The Scott Poley Project, Gig Review. Studio 2, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

Liverpool and the vast majority of the United States of America don’t have that much in common, take out New York City and its melting pot of institutions and flavoursome watering holes with the nights of poetry, music and lively debate aside, there really is not a lot to tie the city beside the Mersey say with Texas, Georgia or the Mid West States where cowboys still roam and the talk is of oil, current incumbents of the White House and rattlesnakes.

One thing though you guarantee is that when a room full of people are gathered round a bar and the musician starts to play, people will listen, audiences will cheer and the Blues will be lively. In that respect, the world over will always be like Liverpool.

Studio 2 might not have the appearance of a bar in the middle of nowhere, the crowd made up of tight well suited jeans and oversize hats all in need of a shot of whisky, a sour bourbon or a watered down beer to make light of a Friday night on the floor, yet deep down it holds a beauty in which you can only think of for a while belongs to the images of booths on the sides and banners on the wall, the taste of sawdust hanging in the air; in the beauty afforded to by Studio 2, the Blues, the Soul and the Rock always has a home outside of the Delta and the deep south cool. Into that welcome arena comes The Scott Poley Project and the band’s special guests for the night in celebration of the musician’s album launch.

There always is a good reason to get out of the house and find a way to revel in the joy of humanity, in recent times Studio 2 has played host to the marvellous Cal Ruddy and in a vein that was wonderfully similar, The Scott Poley Project filled the room to its very rafters with songs of eloquence, desire and fortune; it was not a night to believe that television could offer anything in the same ballpark, not a night to think several branded beers could have the same effect.

With guests so exceptional they could make a single heartbeat kick start an idle engine in the incredible Jennifer John, the marvellous Emily Gervis and the man mountain and colossal voice of Paul Dunbar, The Scott Poley Project played songs such as If It Ain’t Wrong, the superb Shoes, the heartbreaking whisper of Leaves on The Line, Road To Ettrickbridge, the stunning Piece of My Heart, which Jennifer John truly owned the night with her magical performance on vocals, and Don’t Mess Up A Good Thing. In this mix of Blues, Soul and ravishing vocal beauty, The Scott Poley Project made the night so alive that for a short while, the world beyond the doors was forgotten, this was the exclusive entertainment for miles around and the world was breathing in the same air as those fortunate enough to witness it.

A great night supplied by a man and a band of stunning taste.

Ian D. Hall