What set out to be a very promising evening certainly lived up to that promise and everyone went hope with the feelgood factor strong in their hearts.
Corrie opened the evening with a too short set, although few mental aberrations were in evidence, her sweet voice carried her through. Powerful emotions and feelings are always prevalent in Corrie’s songs and no more so in Rag & Bone Man in which a proud lad from the mining community wanted to follow in father’s footsteps but ended up with the safer option as a rag and bone man much to the joy of his family .
Family and community are other familiar themes which run strongly through Corrie’s songs and an extended family link to the Wedgwood pottery family was told in a tune with a medieval lilt called Martha. The music to a passionate song Somehow, Somewhere, Sometime was written in response to being given a poem, the writer John, who was in the audience must have been proud with the emotional end -result.
Although My Hands brought her little set to an abrupt end fortunately it wasn’t the last we ‘d see of Corrie and I don’t mean just to do the raffle!!
It doesn’t take long for AJ Clarke to warm the audience to him or indeed himself to them as he swiftly develops a rapport. It’s as though he is having an intimate personal conversation in which he reveals amusing and poignant incidents from his life with merry quips , amusing anecdotes and jokes.
We learnt a bit of Gaelic, discovered Britney Spears is an anagram of Presbyterian and that the best songs live forever. We looked into the past in the God Old Days looking beck on 60’s memories in which AJ displayed his skilful lyrical writing. Well anyone who can get ‘perestroika’ into a song surely has some talent! He sung songs celebrating his long partnership with Julia, who adeptly accompanied him on keyboards and through the evening exchanged some harmless domestic banter. Most amusingly she advised ladies that the best way to repair a relationship is to take the remote with you!!
He tackled the tricky issue of bullying in a jaunty tune in which a refrain was sung in different British accents. There was little sympathy for the bully who met a fatal end. Some might say,..deserved! Amongst regular songs to his set like The Only Life Gloria Knew, Tuesday Night Is Always Karaoke, We Pulled Through and The Broken Years he touches thorny issues sensitively often with a touch of irony and humour.
Songs of car boot sales, dislike of camping and a stood up busker were given an airing too, all whilst he admitted borrowing a belt from someone in the audience who thankfully did not stand up! It is these moments of interaction with his audience that make the evening memorable and one which the sacrificing of a ticket for any football match was worthwhile. Although Man City may have lacked one supporter it was more than made up for when he was asked to solo the chorus in the encore song Go Out Walking On Sunday in which Corrie was also invited back to sing.
Throughout the Spring you can catch AJ Clarke and Julia locally in Swinton (12th April) , Ellesmere Port(18th) and Northwich (20th May) or you can journey up to Perth (20th April)
It will be hard to surpass tonight’s entertainment but I am sure the upcoming acts will endeavour to equal it. Craig Joiner in May and Caffrey, McGurk and Madge in June before the Summer break will certainly have a go at that.
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