Mikey Ball & Company/ Poole Vigilantes/The Whiskey State/ Tim Somerfield
The Anvil, Bournemouth
Mikey Ball has been a familiar face around the Dorset and Hampshire music scene for quite a while, and he has always been hugely popular with fellow musicians and fans alike. He has even earned himself the unofficial title of the “housewives’ favourite”, thanks to his boyish good looks and those ever-rippling biceps! But beneath all that, Mikey is also a bloody fine musician. Tonight sees Mikey Ball & The Company release their first new material for more than four years, in the shape of their seven-track album ‘Keep The Fire Burning’.
But tonight is not just a gig — it is an event. Plenty of thought has gone into making the evening feel like something a little bit special, and it starts before the main doors have even opened. For a select few VIP ticket holders, Mikey and his pal Tim Somerfeld serenade us in the top bar with an intimate acoustic set. Tim certainly doesn’t hold back, delivering his songs with real intensity and passion. His own originals, ‘Flux’ and ‘Lost In Paradise’, showcase his song writing beautifully, while an inspired version of InMe’s ‘Turbulence’ adds another dimension to the set.
The pair perform a couple of songs together before Mikey takes centre stage to deliver a few special tracks of his own, much to the delight of the small but appreciative crowd. It is one of those lovely little moments that makes a night like this feel genuinely personal.
Then the main doors to the venue open — and there is already a hefty queue outside waiting to descend into the Anvil’s basement. Around 70 tickets have been shifted in advance, with plenty more being snapped up on the door, and there is another encouraging sight among the crowd: plenty of familiar faces from the local music scene. Musicians supporting musicians. Exactly how a grassroots music community should work.
Southampton’s The Whiskey State get the evening started in earnest, a band brought onto the bill at the last minute following a cancellation. Sometimes those last-minute additions can be a gamble, but on this evidence, tonight’s audience have got themselves a rather tasty bonus. The quartet hail from that new wave of classic rock, but there is a healthy Americana influence running through their sound, giving everything a warm Southern twang without losing the punch of a proper rock band.
They launch into ‘Live A Little’, and the combination of twin guitars and a driving rhythm section immediately starts pulling the Bournemouth crowd towards the stage. There is plenty of energy here, but it never feels forced. The guitars lock together beautifully, while the rhythm section gives the songs a solid foundation to build upon.
For many in the room, this is their first encounter with The Whiskey State, and judging by the reaction, they are making plenty of new friends tonight. The band comprises Jordan Tate on guitar and vocals, Lewis Stammers on bass, Jack on drums and Tom Stride on lead vocals, electric and acoustic guitar. There is a real chemistry between the four, with the twin-guitar setup giving them plenty of scope to switch between chunky riffs, melodic passages and those big classic-rock moments.
Their new single ‘Outlaw’ really sees the band hit their stride. Tom’s vocals have a gritty confidence that suits the song perfectly, while the track builds towards a cracking guitar solo that gives the whole performance another shot of adrenaline. This is a band who clearly know how to write a rock song, but more importantly, they know how to deliver it live.
Then comes ‘Never Alone’, another standout. Tom swaps the electric for an acoustic guitar, subtly changing the texture of the performance while allowing the band’s more creative side to shine through. It demonstrates that The Whiskey State aren’t simply about turning the volume up and letting the guitars do the talking; there is genuine song writing craft beneath the rock ’n’ roll exterior. As last-minute replacements go, The Whiskey State have certainly landed on their feet — and judging by the number of people gathered around the stage, so has tonight’s audience.
Next up are popular local rockers Poole Vigilantes, and these boys certainly haven’t come here to stand around politely — they’ve come to rock. Outspoken frontman Scott Neil Law is already eagerly sipping from his trusty hip flask. We are assured that it is merely cranberry juice to wet his vocal chords. Of course, whether that is actually the case is another matter entirely!
