NORTHUMBRIAN MUSIC
NIGHTS
What we said about
MAURICE DICKSON
7/9/00
Maurice builds to an impressive brace of encores
at The King's Head, Allendale
We knew Maurice Dickson from early last spring, when he made a quiet entrance onto the live music stage at the King's Head in Allendale, and proceeded to engage his audience so convincingly, so profoundly and with such incredible guitar virtuosity, that the promoters, Northumbrian Music Nights, just had to invite him back at the earliest opportunity.
Seeing him back again, offstage and intimate, with a surrounding audience like old friends in the living room, one almost forgot amongst the early anecdotes and banjo player jokes, what sort of virtuosity this shy diminutive artiste from Northern Ireland really possesses.
But the first set and half of the second were only an exercise designed to bring us to the real meat of the meal, as Maurice finally unleashed his guitar and let it run and run and run.
You know, I'm not going to provide any sort of set list, or specific appreciation of any of the numerous songs and instrumentals that punctuated a crescendoing set that built to some sublime guitar mastery. If you didn't get to this gig, you are certainly the sadder, ask anyone who was there, for this was live guitar work and personal rhythm at its very best.
It was yet another compelling vindication of the taste and discretion of that amateur promotions group, Northumbrian Music Nights, who are regular people, after all, much like you and me. But they know what's good, they value it, they cultivate it, and yet again they provided it. You can't ask for much more than that, from any live music venue!
It was the penultimate presentation in the eponymous 'Guys with Guitars' promotions gambit, and there is one more, at the end of September, which is also sure to enhance the reputation of the promoters, namely, Ken Hamm, perhaps the foremost exponent in all of Canada (that's some 25 million souls, after all!) of pure roots and blues music. Appearing with one of our special friends, accompanist Jim Condie, the evening looks like one to remember, and a fitting finale to this incredible Guys with Guitars programme. Don't miss it!
