Wille and The Bandits

[akko]

I went to the Giants of Rock festival at Minehead Butlins a few weeks ago. A very enjoyable weekend indeed. A great mix of young up and coming bands on the small ' introducing' stage and , ahem, more mature bands on the two main stages. For me, Mountain, Atomic Rooster and Focus were marvellous but the band of the weekend I reckon were Wille and The Bandits. A band I think championed on this forum by Barry Island. They were on first on  the Sunday lunch time and considering probably 90% of the crowd including me had never heard them before, they went down an absolute storm and received a standing ovation from the packed house of maybe  1000 or so.

I have since bought their latest album and very good it is too. A bit of press coverage seems to be coming their way as well and good luck to them.

Giants of Rock each year is a great festival for those of us long in the tooth, yet can throw up some great surprises. Next year maybe Son of Man could be the band that gets the standing ovation.

[Rob W]

Yes, another well done to Mr Island, and I suggest a heads up to Oakers who has championed Willie and the B's. Those
'circumstances' which Deke told us about, have prevented me from seeing them to date, which hopefully will be rectified this year.

[Michael Heatley]

Oakers and I are going to see em tomorrow!

[Barry Island]

I was in a quandary as there are two gigs on in Totnes on March 17th. One is WATB the other is Gong! Very hard to decide which to go to. In the end it had to be WATB. 4th time I will have seen them at The Barrel House. Always a great night at a great venue!

https://www.facebook.com/willeandthebandits.official/?ref=ts&fref=ts

[Rob W]

I recall you posting this previously.

I'd go to Gong. Even without Daevid Allen.

On t'other hand. I've seen Gong, not seen the B's so maybe I'll see them instead.

But I know I'll enjoy Gong. A lot.

Willie and the B's, I may enjoy them more, though

But if I don't go to the B's, I'll never know.

Sod it. I'll watch the X Factor instead. 

[Barry Island]

I recall you posting this previously.

I'd go to Gong. Even without Daevid Allen.

On t'other hand. I've seen Gong, not seen the B's so maybe I'll see them instead.

But I know I'll enjoy Gong. A lot.

Willie and the B's, I may enjoy them more, though

But if I don't go to the B's, I'll never know.

Sod it. I'll watch the X Factor instead. 

It was a very tough call!

[akko]

So , Michael, how was  the Wille and the Bandits gig that you and Oakers were going to?  Since seeing them at Minehead I have bought their last two albums and I am hooked. A breath of fresh air I reckon.

[Mark Oakley]

We didn't get there Akko...owing to yours truly being floored by the flu. A different strain, evidently, to the one I'd been vaccinated against. A nasty wee virus it was too. Only just back on my feet now! It would have been my fifth W&Bs gig...but Michael's first. I will do my best to ensure we catch them at the next available opportunity.

[Michael Heatley]

A nasty wee virus...

Oooh Matron!

[Rob W]

We didn't get there Akko...owing to yours truly being floored by the flu. A different strain, evidently, to the one I'd been vaccinated against. A nasty wee virus it was too. Only just back on my feet now! It would have been my fifth W&Bs gig...but Michael's first. I will do my best to ensure we catch them at the next available opportunity.

Oakers... I got collared by the local Surgery into having a flu vaccination. When the 'I'm gonna jab this needle into you whether you like it or not' person said to me it doesn't actually stop you from getting the flu, I was about to quote the lines of Deke Leonard "oh really? How does f*ck *ff sound"?

But I didn't.      

[Barry Island]

New vid. Don Airey playing keyboards on the album. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RNngQlGJ7cY