Ross Stewart and Band - Sells Out Voodoo Daddy's Showroom

An Unforgettable Night With Robert Finley

Red Rooster Festival 2024

Thursday 30th May 2024

“Let me take a few seconds to tell you / What is important to me / It is so important to me that / Each and every one of you Is here / Because without you / I cannot do / What I do!”

 

With that very personal, personable introduction, the seventy-year old, son of sharecroppers made himself very welcome to the packed tent.  He then turned in a tremendous performance that was still the talk of the festival two days later.  Those turning up on the Friday had heard about it too and had a bad case of missing out blues.

Mr Finley has a lot of patter, which random as it may feel initially, always turns very neatly into the start of the next number.  He is a natural-born story-teller, which makes his rocky blues so attractive.

 

Backed by the vocals of his eldest daughter Chrissy Johnson and a powerful band, Robert Finley gave a cracking demonstration of what getting old could mean.  No going quietly into the dark for this guy. Living life with vim and vigour, having a great time, “If you don’t tell on me, I won’t tell on you.” he promised. Which went down like a healthy shot of bourbon with the campervan, mobile-home travelling, blues loving, festival goers who filled the big tent. 

 

From his first child-hood story introduction, we were led into Son of a Sharecropper, which set the tone for an upbeat 90 minutes of pure fun.  Sneaking Around followed suit and on we went.

 

Finley put his all into the set and after a ridiculously energetic encore, theatrically pretended to being dragged backwards off stage by Chrissy.  He had completely connected us.  He had fun.  His band had fun.  We had fun.

 

Every number was powerfully delivered by the band.  Tempo changes, breaks and solos perfectly delivered, transporting us all to a late-night Louisiana party on the Suffolk / Norfolk border, (although a few were well ahead of most of us already).  We would have all gone on longer, if he had.  Even so, the length of the show was perfect. 

Mr Finley urged us all to look forward to getting old, to talking with people and finding out about what people experience in their lives.  For the youngsters he implores “Hope is better than dope.”  This may come across as a cranky old man taking up our precious time, but he shares his feelings with such enthusiasm and genuine humour that one cannot help being moved.

 

Nobody Wants To Be Lonely is a beautiful ballad that underlines why we should be taking care of each other, with a visit, or a phone call, “Why not bring joy to somebody’s life?” he asks of us after demonstrating his amazing vocal range.

 

Chrissy Johnson takes the lead vocal.

As part of the show, we got to hear the power of Chrissy Johnson's voice when she stepped into the limelight and sang solo while her dad was having a breather on a chair to her right.  Chrissy Johnson is more than worthy to be granted a set of her own. She laid down a beautiful version of the Wilma Burgess classic, Misty Blue, then followed up by Take Me to the River, which allowed for a sing-a-long session for the ecstatic crowd.

The band were absolutely top-notch. Ollie Hopkins on bass, Charlie Love on drums and Liam Hart on lead guitar played with energy and sympathy. Super.

I do not want to paint Robert Finley as an old man, lucky to be having a damned good time at a ripe old age, although no doubt about it, he is that.  What Robert Finley displayed was a universal hunger for living in a way he urges us all to pursue. He has a warm appreciation of his fellow men and women, particularly women, which he was unashamed of admitting in You got it (I need it).

The set’s shifting gears kept the well-oiled audience rolling along, right up to the show’s heady climax. We were in his practised hands.  Part of his continuing adventurous romp-a-thon. "Life is too short to put off for tomorrow." introduced Get It While You Can, which summed up his philosophy.

    

Finley was also unafraid to reference the impact of the pandemic on the planet.  Throughout, Finley emphasised his powerful faith in humanity, but mixed this up with humour and genuine love of his family, as explored in his Alligator Bait story.  The show closed with Make Me Feel Alright,  a fine ending to an unforgettable night.

Afterwards at the merchandise stall he gave full attention to each and every one, young and old who went over to say hello, or to buy a CD or vinyl album.  At seventy Finley proudly admitted that “I am living my childhood dream.” He is living that dream for quite a few of us too.

 

After the rain and cold wind of this gloomy day, Robert Finley warmed the cockles of our hearts. Yep, a truly unforgettable night. 

For this who missed the man this time around, tour details for November can be found when you scroll through his official website here. Make time for your own unforgettable night with Robert Finley. Get it while you can!

Spencer Ide

Red Rooster 2024

Euston Hall

3rd June 2024