Bringing the blues back to Bowes - for a third time

FORMED in 1991, the English duo Rag Mama Rag, have slowly and consistently built up their reputation as one of Europe’s finest country blues acts.
More than 25 years later they are still going strong, playing better than ever and on Saturday, March 25, they will be returning to Bowes for their third visit.
With an interesting and wide range of instruments, Ashley Dow, (Henderson acoustic guitar, national and dobro resonator bottleneck guitars, Weissenborn acoustic lap steel, ukulele, stomp box and vocals), and Deborah Dow, (harmonica, washboard, percussion, spoons and backing vocals), Rag Mama Rag create an exceptional sound.
Their repertoire is 20s and 30s blues based, but extremely varied, encompassing Mississippi Blues, east coast ragtime sounds, early white country tunes, original compositions, and many other regional styles of the 20s and 30s period.
Touring non-stop in Europe during the last ten years Rag Mama Rag have clocked up well over 2,000 concerts and have played at many major festivals in France, Belgium and Germany.
Promoter Graham Henley said: “Much as I love the blues, and live music, if I could only choose one band to play in Bowes, and show folks what the blues was all about, it would be Rag Mama Rag.
“They are the greatest blues duo I’ve seen and heard, and that includes Brownee and McGee.”
He added: “It’s hard to get away from the fact that you felt the old-timers had probably been there-and-done that, but we still have much to thank to have the blues about these days.
“Rag Mama Rag’s latest album Some Ol’ Day, for example, contains one of their recent compositions called Fracking Man, and you’d have to include that as blues for our times.
“So I am enormously pleased to be welcoming back Ashley and Deborah to Bowes. They need little introduction to those who have been here before.”
He said: “For those who haven’t, I’d say, if you aren’t sure you like the blues, or think you might, but it will be one long over-amplified wall of sound, forget those notions, come along and listen.
“It’s a great night of music in the company of Rag Mama Rag.”
The show, at Bowes and Gilmonby Village Hall, starts at 7.30pm, but the bar is open at 7pm and the audience can enjoy a drink before as well as during the gig.
Tickets are £10, £9 concessions and £5 for students. Call 01833 628357 for details.