Band - The Coal Porters

"Come forward, come forward, everybody come forward" chanted The Coal Porters before kicking into "Fair Play, Virgina". Tables and chairs were dragged (or pushed) and the crowd moved closer to the stage. Led by the writer, broadcaster, journalist, singer, songwriter, producer and mandolin player, Sid Griffin The Coal Porters play their bluegrass with an edge. Guitarist Neil Robert Herd alternates with Griffin on lead vocals, banjo picker Dick Smith and fiddler player Hana Loftus provide backing vocals when needed, Paul Sandy on doghouse bass completes the line-up.

On the songs "Final Wild Son" (Jerry Lee Lewis) and "Mr Guthrie" (Woody Guthrie) we are taken to the beginnings of rock and roll and then further back to the great depression. This was the second Coal Porters gig of the day and Griffin's vocal chords are in need of some help and he calls for (and receives) whisky and hot water. Smith shines on "The Sound of Life", the cover of Gene Clarks's "Silver Raven" is sublime and the set closes with a raucous version Guy Clarks' "New Cut Road" (with Herd singing the part of Ma Bonner worryingly well).

They return for a two song encore; firstly "a traditional sing-along number from Ireland" - The Undertones' "Teenage Kicks". If there were ever a song to get people to sing to, this was it. The last song of the night was worth the admission fee on its own. The Faces' "Ooh, La La" was played with no amplification at all. They all climbed off the stage, stood in with the audience or, in Griffin's case, stood on a table and played "the way your grandparents, or great grandparents at your age, heard music". This was perfect, absolutely perfect.