Exclusively at the Dog and Partridge (Manor St, Bolton) every Sunday at 9.00

Click on the song titles for some recent live performances (often of their own songs) from the regulars. Eric, Dan and Dave (see below) play host and fill in the gaps. Anyone's welcome - to listen, to join in, or do a solo spot. Performances are usually recorded live on the night (cock-ups and all) and we keep adding to and replacing the selection. At the last count there were over 170 songs from about 40 different singers ... but there's always room for more.

There's a separate page devoted to last Summer's Acoustic Showcase event 

David  (awaiting picture) "Cakam ta pred domom"     "Take me home country roads" (in Czech)

David is a visitor from the Czech Republic who's promised to sing in English in the future but some might say John Denver sounds better in Czech. The first song title means "I'm waiting for you in front of the house"

Dan, Dave & Eric    "Helplessly hoping"    "This boy"    "Wasn't born to follow"  

3-part harmonies are addictive so as a Boxing Day treat (for themselves) the joint hosts warbled their way through some sixties samples from Crosby,Stills & Nash, the Beatles and the Byrds. Further rehearsal will iron out the problems.

Dave - "Rude song"  "Baby let me follow you down"   "Southern man"  "Cygnet committee"   "Where did you sleep last night"

A former member with Dan (see below) of the band Mannekin John, he sings, plays and writes songs with equal talent and conviction.

Paul - "Gingerbread man"   "The greatest bank-job in the world... gone wrong"   "Monkey in a tree"   "Make me smile"

A slightly hesitant style belies Paul's confidence with a song..... and it's all his own stuff. Especially clever lyrics and a delivery that's plaintive and powerful at the same time.

Harry - "You can't always get what you want"   "The spider and the fly"

A familiar figure on the local music scene, here he's accompanied by Dave and sounds like a young Mick Jagger

Lisa - "Star bright"  "Henry Lee"   "Karma police"   "Sheela-na-gig" with Emily

Lisa has only recently had the "nerve" to perform at these evenings - but her performances are  remarkably accomplished and her repertoire is expanding rapidly. Inspiration here from Joni Mitchell, Nick Cave, Radiohead and help from friend Charlie on guitar and vocal. She duets with Emily on a PJ Harvey song

Lynn - "Strong enough",  "Mandolin wind",  "1952 Vincent Black Lightning",  "Cry"

Lynn was a well-known face (and voice) at local acoustic nights till she moved to Spain. A recent trip "home" let us catch these performances - covering an admirably motley crew of Sheryl Crow, Rod Stewart, Richard Thompson and James Blunt.  

Graham  "Time of sorrow"    "Nazi boy"

Graham blasts out covers as readily as his own songs (of which there are 100 plus). Nazi Boy seems to be his personal favourite but Time of sorrow benefits from some lovely improvised lead guitar from John (see below). Graham tells us this song was written about 30 years ago by a local lad called Marco (Mark-o ?)

John  "Reefer madness"   "Love is a drug"   "Cosmik debris"

John is a stunning guitarist and sings like an emotional Bryan Ferry (see Love etc) His own compositions  "Not wishing on a star" and  "Local legend" add on considerable lyrical skill . He's adventurous enough to throw in the strange vocal conclusion to Reefer madness and he's one of very few acoustic performers who 'd make a regular space for Frank Zappa -  shows what a good idea that is.... if you can play and sing like John....and somehow remember all the words !

Katie - "I put a spell on you"

Katie stepped out from behind the bar to deliver a powerful version of the Screaming Jay Hawkins song.

Ged - "Jesus don't want me for a sunbeam"

Ged gives fiercely quirky takes on a whole range of popular standards - like this Nirvana classic

Chris - "1952 Vincent Black Lightning"  "Rain"  "Big mouth strikes again"  "To have and to have not"

Chris does an admirably spine-shivering job on Richard Thompson's spine-shivering classic that contrasts nicely with Lynn's version.... it's a song that's worth repeating and the rest of the selection shows his eclectic inspiration.

Emily - "Faded from winter" "Welcome"  "Going overboard"  "Brass in pocket" "The professor and la fille danse"

Emily mixes covers with her own songs and the selection shows off her voice nicely.

Chris (aka Elvis)- "Lovely Pie Night"  "That's the way"  "Brian Warner was not in the Wonder Years"

Chris has an impressive guitar style and a powerful voice. His material ranges from Beatles covers to his own songs (often performed with his group the Vordemans).

Dan  "Walking down the line" "In the ghetto"  "Add it up"  "Tonight's the night"    "Gin and juice"  "Everybody knows this is nowhere"  

Dan organises these acoustic nights and plays along with other performers as well as making a solo contribution. He even brings his dad along. He has wide-ranging taste and sings covers of anything from Curtis Mayfield to Snoop Doggy Dog and occasionally includes some of his own songs. Dan, Eric and Kev work together as Van Diddley and Dan's songwriting and singing are strongly featured in his other band Islands Lost at Sea

Rachel  "When we were drunk" and "No Plans"

Rachel does do covers if pushed but mainly features her own songs (as here). Her lyrics repay careful listening - deftly phrased, telling a story or making an emotional point. Her finger-picking guitar style is ideal support for the songs.

