Bradford’s Multi Blues Awards winner Chantel McGregor entertained the sold-out Tuesday Night Music Club (Coulsdon) crowds on her debut. The line-up was Chantel McGregor (guitar & vocals), Colin Sutton (bass) & Thom Gardner (drums).
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After a warm welcome by host and UK Blues Federation Chair Richard Dunning, Chantel kicked off with two heavy blues rock numbers with ‘Burn Your Anger’ with its passionate vocals from Chantel with brilliant guitar breaks. This was followed by ‘Killing Time’ with its great sultry vocals and strong bass and drums backing.
After a quick happy birthday for regular Tony on his 80th birthday, Chantel chatted about home life and having to watch Mr Tumble! The next song ‘Eternal Dream’ was ready to get started but a technical issue delayed that. Was this Mr Tumble retribution for the amp not being turned on!
The number started with a slower tempo with eerie vocals and melodic guitar and a military beat on the drums and quiet bass. The song then quickened in pace with great guitar beaks before a melancholy finish.
Chantel then played a newish song ‘Crazy Little Voodoo’ with a heavy blues rock beat to start, with strong vocals about being dangerous, and strong drums and heavy bass and a great high guitar break.
For ‘Inconsolable’ changed to a brand-new guitar with its obligatory new pedal which was a slower number with echoey guitar with lovely vocals to a strong beat, but more stop and start, but with great harmonic vocals with a bass solo.
After a break when the audience could meet Chantel and family and buy merchandise, Chantel came back to play several solo numbers including ‘Landslide’ with great expressive vocals and melodic guitar and ‘Nothing Else Matters’ with its slow Spanish guitar sound with great bluesy vocals. This section received great applause from the audience.
In between songs there was lots of amusing banter highlighting difference between Yorkshire, London and Scotland humour.
With her band back on-stage Chantel went back into blues rock with songs including ‘Lose Control’ with great blues beat with interplay between Chantel and bassist Colin with heavy drum beat from Thom and ‘Take the Power’ with its heavy beat from drums and bass together with great guitar breaks, to compliment, with great off beat timing and heavy singing in high register.
The band also played an instrumental song ‘April’ with its Prog Rock feel with its slow start with lots of cymbals and bass beat, underneath with echoey guitar.
After thanking the crowds for buying tickets well in advance, so the show was sold out, Chantel thanked compare Richard and the sound man Michael. She also thanked her mum for manning the merch desk and her dad for driving her and the band down from Bradford (and back afterwards).
Fore an encore the band played the classic Prince song ‘Purple Rain’ with its mellow echoey slow beat, lovely passionate vocals and great guitar breaks, with high register guitar playing. The band finished to wild applause from a grateful audience.
