THE CRUMPLEHORN INN, POLPERRO (17TH NOVEMBER)

KRIS DOLLIMORE

The legendary ex-Godfathers` guitarist, paying his first visit to Cornwall, chose the sleepy and homely village of Polperro to showcase his blues enthusiasm. At the equally homely and extremely traditionally Cornish Crumplehorn Inn the evening`s clientele sat munching their suppers as Kris started his set of traditional delta slide blues covers and original songs. Soon, however, the pub was filling up with drinkers who`d come just to hear the music, (most of whom had no idea who Kris was or his pedigree).

Mr. Dollimore has been a jobbing guitarist for the last few years after leaving The Godfathers, working with amongst others Adam Ant, Del Amitri, Dee Dee Ramone and The Damned. He can number both David Bowie and Johnny Depp amongst his fans, (although neither made an appearance tonight) but has recently changed tack somewhat by reinventing himself as a blues guitarist.

His set tonight included John Lee Hooker, Iggy Pop and Robert Johnson covers authentically mixed in with his own similar styled slide blues songs. His voice was both raw and powerful when he sang and yet gentle when required. Playing tracks from his first solo album 02/01/1978 including the instrumental East of England and the truely wonderful Brother Ray, he easily won over the local and visiting walking crowd.

As one lady said to her friend, ...you have to be in the right frame of mind for the blues, don`t you? and although I agree to a point, Kris Dollimore was able to create the right atmosphere in this chocolate box-quaint pub so that everyone was in the right frame of mind. (So much so, they cheered and forced three encores out of him at the end of the evening).

He`s already booked to return early next year, (19th April 2008), so if you like your blues authentic, delta slide and acoustic as they were meant to be, mark your new calender now because you won`t find better this side of the Mississippi!

www.myspace.com/krisdollimore

(Photos by Lord Itchfield)