ION INDIE MAGAZINE August 2017, Volume 39 | Page 59

I returned for
for another
another evening
evening of
of great
great music
music at
I returned
at WORTHING’S
WORTHING’S PIER
PIER SOUTHERN
SOUTHERN PAVILION,
PAVILION, this
this time
time a a very
very warm
warm
welcome to to the
the HITMAN
HITMAN BLUES
BLUES BAND
BAND all all the
the way
way
from
New
York
their
tour.
This
is my
first
time
seeing
welcome
from
New
York
on on
their
UK UK
tour.
This
is my
first
time
seeing
this
this
mighty
fine
band
--
all
8
of
them:
RUSSELL
“HITMAN”
ALEXANDER
(band
leader,
vocals,
guitar),
CHRIS
mighty fine band -- all 8 of them: RUSSELL “HITMAN” ALEXANDER (band leader, vocals, guitar), CHRIS SHARLEY
SHARLEY IAN
(drums),
IAN SALISBURY
JOHN
ALAN
ALPERT (trombone),
PAUL (bass),
GILMORE
(drums),
SALISBURY
(keyboard), (keyboard),
JOHN KELLY
(sax), KELLY
ALAN (sax),
ALPERT
(trombone),
PAUL GILMORE
and
(bass), and
JOANNE ALEXANDER/NANCY
HAMPTON
(backing
vocals)…a
full stage indeed!
JOANNE
ALEXANDER/NANCY
HAMPTON (backing
vocals)…a
very
full stage very
indeed!
This band
band took
took part
part in in the
the INTERNATIONAL
INTERNATIONAL BLUES
BLUES CHALLENGE
CHALLENGE in
This
in Memphis
Memphis in
in 2012,
2012, and
and a a great
great time
time was
was had
had by by
all,
with
the
band
just
missing
out
on
the
finals
--
as
Russell
shared
while
I
was
acquiring
background
information
all, with the band just missing out on the finals -- as Russell shared while I was acquiring background information
from him.
him. However,
However, he
he said
said what
what they
they do
do NOT
NOT talk
talk about
from
about is
is “the
“the incident”
incident” – – involving
involving the
the Axe,
Axe, the
the Sheep,
Sheep, the
the
Midget
and
the
Peanut
Butter!
I’d
love
to
have
known
that
story
(inquiring
minds
want
to
know)…
Midget and the Peanut Butter! I’d love to have known that story (inquiring minds want to know)…
The evening
evening was
was along
along similar
similar lines,
lines, offering
offering a a great
great mix
The
mix of
of blues
blues music
music and
and amusing
amusing stories,
stories, with
with Russell
Russell playing
playing
stonking guitar
guitar solos
solos on
on his
his guitars.
guitars. I I was
was particularly
particularly pleased
pleased that
stonking
that he
he was
was playing
playing slide
slide on
on one
one of of them.
them. The
The sell-
sell-
out
crowd
enjoying
every
moment
of
the
evening.
One
amusing
story
told
the
tale
behind
his
version
of
RALPH
out crowd enjoying every moment of the evening. One amusing story told the tale behind his version of RALPH
MCTELL’S song
song “The
“The Streets
Streets
London,”
which
Russell
changed
to “The
Streets
of Downtown.”
You check
can
MCTELL’S
of of
London,”
which
Russell
had had
changed
to “The
Streets
of Downtown.”
You can
it out YouTube.
it check
out YouTube.
The evening
evening was
was over
over far
far too
too soon,
soon, time
time for
for an an encore
encore and
and to to say
say goodbye
goodbye to to the
the fans,
fans, old
old and
and new,
new, with
with plenty
plenty of
The
of
trade
exchanged
at
the
merch
stand,
and
then,
time
for
the
photos
of
band
members
with
their
fans.
to
trade exchanged at the merch stand, and then, time for the photos of band members with their fans. So, So,
to sum
the evening,
the Hitman’s
aim straight
was straight
and true,
everyone
home
happy.
However,
I think
up sum
the up
evening,
the Hitman’s
aim was
and true,
with with
everyone
going going
home
happy.
However,
I think
they
they
should
change
their
name
to
“The
Hatman
Blues
Band”
because
of
the
varied
styles
of
hats
they
were
should change their name to “The Hatman Blues Band” because of the varied styles of hats they were sporting. All
All in
all, another
great
covered
ION INDIE MAGAZINE!
in sporting.
all, another
great
gig covered
for gig
ION
INDIE for
MAGAZINE!
Hitman Blues Band • Music Video • “Better Class of Bums”