Every once in a while, The Perth Blues Club are able to showcase an artist of international quality which highlights to the world the level of music that the city of Perth has to offer. Meeting at the iconic Charles Hotel in North Perth, Perth Blues Club have been hosting regular live events since 1992. With the return of live music after the COVID pandemic tore apart the entertainment industry, the Blues Club has flourished, and support has been strong. Tonight, was no exception, as Perth blues rock guitarist Matty T Wall graced the stage to bamboozle & entertain the masses.
The evening began with the experienced Blues ConFusion, a five-piece blues band who have been around since 2013 and led by vocalist Deb Gill. Their shuffling locomotive style blues soon had the dance floor awash with people, as they performed an entertaining mix of covers & originals with songwriter & guitarist Phil Bourgault joined by drummer Bart Hayes, bass player Peter Hackett and newest recruit Simon Sharp on keys & trumpet.
After a short break, the house lights dimmed and the man who we had all been waiting for entered stage right. I had been looking forward to seeing Matty T Wall for quite a while now and he most certainly didn’t disappoint tonight.
Kicking off with John Lee Hooker’s ‘Boom Boom’, Wall immediately lit the touch paper to a firecracker of a set, which set the room on fire. The rythmn section of Ric Whittle (drums) and Leigh Miller (bass) kept their foot on the gas throughout this mainly pacey, punchy set, with Wall orchestrating the tempo like a conductor leads his musical troops. Wall continued to delve into his latest release ‘Transpacific Blues Vol.1’ with his version of ‘She’s into Something’, which was first recorded by Muddy Waters back in 1959.
Tonight we were treated to the bulk of the set coming from Wall’s first album ‘Blue Skies’ as the band continued on with ‘Broken Heart Tattoo’ before we heard the only track from his 2018 release ‘Sidewinder’ in ‘Walk Out The Door’. “Do you want to hear something new”, asked Wall. We didn’t even get time to answer, as we were treated to a new composition, ‘Warm Hearted Blues’ and for lovers of another of Wall’s compositions ‘Love Gone Away’, ‘Warm Hearted Blues’ causes instant goose bumps and was a highlight of the set for me.
By now, even if you wanted to get up to dance you had missed your chance as the floor was filled with amass of gyrating, jiving bodies being teased along by the trio on stage. ‘King Bee’ & ‘Burning Up Burning Down’ continued the musical onslaught before we got to see the band flex their individual muscles during Matty’s version of Hendrix’s classic ‘Voodoo Child’ which has been brilliantly rearranged unlike any version I’ve heard before. ‘Am I Wrong’ gave Wall an excuse to show off his own talents. I’ve seen guitarists play behind the neck before but never have I seen behind their back with the guitar facing forward – visually mind numbing and note perfect too.
The challenge was thrown down during ‘Scorcher’ with Wall stating, “I’ve not seen many dance & keep up to this one before!” But oh, did they try. Wall clambered atop of his amp like a preacher ascending his pulpit to tower over his flock. And as suddenly as it all began, it was over. The lights dimmed, we drew breath and then almost instantly the crowd beckoned the band back – it’s a Tuesday night so what else have they got to do. A rousing & rocking version of ‘Crossroads’ for encore? Why indeed not! A perfect way to close an exceptional set.
Matty T Wall is another Perth musician that we should be extremely proud to call one of our own. If he is at a venue near you then go and see him. And if he isn’t, then travel – you won’t be disappointed.
PHOTO GALLERY
Photos by ASP Photography
