@ The Marr's Bar, Worcester - 6/7/02

This hard working London based blues band deserve a medal for longevity. Yes there's been numerous line-up changes over the 23 years of gigging, but there's no doubting the quality that's touring currently. I'd not heard of them until recently and my good friend Vinnie recommended that I should go and experience them. So I did and interestingly enough so did some keen followers all the way from London - always a good sign when people will go that far to see a band!!

Currently, Ruthless Blues are, Stevie Smith on vocals and harp, Tony Fernandez on drums, Andy Herbert on bass and Martyn Taylor on guitar and vocals. The name Ruthless Blues adequately describes the sort of act they are. Relentless Blues or Restless Blues would also describe their style. They hit you between the eyes with the sort of lightweight blues that has you constantly on the move.It's dancing blues, it's good time blues, it's feel good blues.

They started a little late for my liking - getting on for 10.30ish. Some of the audience were getting a little restless just waiting for them to climb on stage and get going. They were waiting, hoping for the crowd to swell. Well it did a little and those that bothered to go sure
enjoyed themselves. Within minutes of the start there were several dancers up front. The dancing never stopped - to relentless, driving blues - mainly covers it has to be said but, great covers done in their own way. Ruthless Blues take great songs and take ownership by changing things just enough to make all the difference. Some classic stuff was given the Ruthless treatment tonight, 'Heard It Through The Grapevine' being a good example.

Not just great songs but great musicianship; bass playing that would be hard to better - anywhere. Guitar - smooth and easy, hard and rockin'. Drumming of absolute quality and precision. Perfect vocals with guts and feeling. Exquisite blues harp. We heard it all tonight. They threw in a couple of originals which went down well but there's no denying that it was those classics that the crowd loved.

(Reproduced by kind permission of Toxic Pete - toxic.pete.btinternet.co.uk)