Opening with ‘Warrior’, the band immediately step up to the plate, with Matt leading the charge with some superb guitar work, while Simon and Terry lay down the sort of powerful rhythms that give this band their considerable punch. Neil, meanwhile, is clearly enjoying himself. He likes a bit of banter with the crowd and, in between songs, gives us the lowdown on what we are about to hear. There is a real sense that this isn’t simply a band going through a setlist; they are having a bloody good time doing what they love, and that infectious attitude soon spreads into the audience.
A new song ‘Hit The Ground’ from the band’s forthcoming long-player rattles a few cages, giving us a tantalising glimpse of what is still to come, while ‘We Came Here To Rock’ sounds like it has been specifically designed to loosen a few more bits of masonry from the walls of this old basement. The more you see Poole Vigilantes, the more you appreciate just what they have to offer. They may be approaching what you might jokingly call their twilight years, but there is absolutely no shortage of fire left in this lot. If anything, they seem determined to prove that experience only makes you more dangerous.
They might have a few more miles on the clock than some of the younger bands sharing the bill, but they can certainly teach the youngsters a thing or two about how to misbehave properly.
After a fantastic line-up of supports, it’s finally time for our headliners to graciously take to the stage. There’s a real sense of occasion in the room and Mikey appears genuinely emotional as he takes a moment to humbly thank everyone who has turned up tonight, along with all those who have helped make this whole thing happen.
The band kick things off by playing the album in full, and for some of these tracks tonight marks their first ever live performance. It’s immediately obvious that plenty of time has been spent getting this right in the studio, as Dom, Gerard, Sam and Mikey all clearly know their parts inside out. Tracks such as Pressure and Red Shoes are delivered with confidence, power and plenty of feeling.
Then comes one of the real highlights of the evening. Mikey steps forward for a solo acoustic performance of Queen of Hearts, an emotive and beautifully stripped-back number. In a room already buzzing from the full-band performance, the sudden intimacy of this song creates one of those moments where you almost don’t want to make a sound. I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling privileged to have witnessed it.
The album reaches its conclusion with the rather wonderfully titled Patron Saint of the Broken Hearted, apparently written about someone actually in the room tonight. There’s something warmly beautiful about hearing this song performed live, with the band building the emotion perfectly before unleashing one of the finest guitar solos of the evening.
Just when you think there can be no more surprises, the band return for the encore – and they’ve brought some friends with them.
Joining them on stage are Tim Somerfield, along with Matt and Neil from Poole Vigilantes, for a suitably chaotic, slightly ragged but utterly fantastic rendition of Thin Lizzy’s The Boys Are Back in Town. It may not be the tightest performance of the evening, but who cares? The smiles on stage and the reaction from the audience say everything. The place absolutely loves it.
And perhaps that’s what makes tonight feel so special. This wasn’t simply an album launch; it felt like a celebration of friendship, music, hard work and the people who have stood alongside Mikey throughout the journey. Watching him take it all in, surrounded by fellow musicians, friends and a room full of people who had come to share this moment with him, was genuinely rather moving. You could see just how much this album and this night meant to him – and, judging by the reaction around the room, how much Mikey and his music mean to so many others.
There are nights when you go to a gig, hear some great music and head home. And then there are nights like this, where you feel you’ve been part of something a little more important. Tonight was definitely one of those nights, and I feel genuinely privileged to have been there to witness it.
If Carlsberg made album launches… this would probably be it!
Set Lists
Mikey Ball & The Company
Warning Signs
Pressure
Red Shoes
Queen Of Hearts
Patron Saint of The Broken Hearted
Runnin’
King Of The Lonely Throne
One More Night
Boys Are Back In ToWn (Thin Lizzy)
Poole Vigilantes
Warrior
Chase The Ace
Long Road
Hit The Ground
Hard Rock Angels
Don’t Call It Love
Overboard
We Came Here To Rock
The Whiskey State
Live a Little
Outlaw
Better Things
Never Alone
Where I Need To Be
Unchained Mind
Video:
Links
https://www.facebook.com/mikeyballandthecompany
https://www.facebook.com/pvrecordingsinc
https://www.facebook.com/thewhiskeystate
Article & Media By David Chinery (Chinners)
