Slydigs - Trad RnB for a new generation?
Its a wet Sunday night in Scarborough, a traditional English seaside town in North Yorkshire and we are right on the seafront at what appears to be a Victorian theatre venue called The Spa.
Slydigs are tonight supporting the Californian kings of RnB/Old skool Soul that is Vintage Trouble, a force to be reckoned with and Ty Taylor lead singer of that band steps out on to the stage early to introduce their support band. “Its nice to be on the road with your friends” Taylor says, and after the intro we start to ease into some trad rock numbers.
Slydigs are fronted by singer guitarist Dean Fairhurst who bears an uncanny resemblance to the Stones Brian Jones. The comparison to Rolling Stones doesn't end there and if you picked up the band now and dropped them into a late 60's early 70's venue, no one would bat an eyelid. They are decked in retro hats, waistcoats, leather, jeans and scarves all from that era. The music too is a shade of 70’s Faces/Stones mixed with a spot of AC/DC good time boogie, a Quireboys/Black Crowes perhaps for the latest generation.
Guitarist Louis Menguy is pleased to tell everyone that Vintage Trouble are taking them on their European tour which will mean that they get to play outside of the UK for the first time. Whilst its nice to hear that, and they seem like a nice bunch of North West lads, there wasn't that spark or character to match the outfits, they need a shot of energy in the same way that Vintage Trouble have with Ty Taylor and hopefully following them on the road will help with seeing how to put on a show and truly engage with their audience. I’m afraid its trad rnb that you can find in most clubs and pubs in the UK and not much more.
Briefly they dabble with a softer sound and with added keyboards and drummer out front using tamborine rather than kit adds a subtle change to the mood, but then its back to the comfort zone and “stiff upper lip” rock and roll good times.
For the generations out there who have never seen it, then perhaps they offer something new, and maybe it was down to the strange atmosphere being the night after tragedy in Paris, but Slydigs tonight just didn’t lift the spirits for me. Now Vintage Trouble on the other hand... wow!!
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Now for real authentic RnR check out The Sheepdogs review, coming back to the UK in April 2016 !
