Music review: Beth Brooks and The Swaps - with special guest - wow audience at Blues Night in Leamington

The latest Blues night at Temperance café in Leamington (hosted by James Knight) had an excited crowd to listen to Beth Brooks solo slot, The Swaps and special guest Greg Brice.

After an introduction from James Knight, Beth Brooks (lead singer with The Swaps) was first on stage with a solo slot accompanying herself first on guitar and then keyboard. She started with the song ‘No Place’ followed by ‘Good Things Come to Those Who Wait’, which she wrote while she was in New Zealand, with acoustic guitar to accompany her fine blues husky voice.

Next, she moved over to the keyboard to play ‘Know Her Name’ and ‘Breathe’. She was then joined by fellow The Swaps members Adam Phillips and James Knight both on acoustic guitar, and the trio played ‘Hoops’ a song written by Beth and ‘I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)’ written by Aretha Franklin.

Then after a beer break The Swaps came back on stage to play some of their songs including ‘Negativity’ written by James, ‘Fast Car’ a new song written by Adam, ‘Story To Tell’, ‘Sweetheart’ written by Beth with her soulful vocals, a slow version of ‘Jump’, ‘Deep’ and ‘Scars’.

After another small break special guest Greg Brice, from Shipston-on-Stour, took to the stage. As Greg commented, Shipston might have been a bit more famous from the wool trade in the 1600s, but there is still a lot going on from a small town today.

In his first portion of his set, he accompanied himself on acoustic guitar with his brilliant finger picking, which is why he has been nominated for the UK Blues Awards in recent years.

He played some songs of his own as well as more traditional blues tunes, but with Greg’s interpretation. This included transposing some songs from piano to guitar.

He started with ‘Windy and Warm’ before a Professor Longhair song ‘Tipatina’ although the songwriter was neither a professor or had long hair!

Next up was a song from an album Greg picked up from Camden Market in London when he was 16/17, by Josh White called ‘Red River Blues’.

Next up was the song from Greg’s time studying Zoology at University of Aberdeen, Scotland and a visit to see his then girlfriend (now his wife) who was studying in Paris, France. This was meant to save costs with a 24-hour journey on a Megabus. The song about this was ‘’Together But Long Distance is Alone’.

Next a song from a band that Greg loves The Wood Brothers with their song ‘Sing About It’, which was followed by one of Greg’s own with ‘Work for a Living’.

Then one of the reworked songs from piano to guitar with Paul Simon’s ‘Still Crazy After All These Years’. He enjoyed playing this when he recently supported The Achievers on their 10th Anniversary Tour.

Greg then swapped his acoustic guitar for his Fender electric guitar for his electric set and started with ‘Hallelujah’. Next up was a song about Greg’s younger brother, who went a different route and is now an accountant in London and doesn’t play guitar!. It was called ‘Brother’ This was followed by a Tony Joe White song (that Rory Gallagher also covered) called ‘As the Crow Flies’. The set finished up with a Sonny Landreth song ‘The U.S.S Zydecoldmobile’ and a singalong with ‘Up Above Your Head’.

Then to finish the evening Greg was joined by the three members of The Swaps with a bluesy/soul jam after which the audience gave them loud applause for a very exciting evening.