Birmingham band Big Wolf Band travelled the shortish distance to the Old Bush Blues Festival 2024 in Callow End, Worcestershire for their debut apearance.
The band have an ever-increasing set of fans, picked up over 10 years, with their high energy blues songs, and their line-up was Jonathan Earp (vocals & guitar), Mick Jeynes (bass), Tim Jones (drums), Justin Johnson (guitar & vocals) and Robin Fox (keys).
They are getting noticed in the UK Blues scene making the top 5 in the 2023 & 2024 Best Bands in the UK Blues Awards.
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With a large crowd, many of who were dancing, the band picked up on the energy and produced a rip-roaring set full of passion as one of the best blues bands live. The set included songs from the acclaimed new album ‘Rebel’s Journey’ and this gig was part of the 2024 tour.
The set kicked off with ‘Valley of the Fallen Kings’ which has already become a classic in their set with its great beat and strong powerful vocals from Jonathan along with his great guitar playing supported by the rhythm section.
‘Got me Reeling’ showcased another new song with a heavy beat and brilliant triple harmonies along with a great guitar breaks from Jonathan.
On ‘Rolling with Thunder’ Justin took over the lead vocals with its great intensive heavy blues with great keys from Robin.
The crowds loved the danceable songs including ‘Darker Side of You’, ‘Walk in my Shoes’ with its great funky beat and ‘Heavens Got the Blues’ with its strong vocals and ‘Empire and a Prayer’ with its excellent guitar breaks and strong keys from Robin.
The band also took the pace down a bit with ‘If I Ever Loved Another Woman’ with its echoy guitar and passionate vocals from Jonathan.
A couple of the more personal songs from Jonathan included ‘Standing in the Rain’ with its story about depression and disability (Jonathan suffers from Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which is a connective tissue disorder, and with the associated downer when he can’t play his guitar) and the sad very personal story about the loss of his son Adam in 2009 in ‘Darkest of My Days’ with its much slower pace and evocative vocals and laid-back blues sound.
Then Jonathan went on a walkabout in the adoring crowds during the encore with Joe Bonamassa’s ‘Oh Beautiful’.
