Elvis Fontenot & The Sugar Bees: Swamp and Sweat

Cajun/Zydeco excellence from the Bayous of Staffordshire

Another intense night of pleasure and delight as Elvis Fontenot & The Sugar Bees rip through two sets at the Old Brown Jug as part of the Newcastle-Under-Lyme Jazz and Blues Festival. The evening doesn't start well with the previous band overrunning and delaying the set up for the band. They rip through a sound check quickly with the venue filling rapidly and the temperature rising. The sound is excellent and well worth the wait though.

As ever the band appear to be on tip top form and the night is lively but cramped! The venue's decision to leave a huge dining table and chairs right in front of the band was odd to say the least. With the crowd even busier than the last time we saw them here and dancing/viewing room at a premium, it was a shame.

The band went through some familiar tunes of their own, some covers and some new songs giving a nice mix, cranking the audience up to a lather. The second set saw them into their stride. The songs, sound and performance by all the band is infectious with the Fontenot effect kicking in all over the pub. Even from those who couldn't see, with jigging/singing/tapping/shaking/dancing breaking out all over.

Particularly taken tonight with Caroline and the appropriate, given the atmosphere, Hot Tamale Baby.

I cannot recommend going to see them more highly, prepare to be stung. If they don't put a smile on your face and a spring in your step,  then seek medical advice !

Elvis Fontenot & Sugar Bees. The Old Brown Jug. Newcastle Under Lyme

Two from the Village

Pork Pie with Georgio Dragonslayer

In recent nonths along with good friend Georgio Dragonslayer we have been enduring a number of training walks to build up our stamina for a walk to raise funds for Parkinsons. On this particular occasion we were walking from Talacre to Mostyn and back. 

It was decided to stock up with some essentials from  a bakery we knew of in Talacre. Alas it has had either a change of ownership or supplier as the offerings were in origin from Village Bakery, Coedpoeth/Wrexham.

The Pork Pie was ok, but uninspiring , a bit dry, bit salty and little or no jelly (6/10). At the end of the walk the Peppered Steak slice was heavy of pastry, dry on the mouth and short on steak, very disappointing (5/10). 

If you would like to sponsor us for any amount to complete, then please email me at idreamofpies@hotmail.co.uk and I will forward details of how you can make a contribution to such a great cause, thank you.

Peppered Steak Slice, Village Bakery

Pork Pie Massive

Hand crafted at SJ Bebbington Butchers

In honour of a special birthday landmark a Pork Pie of prodigious scale was commissioned by the Pie tribe with S J Bebbington Butchers of Westminster Park. Not the easiest of tasks but achieved with some aplomb by the master butchers and pie makers of S J Bebbington Butchers.

The crust was excellent, considering the amount of Pork it had too hold !! The meat/texture was delicious and consistent throughout. Despite it's size it hasn't lasted long. Big thanks to Stuart and team for a memorable pie.

Top Pie !!

Steak & Stilton Pie, S J Bebbington Butchers

Steak & Stilton, S J Bebbington Butchers of Chester

We often judge people by outward appearances and more often than not we are wrong. Pies are no different. I may have some personal preferences for how a good looking pie should look but none were activated when glancing at this Steak and Stilton pastry offering from SJ Bebbington, Butchers. Nice colour, good shape and tidy is what you need. To this end a lot of pies look alike.

So I was no more excited than usual when I cut this pie in half to share. WOW did this look good when cut in half ! It is rare to cut into a steak pie and be presented with a solid wall of meat and gravy, without a huge air gap at the top (Ginsters take note). What a delight for the eyes and the taste was excellent. I shared this with a fellow pie muncher and we both said 9/10 without pausing for the next bite. It was a delicious combination of moist pastry, gravy, lean meat and Stilton after kick. I doubt I will be sharing the next one I have !!!!

Dave Sharp - Troubadour

Dave Sharp, Troubadour. The Venue. Lymm.

Tonight was one of those nights when my enthusiasm for live music, if in any way depleted, is restored to a high robust healthy level. All it takes is passion, craftsmanship, generosity of spirit and an obvious enjoyment by the performer of what they are doing. No going through the motions, but good honest endeavour that can entertain and inspire in equal measure.

