ION INDIE MAGAZINE June 2017, Volume 37 | Page 59

It has been some time since I have seen the band RED BUTLER play live--the last time they had JANE CHLOE PEARCE on vocals, but she has since decided to move on to other things musically. So, in this new format, they have brought in another guitar player who happens to sing brilliantly. Thus, the line-up is now ALEX BUTLER (lead guitar), MIKEY TOPP (bass guitar), CHARLIE SIMPSON (drums), and new boy on the block, DANIEL PATRICK SPELLMAN (rhythm guitar and vocals). So how have they changed? Well, a VERY big leap forward, in my opinion. The songs are a lot heavier, leaning more towards the “rock” style than “blues”. Dan’s voice fits the new sound to a “t”--whether they are playing Red Butler-written songs or ERIC CLAPTON’S “Old Love” or WHITESNAKE’S “Ain’t No Love”—Dan delivered! The four lads gelled effortlessly on stage, feeding off each other and having a great time. The energy they put into their performance was palpable. The boys brought to the first of two sets, a sum of seven songs--finishing with “Old Love”, which spotlighted both Alex’s guitar prowess and Dan’s vocal abilities. It was my favourite song of the first half, and I must add…Alex is one hell of a good guitar player!