Concert: The Blues Band at Fairfield Halls, Croydon (From Croydon Guardian)

Concert: The Blues Band at Fairfield Halls, Croydon

9:20am Thursday 22nd October 2009

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The Blues Band have a very interesting technique to their gigs, there are no set lists and they don't even stay in the same hotel sometimes.

The band, formed 30 years ago for a one-off gig that proved so popular they have just kept going, consists of Paul Jones, Dave Kelly, Rob Townsend, Gary Fletcher and Tom McGuinness, who was at Fairfield Halls only last month with his other band The Manfreds.

"We are recording a new Blues Band album at the moment but we have a rate of progress that makes painting the Forth bridge look fast."

Tom McGuinness

The guitarist revealed spontaneity and not being in each other's faces 24/7 was the secret behind the band's longevity.

"We never have a set list with the Blues Band," says McGuinness.

"As someone says there goes the light someone will ask what are we starting with?

"It's decided at that moment and the rest of the set goes like that.

"I works smooth as clockwork most of the time but there is the occasional minor disagreement that breaks out on stage when a choice isn't too popular.

"Why and how have we kept going?

"Because we don't do it all the time.

"We are not in each others pockets all the time and we don't always stay in the same hotel when we are away.

"We just get on stage on play."

Combining the two bands might make you think McGuinness is a very busy man but he insists that is not the case.

"With the two bands I do about 120 gigs a year," he says.

"Some people seem to think it's very busy but it works out and about two and a half gigs a week so it's not a heavy workload.

"I do have to figure out which band I am in that night sometimes.

"There's not a month of the year I am not working with one band or the other but a change is as good as a rest as the cliche says."

Three decades of working hasn't dampened the band's spirit for recording either, with a new album on the way.

"We are recording a new Blues Band album at the moment but we have a rate of progress that makes painting the Forth bridge look fast," says McGuinness.

"We started it last November and we are going to invite some guys to play on it.

"It takes some time for us, we have the gestation period of a big lazy elephant."

The Blues Band, Fairfield Halls, Park Lane, October 23, 7.45pm, £15.50. Call 020 8688 9291 or visit fairfield.co.uk.

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