HUNDRED SEVENTY SPLIT

at "BLUES GARAGE" Hannover, Germany
2 October 2012


Photos by Brigitte Review by Dave Photos by Anita


REVIEW by Dave

Henry Gellrich presents "Hundred Seventy Split"

 
 

“HUNDRED SEVENTY SPLIT” at Henry’s Blues Garage

 2 October 2012 in Isernhagen-Hannover, Germany

“Hundred Seventy Split”, are making their debut appearance tonight, and all systems are getting a green light. 

 

Our friend Anita from Berlin is with us, it’s her first time at Henry’s. Anita arrives at 6:00 PM and not a soul in sight. We arrive at 6:30 and things are starting to come to life. We start off at the food vender wagon, two nice gentlemen are working there, and on the inside walls they have posted photos of every band they’ve had the pleasure to meet. This leads to a vigorous conversation in music and artists, while dining on bratwurst, in the drizzling rain of a warm October evening.

We move inside, buy our tickets, acquire our drinks as I find a chair. I sit right in front of a Cadillac front-end, that part of the stage is resting on. Soon after, I decide that planting myself on the overstuffed sofa, in the corner was a far better and more comfortable option. With a table included I drink my cola and observe the audience that is building in numbers.

 

As Slow As Molasses On Frozen Tundra:

Everyone seems to be in slow motion. Hardly moving, and with no real sense of direction. The regulars head for the balcony upstairs, with their smokes and drinks in hand. One by one they enter the main area, as if stunned, stoned or simply indifferent to the overall situation. There are whispers, quiet talking and so far no visible enthusiasm from anyone. The drizzle outside continues, as folks dribble in, falling into position.

Leo’s son Tom is setting up the stage, checking equipment and doing the fine tuning on the instruments. He has everything intact and ready to go. Another hour and the room is starting to warm a little, the people too. But nothing spectacular is apparent. Just a dull drone of sounds, and the stereo blasting music mindlessly in the background. It’s a Tuesday night, the second day of October, everyone is lackadaisical as if in a trance – sleepwalking. The wait seems endless, I have no track of time, while those around me keep checking their watches every few minutes, it must be getting close. Joe comes out on stage, just to retrieve one of his guitars, he returns to the security of the  backstage area.

Brigitte and Anita roam around taking photos, and doing their usual investigative work, snooping around as it were. They check the time and move quickly to the front of the stage.

 

Rough Riders On An Oriental Carpet:

Henry introduces the band – short and sweet, and lets the bands music do the talking.

The band members take their places, and launch right into “No Deal”, a nice little rocker with excellent vocals by Joe, driving bass lines and playing from Leo and kick ass drumming from Damon Sawyer. The audience are attentive yet indifferent in general. Not to worry.

The second third and fourth songs bring them to life. Leo’s brief chats from the stage puts everyone at ease. The band plays on, their sound, energy and passion are contagious, the audience starts moving their feet, their hands and dancing in a slow moderate motion.

 

Loud and Proud:

Hundred Seventy Split perform brilliantly. Power, but not blasting. Rockers and Ballads create the needed mixture and balance. A three piece band, on an equal with the most popular bands in classic rock history, but with a grasp on the modern technologies. By the end of the first set, the audience was in the palm of these three musicians hands. Introducing them to three new songs, soon to be released on their new CD in March of 2013 didn’t hurt the cause either.  

During a twenty minute break the band gave the audience enough time to refresh themselves in drinks and having cigarette breaks.

The second set started the same as the first – they jumped right on it, and never backed off the hammer.

After every number the people in front of me were clinking their glasses together, hugs all around, smiles and dancing going on all over the venue. Feet tapping, knees bending to and fro, heads nodding….no one was unmoved. The band won over another audience of music lovers, and they (the band) can be very proud / happy to win over this die hard crowd. 

 

The Audience Raves About Hundred Seventy Split:

On this night Hundred Seventy Split are embraced as heroes, and have been invited back next March of 2013, to promote their brand new CD release.

 

Prologue:

After the show, Henry was ecstatic about the entire performance, and HSS have opened another door of welcome. I asked Joe Gooch what he thought of the place, “It’s great, I love it, I don’t know why we haven’t played here before, so many great acts have performed on that stage, the audience was incredible”. Brigitte asked Leo, how was it that they finally got booked to play here after so much time away? “I just got on the phone, had a personal talk with Henry and we booked the date”. Leo continued, “I like places like this, because they have a warm intimate feel that I like, you can really communicate with the audience, and get their immediate feedback”.

In my chat with Damon, out by the front door, I asked him what it was like working with Mike Vernon, in Damon’s studio? “It was great, sometimes I was the producer, other times I was the engineer, and other times I was performing on drums while he was working the controls”. Damon continued, “I learned a lot from Mike, he is a hard working perfectionist, and never stops until he’s satisfied”. I asked Damon if Mike discussed working with Ten Years After on their first three albums? Of course replied Damon, story after story I heard, very interesting history of those early days”.

Damon is also working with the band “Marmalade” a Scottish band, you may remember their big top ten - pop hit “Reflections of My Life”  reaching number three in the United States singles chart and number ten on the album charts, in December of 1969 – well, they’re back in the studio once again, with Damon playing in the band.

 

From Dave:

At this point in time Hundred Seventy Split is a very interesting musical adventure for me.

It’s exciting, with new material, new energy and sound. With all musicians free to improvise at will. For those of you looking for unexpected musical excitement, come out and see for yourselves what  Hundred Seventy Split, is all about -  at a venue near you!

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

  Photos by Brigitte Scholz

 

http://www.bluesgarage.de/

 

 
Photos by Brigitte Review by Dave Photos by Anita

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