LIVE REVIEW : GERAINT WATKINS AND THE MOSQUITOS AT THE WHEATSHEAF TOOTING 16/03/2014

I'd been on the lookout for a Geraint Watkins gig announcement for the past couple of months as the man was releasing "Moustique" his first solo LP in 5 years on the 17th of March. Suddenly out of the blue last week came an announcement that he would be playing a Sunday afternoon free gig on the 16th of March in a pub called The Wheatsheaf located just beside Tooting Bec tube station. The event was organized by London based Irish musician Niall Kelly who regularly plays at The Wheatsheaf. The pub is also close to Gravity Shack Studios where Neil Brockbank operates Gold Top where "Moustique" was recorded (and Nick Lowe's Christmas record too...).

The back room of the pub was almost empty when I arrived so I managed to secure a table just near the door that leads to the beer garden while Geraint and his band were finishing setting up. Niall played a short with his wife Caitlin accompanying him on fiddle. Really nice songs and some good singing from both. I'll make sure I listen to some of Niall's records in the near future. Geraint was accompanied by most of the musicians that play on the records that are made at Gold Top : Robert Treherne on drums, Matt Radford on stand up bass, Martin Winning on Tenor Sax and Clarinette and newcomer Oliver Darling on guitar. The line-up was less extensive than the last Geraint Watkins I reviewed on this blog (http://craigchaligne.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/geraint-watkins-underbelly-hoxton.html) but it was still a treat to catch such a bunch of talented musicians for the price of a couple of pints !!! Geraint opened as usual with Easy To Say Bon Temps Roulez from his 2008 album In A Bad Mood. The song started with just him and his piano and the band joined him in the middle. Several tracks from the soon to be released Moustique were aired (House On The Prairie, No Longer Required, All Around The World, Shine A light) and showed that this record might be his strongest to date but all his LP's were covered with particularly good versions of My Happy Day (from the Bold As Love album) and Champion (from In A Bad Mood). Oliver Darling took lead vocals on a couple of number and a impressed Watkins jokingly asked him if he could join his band. The rhythm section of Matt Radford and Robert Treherne was perfect as usual and Martin Winning's sax playing was absolutely fantastic. Niall made an announcement that Geraint and the band would play every two weeks at The Wheatsheaf from now on, make sure you catch them !