Kit Holmes - Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Maidenhead, 14/11/2015

  by Owen Peters

published: 9 / 2 / 2015

intro

Owen Peters watches blues artist Kit Holmes perform an excellent set in support of John Etheridge at the Norden Farm Centre in Maidenhead to promote her latest album, 'You Took the Blues'

For those who haven’t seen Kit Holmes live she’s blonde, bubbly and entertaining. A singer-songwriter who writes all her own material, this gal doesn’t perform covers or pop twee ditties. If you want the blues, come right in. I caught up with her at the Norden Farm Centre for the Arts in Maidenhead which was the penultimate performance of a sixteen date UK tour, supporting John Etheridge. Most of the evening set was taken from her latest album, 'You Took the Blues'. Without a note being played she teased the capacity audience, telling them they are reknown for being a nice crowd. It was just Kit and Burt (that’s her guitar) on stage. She opened up with a four song set on electric guitar. The title track from 'You Took the Blues' and 'Short Walk to Heaven' were sultry, slow burners conjured up a den of inequity, full of hard booze and cheap perfume. 'Sci-Fi Blues' on contrast is a humorous song about waking up in outer space with aliens. The arrangement allowed a skilled driving riff pace throughout as she had now switched to acoustic guitar. Fingerpicking chords, with subtle pauses on bass rhythm, dovetailed well with this bonkers but funny storyline. 'Breakout Blues', an instrumental showcased her stringed ability and timing, and put an individual stamp on a technically challenging blues arrangement that ran to nearly five minutes. As the pace picked up, there was a clever mix of of slide guitar and a sprinkling of flamenco chord changes. The album has been written and produced by Kit Holmes and Allen Greenwood. To their credit the introduction of percussion timing and supporting guitar licks were complimentary throughout. 'You Said, I Said' pulled it all together in a style blues aficionados would appreciate. 'You Took the Blues' confirms her musical apprenticeship is over. The mantle of top quality blues artist is there for the taking. That’s if she wants it of course?

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