The Ma Kelly’s Boys‘ road trip hits The Rochdale Empire this Saturday 11th August.

We’re not exactly lookalikes (as you’ll see from the pics) but we definitely nail the vintage frantic four sound of the early 70s, covering songs from between 1970 and 1976 and taking our name from the classic Ma Kelly’s Greasy Spoon album from 1970.

Doors open early, but the band won’t hit the stage until 10pm and will deliver two sets of classic quo from In My Chair to Mystery Song, with songs like Down Down, Big Fat Mama, Oh Baby, Paper Plane and Roll Over Lay Down in between.

So, if you’re in the area get down for a bit of old style boogie.

We’ll be back up the road to Newcastle to appear at Trillions on Friday 24th August – classic band, classic rock bar.

Playing live at FretMarks guiatr/Music shop in Bedlington

https://youtu.be/7C4umxSsVSY

I’ll be at The Americana Festival at Sage Gateshead this weekend coming up, after a quick catch up with Del Amitri on the Friday night in Newcastle .  Then it’s back out solo – Friday 27th at the perfectly formed Mr Ants bar.

Some vids from a fairly recent appearance at The Penny Gill Rock Bar, in Spennymoor, Co Durham

Ring Of Fire

Compliation

Wilf from Ghost Pickups UK made me some pickups to try on my Bridge Street Guitars Bridgecaster.  Here’s a vid from the weekend – see what you think.  It’s worth getting in touch with Wilf to talk about your needs – he turns things into the sounds you’re after.  I was after a powerful bridge sound, with reduced trebel, and a more open and airy neck pickup sound.  I think he nailed it   First proper try through, jusy recorded on my IPhone 8 without any special mics or set up.

Lovin’ the look of these too, so might get mine redone as relics:

https://binged.it/2KLHID2

So, 2018 sees me out as solo (Bad Bob Bates), duo (Oil City Shakers), and bands (The Bandits – hard hitting 3 piece; Ma Kelly’s Boys – vintage Quo 70-76; The Velvets – celebration of The Velvet Underground and Nico).  See you at a pub, club, theatre, festival, bike rally or special event across the north east and nationally.  Variety is the spice of life, but there’ll be a bit of BBB in all of it   .