A SURPRISE FROM THE HEART OF WALES...
Amidst the scenic hills and picturesque landscape along the Welsh/English border, (where the magic mushrooms grow and beer is still £2.25 a pint) a very interesting secret has been harboured. Until now, that is.

Recently, this area has been reverberating to the sound of a particular brand of blues music. Coincidentally, this same locality appears to be the home ground, and meeting place for a band of very dedicated musicians.

A group it seems, who have one important and mutual obsession in common, a lifetime of devotion to playing blues music; their way. Apparently, these guys have all toured the World, individually backing many famous names along the way, but for them to congregate in this obscure neck of the woods seems peculiar.

However, to their local fans, their unique brand of hard blues is extremely welcome. Pretty young boys, brought up in a world of karaoke, they are not. But their reverent approach to blues music, irrespective of fashion, sets them aside from most of today's 'programmed' entertainers. Collectively named, Blues State U.K. these are characters who execute their craft with a passion. Don't even ask how I got there, but I was fortunate enough to catch the band performing at a very odd gig, in some obscure village in Wales. The place was packed with odd-looking punters, all hot, excited and jumping. Blues State U.K. were going down a storm and the atmosphere seemed like Woodstock in a pub.

Make no mistake; this band are to be reckoned with. A unique chemistry carried them through two blistering sets. The slide guitar, piano and harmonica solos in particular, were exceptional. Drums and bass were as tight as the proverbial and the mood just got spookier as the evening progressed. The vocals were executed with an authenticity hardly befitting the white, skinny bloke singing, and by the end of the evening, the crowd were rendered as helpless as I was, clapping, banging and screaming for more. Together, they performed a frightening version of a Billy Boy Arnold song, threw in some Slim Harpo for good measure and left us with a storming John Lee Hooker number. Astounding!

Real value for money and it was free to get in! It's a mystery that this unit have not recorded yet, nor have they been exposed nationally, but that's just an enigma that makes the group more appealing. If you're a punter that likes tough music with a kick-ass attitude, or a geezer that just loves the blues, then see this band at all costs, even if it means a trip to Wales. Better still, if you can organise Blues State U.K. a gig at your local venue, before they hit the big time, then do it straight away, you'll be rewarded with an unforgettable night. It would impress your strange locals too!