Belfast Blues In The Deers Head Dec 16th ‘23
Christmas just days away, and I’m, in Belfast for a gig at The Deer’s Head, I need to be there for 2:19. There’s always a buzz about this city, but like all cities, signs of depravation, and homelessness are visible on the wet streets, jarring with the surrounding seasonal frenzy. The period venue lies in the heart of Belfast, the upper floor already filling with people queuing on the stairs, it would be a full house.
The 2:19 have been busy in the recording studio, this is the first live gig since September, new songs could be aired live for the first time. Drummer Monty had arrived early, his scaffolding is exact, time consuming to set up, perfectly aligned he settles in for a soundcheck. Marty on bass and Paul on lead, are ready, Chris racks his acoustic, and sorts out the feedback from his bullet mic. he is now de facto harpist along with lead vocal duties. Ady arrives just in time, readying his hollow bodied rhythm guitar.
With 2 full albums and a 3rd near ready, there is no shortage of material, the band were, ready, a swampy, ‘Leaving on The 2:19’, blues fills the air. The feisty, ‘Diamond In The Dust’, sweeps in, Chris adds harp, Paul is busy on a vintage custom Mosrite, which has warmed up nicely for a new song,‘Dead Dogs’! Monty is soon thumping out the driving rock rhythm for the gritty, ‘Ready To Go’, but were only just loosening up as the 2:19 work up the atmosphere. The pace is relentless, songs are rattling out nose to tail, lubricated by the odd slug of the micro brewery ale. Plenty of familiar faces from previous visits, I’m feeling at home here. Some personal favourites, are exercised, the lovely blues of, ‘Bad Blood’, and steaming hot, ‘No Smoke No Fire’, we’re heading toward a break, time for a refill, but I’m enjoying the vibe here, I’m among friends and fans of Belfast blues. ‘Radio Smiles’ seeps out, a soft, easy groove that fits like a glove.
I read somewhere a descriptive of Chris’s vocal qualities, “leather”, not the buffed up polished stuff, more the well worn scuffed jacket that just feels right when you slip into it.
A break and back on stage with the cutting, ‘No Time Left To Bleed’, Chris is putting heart and soul into his vocals, still managing to slip in reed bending harp. The Marty and Monty pump up the rhythm, with Ady adding colour to the cutting axe lead from Paul, its raw, its real, its ‘All Kinds Of Evil’ slinkin’n’slidin’ in. A few new songs to me are slipped in, testing out the impending new release? ‘One thing I’ve figured’, we’ll find out soon enough. I’d hoped to come home with a new disc still warm from the burn, but its not quite cut and packed yet, another trip in ‘24 unquestionably but not too far in.
Meanwhile, Monty is thumping out a tattoo. bass pulsates, guitar cries, as Chris delivers the blistering, ‘Dancer’, the girls are up and grooving in any space they can find, a song that calls you to your feet, hell, with the right woman, I reckon even my old bones would answer the call. More blues a perfectly tailored ‘Best Suit’, you have to look smart to meet your maker as the gallows await. A fresh faced, hard rockin’ ‘Brickyard Blues’ pumps out as we ease into the home run. ‘Hey Carolina’ has the girls back up strutting their stuff, fuelled no doubt on fermented grape juice. Seems fitting to wind up on ‘Go Home’, but we all know it doesn’t quite work like that, the song morphs into a seasonal ‘Santa Claus Is Back In Town’, and despite the throbbing energy of the song, snow ‘aint falling on the ground yet.
Suffice to say, spending a few days in Belfast has been a blast, it’s good to catch up with the band, and walk these now familiar streets. I’ll be back soon enough, there’s a launch awaiting, and I’m not talking about Titanic.
The 2:19 are;
Chris Chalmers, vocals/harp/acoustic guitar, Paul Wilkinson, lead guitar/slide guitar, Marty Young, bass, Ady Young, rhythm guitar and Monty Sneddon, drums.
Music;
Revelator
We Will Get Through This
https://www.facebook.com/The219band/
featured video’s by Chris Horner
Words & Photos Graham Munn
Rhythm & Booze 