Come rain, hail or storm, nothing stops a Bluesbunny. Hence flood warnings and heavy winds did not deter me from making my way to the Victoria Hotel in Largs to see Big Baby Ernie and Woodface.
Let's consider Woodface first. They are an acoustic duo from the north east of England and are possessed of a rare synchronicity. It's not often that you see two musicians play almost telepathically but that is what Lee Gray and Paul Stuart do. They specialise in crowd pleasing collages of classic popular songs decorated with tight harmonies and impressive fret board dexterity. It is a formula that works well.
On to the case of Big Baby Ernie. All the way from New Jersey, this six piece funk leviathan soon made me forget the wind and rain outside. That's the thing about a band of this quality. Every beat is in place, every solo is a standout and they made a Sunday night crowd dance like they were in a sweat soaked after midnight big city dive.
Playing songs from their two albums, they lay down a demon groove that just would not stop and, from southern blues to James Brown, an impressive surefootedness was evident. Now that I've got the logical analysis out of the way, let's get down to business. Did all this technical excellence work? You bet it did. Big Baby Ernie is the kind of band that you want to encounter when you've had a few beers and they make you want to stay up all night. With a warm, easygoing charm, they prove to be an addictive, feel good band that gets you to your feet and keeps you there.
Back to the car for some aquaplaning practice on the Kilbirnie road. Big Baby Ernie's album is on the CD player, however, so I know everything is going to be alright. I feel good!