Bob Porter from the Bob Porter Project put on the Bands4Charity gig at the Stroud Brewery for the NHS Gloucestershire Bowel Cancer Care Trust, after recovering himself from Bowel Cancer, as a thanks for all the assistance he received.
The event had six bands playing at least 45-minute sets with the Siren Sisters, Albino Tarantino, Nick Parker, Bob Porter Project, Rich Dickinson’s Driving Force and headlined by The Achievers. All the bands were either very local or less than 50 miles away.
To view the official photos please view Bands4Charity Photo Gallery
First up we had the Siren Sisters from near to Cirencester with their multi harmonies ladies’ choir of Sandra Crowley, Jo Gimmler, Stacey Usher, Sue O’Neill, Val Skehan and Alison Wraight, with Richard Sutcliffe on keyboard. They were led by Musical Director Liz Nicholls who is also Bob Porter’s niece.
They performed in a wide range of music styles, from rock, pop, jazz and musicals to classical, medieval and Bulgarian folk. The songs included ‘Let the River Run’, ‘Kiss from a Rose’, ‘Mas que Nada’, the Eurythmics song ‘Sweet Dreams’, ‘Love of my Life’, and finished with ABBA’s ‘The Winner Takes It All’ and Queen’s classic ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. The audience was very appreciative of the open act.
After a set change next up, we had local Stroud band Albino Tarantino who played as a Latin Swamp Blues band. Think Tom Waits & Ry Cooder with Santana influences playing at the Buena Vista Social Club in Havana, Cuba.
The band was Aron Attwell (acoustic guitar & vocals), Robert Holmes (guitar and backing vocals), Dug Mackie (Double Bass) and Kotska (drums and backing vocals).
They played mainly their own songs including ‘All That Remains’, ‘Bring Your Horse to Water’, the very topical at the moment ‘The Government’, ‘Dumb’, a cover of a Willie Bobo song ‘Evel Ways’ that Santana made famous when they played in at the Woodstock Festival in 1969. Then next up they plated ‘Something Good’, ‘Good Intensions’ and ‘In The Country before finishing with the Santana song ‘Oye Como Va’. The crowd really enjoyed this different style of Blues and one of the other acts as already suggested them for other gigs.
Next on the bill was Street, Somerset singer/songwriter Nick Parker who accompanied his singing with acoustic guitar. His songs included ‘Departures’, and from his new album 'Ow Dennie Rayne and the Jistal Parts' ‘Maison d'etre’. Then a song inspired by his son growing up ‘Down with the Yoof’, ‘Living Again’, ‘The Half of a Moon’ the classic The Dubliners song ‘Wild Rover’, ‘Terry and June’ and finishing with ‘Es Tut Mir Leid’. Nick was a good counterpoint as the only solo act on the bill.
The we had up on the stage the creator of this event Bob Porter with his Bob Porter Project with Bob Porter (lead vocals & rhythm guitar), Will Mercer (lead guitar), Richard Lloyd (keyboards & vocals), Andy Bainbridge (bass and vocals), Kim Flannery (vocals) and Bern Gardiner (drums).
The Bob Porter Project is an Americana band from Stroud with a fine blend of mellow Alt Country and gritty Roots Rock, with a mix of covers and originals often described as music with a ‘growl & twang’.
The set included ‘Like Jack Kerouac’ written by Bob Porter, ‘Santa Monica Freeway’ a song by ZOCK, ‘Electric Dragon’, ‘Holes in the Soles of my Blue Suede Shoes’, ‘Your Part of the Earth’, Between Midnight and 7.02’, a Bob Dylan song ‘SENOR’, ‘Bad Penny Blues’ written by Pete Griffin, ‘Afraid of the Dark’ and finished with ‘The Naked Ride Home’.
This was a great six part band with great vocals and guitar riffs and lead vocals from Bob and a couple with Andy.
Then another change of genre with Blues/Rock band Rich Dickinson’s Driving Force from Stroud took to the stage. The band was Rich Dickinson (guitar and vocals) Graham (Bart) Barton (bass and vocals) and Ted Thundersticks (drums and vocals). They played a mix of covers with some original numbers. Inspired by rock guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix and Joe Bonamassa.
They played ‘Just Got Paid’, Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Voodoo Chile’ an original ‘Long Time Gone’, Rory Gallagher's ‘Moonchild’, a Gary Moore songs ‘Still Got the Blues’, and ‘Oh Pretty Women’ and finished with original’s songs ‘Piece of My Heart’ and ‘Without You’.
Rich enjoyed demonstrating his guitar playing with struts into the audience area with heavy drumming and solid bass accompaniment.
Then before the last band The Achievers Bob Porter ran the raffle with prizes including a Fender Telecaster guitar (donated by DEX Audio) and Blackstar debut amp (donated by Bob Porter Project) and two helicopter simulator session (donated by Starspeed Helicopters UK) at Gloucester Airport in Kemble.
Then once the changover was complete Bob introduced local award winning Americana/Blues/Roots and Gospel band The Achievers from Stroud. The band won the UK Blues Award in 2019 before playing at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee in January 2020 (just before COVID kicked in).
The band line-up was Steve Ferbrache (guitar & lead vocals), Aron Attwood (vocals & drums), Rufus Fry (vocals & harmonica), Jack Thomas (Bass) and Robert Holmes (vocals & lead guitar).
There set included ‘Run On’, the first song they played in 2013 ‘The Cuckoo’, No One Remembers’, a Rev. Dan Smith song ‘Just Keep Going On’ (which Eric Bibb also played) ‘Don’t Ever Turn Around’, a song written after harmonica player Rufus Fry had his kit stolen ‘Ru’s Song’, ‘Shelter’ and finished with a singalong song ‘Will You Come Along’.
After Bob Porter asked the audience if these gigs should be put on again, and got a loud cheer in response, there will be future Bands4Charity style gigs at the Stroud Brewery in the future.