.

Star  -  "My Johnny"  "Ride On" , "Willow's song"   "Come on Billy" "Jenny"

Star gives the same intensity to performing her own songs as to covers of Christy Moore. Her version of "Willow's song" compares favourably with the original from the film The Wicker Man.  "Jenny" is a song that Dan (who plays guitar) wrote with Dave in their Mannekin John days. The duet on "My Johnny" is with her mum, Heather - we're definitely working on the family atmosphere !

Russ  - " Who do you love / Break on through (to the other side)"  "No-one cares for me"   "I want your love"

Star's brother is also a visitor at the D n P  acoustic sessions. He sings his own songs in a gritty style and sometimes joins in with his sister (and mum).

Rob -  "Ramblin' on my mind"   "Corrina Corrina"   "M & O blues"  "City Girl"

Rob's affinity with the blues shows in his guitar style and in covers of songs by Sun House, Big Bill Broonzy and, especially, Robert Johnson. "M & O blues" was written by long-dead Charlie Patton who, by amazing coincidence, was born in Bolton, Mississippi !! The blues also sometimes influences his song-writing style but his own songs can also be gentle and reflective like City Girl.

Don - "Sweet Jane"   "Again"   "What's up"

Don puts some heart and gentleness into the Lou Reed classic (inspired by the Cowboy Junkies) and he's recently added to his repertoire by writing his own material ("Again"). He's a key fixture in Bolton's music scene as part-owner of DOA a local rehearsal studio and equipment hire business.

John N - "Heading Home"

John is a keen contributor, sometimes with covers,particularly of Neil Young, but also with his own songs like this one - perhaps showing a bit of  Young influence. There's lots of insight in his storytelling style

Kev -   "Riders on the storm"  "Break free"  "Astral weeks"  "We never learn"  "Festival Blues"  "Fred the Fly" 

Kev's versatility is a watchword - he plays flute and penny-whistle as well as guitar (though not at the same time). His covers range over the decades from Van Morrison to Joy Division via John Martyn. His own songs go from the downright whimsical (Festival Blues) to the deadly serious (We never learn). He even makes The Doors sound OK ..... and anyone who doubts that the Dog and Partridge is a totally wholesome environment only needs listen to Fred the Fly. Also part of TVOD and Van Diddley.

Danny - " The shadowlands"   "Eleanor Rigby"  and "You know you're right" with Dan and (inaudible) Eric

Danny does covers - Beatles, Nirvana, Nilsson, ....... just so it's a good song. Danny was off in New England for the Summer, teaching Americans to play "soccer", and is now returned.

Brendan - "Headache" (I think)  "City of Chicago"

Brendan's brogue adds an international flavour to the Lancastrian ambience of the Dog and Partridge. He's partial to Irish ballads but does lots besides including his own songs, sometimes just composed the night before.

Steve - "Lucky" with Star

Wide-ranging tastes and the ability to tackle challenging vocals make Steve's contribution valuable - he's also happy to harmonise.

Pete -  "Stranger in the D and P" " He stopped loving her today"  "Johnny B Goode"  "Boppin' the blues"   "Lawdy mama"   "Stormy Monday"   "20 flight rock"  

Pete energises any evening with his own take on Rock and Roll classics. Elvis is always number one but there are other , forgotten treasures that get dug up with style.

Tony -  "Strange Town", "Fistful of hate", "Brainwashed"

Tony is another forceful performer who enjoys covers of Bowie, Talking Heads etc but is also a prolific songwriter - mordant social commentaries, usually with a local or topical twist.

Eric (aka Dan's Dad) -  "Out on the weekend"  "You ain't goin' nowhere"  with Kev , "Mister Soul"   "Tryin to get to you"  "Goodnight Irene"

Finally, bringing grey hairs up to the mic is Dan's father Eric. He gave up writing songs nearly forty years ago and hadn't learned much new in nearly that long ...until joining these acoustic sessions. He mostly gives some historical  perspective to the evening - Howlin' Wolf, Chuck Berry, Elvis but Dan has bludgeoned him into listening to some "new" music.....he's into the eighties at last ....next stop Nirvana !! Also one-third of Van Diddley

As a bonus-track there's an improvisation from Dan, Kev and Star on the theme of "Tree Slime" ?

..... and another bonus, as Sunday night turned to Monday morning in the  D n P Eric, Kev and Dan treated survivors to all the verses they knew of "Hallelujah"...and there's lots of them...it rolled on for seven minutes.

Finally, thanks to all the performers.... and if they don't like my selection, just let me know and we'll record someting different.....also let me know if there are problems with any of the links on the site....email to vandiddley@yahoo.co.uk if you can't make it to the night.

Eric

****