits”, “Drunken Seranade in the Rain” and “Blink… and you miss it”.  One of my personal favourites “The Butcher and the Vegan” was missing off last night’s set list, although this was more than compensated for by a sampling of some tracks off their forthcoming second album ‘Head Full of Magic, Shoes Full of Rain’More