As with Neil Finn, Mr Sharp meandered through his solo catalogue and provided personal interpretations/reworkings of classics by Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon...... I found it mesmerising watching him play as his fingers danced over the frets with an ease than will shame others and mystify me. Watching a craftsman at work like this is such a pleasure. There were songs I did not know the name of or understood all the words to , but I got lost in the music anyway. 

His passion and chat was just right to keep the momentum going through the evening. The audience at the Venue, Lymm though not large was appreciative and Mr Sharp was generous in his effort.

I knew not too expect any Alarm tunes and was not concerned by that I was here to listen to Mr Sharp. But I am delightful when it happens, as with One Step Closer To Home which is quite removed from the Alarm recorded version. 

But a great song is great song however it is played. When it is played by the person who wrote it it always takes on some magic of it's own. I have been privileged to have enjoyed Mr Sharp gigs before and this was excellent in so many ways.

I was lucky to sit and chat with him before the gig which was stimulating and rewarding in itself. Can't wait for another opportunity even if it involves some Hard Travellin.

Pork Pie at The Venue, Lymm

Pork Pie, The Venue Lymm

In preparation for making our way to a gig we contacted "The Venue"  to clarify some arrangements. What a delight to be answered with the offer of Pie to sample, happy days.

The Pie in question was a Pork Pie created by Ward's Butchers in Stockton Heath, Warrington. The enthusiasm of the seller Alley Clarke and staff at the Venue, Lymm was infectious to say the least. Their attention to detail by providing a range of sauces to accompany the pastry offering, was to their credit.

The pie itself was good in all aspects. The pastry was good not too thick or dry and enough to hold the contents together. The meat was tasty and not dependent on too much Salt (as a lot are). I would like a little bit more jelly but that is a personal preference. A combined score from myself and the dragonslayer would give it an average score 8.25/10. It also looked good which helps. I'd definitely eat it again and will have to pay Ward's a visit at some point! Many thanks again to the team of Pie enthusiasts at The Venue, Lymm.

Neil Finn:Dizzy Heights

Neil Finn, Birmingham Symphony Hall

Big thanks to Mrs Dragonslayer for providing tickets to see Mr Neil Mullane Finn on his current Dizzy Heights tour. It's few years since we have had the pleasure of catching up with Mr Finn and we were not too be disappointed.

The gig was at the magnificent Birmingham Symphony Hall, which is a great venue. Sonically pretty good but I struggled to hear his voice a bit at times especially during the louder newer songs. 

However he was on his normal good form meandering his way through his current and past back catalogue even dipping into the Split Enz back catalogue much to our and the crowds delight. He played a good two hours including encores to cram in a good 28/29 songs. If you weren't happy tonight you never will be at a gig.

Particularly with the older songs Mr Finn pursued a policy of playing the songs in a different way by instrumentation, arrangement or tempo which mixed things up nicely and probably helps retains his interest in songs that are over 30 years old or more.

Personally I liked all of it but hearing those Split Enz songs was special especially I Got You, One Step Ahead (brilliant), Message to My Girl and History Never Repeats. He did reluctantly play Six Months In A Leaky Boat but only because he was badgered by an audience member which perhaps is not the best inspiration for a performance but he did it nonetheless. We like Neil Finn very much.

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British Beef Steak and Ale Pie: The Brasshouse

British Beef Steak & Ale Pie, The Brasshouse Birmingham

In Birmingham for Neil Finn gig, having made good time and feeling a tad peckish it was decided to grab a bite to eat in a nearby hostelry. We chose the Brasshouse on Broad street next to the canal and behind the symphony Hall, our ultimate destination.

The Brasshouse is a pub/restaurant in a converted foundry. Service and staff were pretty good. 

The pie was ok, a little bit disappointing and a 6/10 at best. It was not a pastry top serving which was great, the pastry was good, but the meat was a bit gristly and gravy ok. It was part of a deal,  two meals for a special price and this maybe why the portions were so miserly. My face fell as it it arrived !!

It was ok but could have been so much better. It was a bit cool but having covered it with the piping hot gravy it was better.