Seasick at the AB - The Animals are Out Tonight

Last year I enjoyed some excellent concerts at AB in Brussels. John Mayall, Dave Holland, Joan as Police Woman, Motörhead and the Fleet Foxes all came and turned in stunning performances. Literally in the case of Motörhead who hit you like a jet propelled sledgehammer. 2008 was going to be a tough act to follow in terms of quality, but a spot of Seasickness brought on by a grizzled American blues man called Steve opened this years account nicely.

Steve Wold has been around for a long time, born in 1941 he's known the likes of Janice Joplin. In 2007 he won the Mojo award for best breakthrough act. At the age of 66 thats got to be some kind of record. His first UK TV appearance was on Jools Hollands new year's eve Hootenany in 2006.



Unfortunately for me the gig was a sell out and my Brussels mobile remained depressingly silent with regard to the waiting list call I hoped would come. Cometh the hour, cometh the ticket touts however, and after a period of haggling I joined Big Phil in the bowels of Ancienne Belgique.

Seasick Steve ambled onto stage like one of the Beverley Hillbillies acompanied by his drumming sidekick the force of nature that is Dan Magnusson. Ripping through the set with a manic intensity Steve let rip a series of blues riffs that had my head banging and my feet tapping. Raw, elemental and sounding like a raw version of Billy Gibbons Steve's slide guitar rocked the house. On the tender side he seranaded a blushing girl he had plucked from the audience. Well that did teach her for trying to boost her friend on stage.

Guitars used included a three string beast held together with duct tape and a modified cigar box, with built in whisky reservoir as used for this little ditty.



Steve's fingers blurred and the crowed boogied on. Unfortunately a number of local ass holes marred the night by persisting in talking through the numbers. At one point Steve hefted a baseball bat in the air and invited them to party. "I 'aint no pussy" he growled. Unfortunately none of them took him up on his offer, it would have good to see a couple of baa heids hit for a home run.

All in all I was mightily impressed with Seasick Steve, raw blues sung by a master of his art. A good start to the years musical calendar.