Cherry Suede Derby 27 March 2013

Cherry Suede – acoustic up close & personal The Waterfall, Derby. 27 March 2013. Looking through my notes from last night’s show by Cherry Suede acoustic (Randy Young and Randy Scott sans the talents of Mr Dan Joseph and Mr Andrew Lamarche), the first two things I’ve written are that we arrived a good 40 minutes before the band did, and that it was only marginally warmer inside the venue than it was outside – I even had to go back to the car to fetch my coat to wear inside the venue hall! I challenged Dan Joseph that he shouldn’t be complaining he was frozen as surely Canadians should be used to cold, his response was that in Canada they have heating inside the venues J Putting that aside, RY and RS certainly worked hard and gave us a warm-hearted performance. Before they began their set, a local band called (I think) Echo Fire performed a few of their own songs. Sadly the sound mix was really off for their few numbers, the acoustic guitars drowning the vocals and making lyrics inaudible and indistinct at best. A shame, as I am sure they’d have been good. Thankfully, Randy Young runs their mix through their own mixer and thus the Cherry Suede sound was clear as a bell, if a little echo-ey in the high-ceilinged room. Up Close and Personal is how they advertise these acoustic duo shows, and with an audience of around 30 people it was certainly that, audible requests being taken and fulfilled beautifully. RY and RS played a set of around 90 minutes and everyone listening loved every minute. They opened with an original Cherry Suede song, “Saturday Night” – in the full band version this has an extended keyboard opening but it works just as well played acoustically with two guitars, RS certainly gives it his all to warm people up and get the audience responding. They followed with “If You Were Mine”, another great Cherry Suede original and segued into the Jackson Browne classic “Somebody’s Baby” which is a favourite of mine. Randy Scott sings this one exceptionally well. The next number was a Black Crowes cover “She Talks To Angels”. The guy on the table next to me told me he was hugely impressed by this cover version, and that as a door man he’s heard many bands but “not many would have the talent to attempt that song and do it so well”. Praise indeed from someone who’d never heard Cherry Suede before. The timeless Simon & Garfunkel “Mrs Robinson” followed, and I confess I did request this number before the show because I know how well RS and RY do this song. Paul Simon would be impressed. A Goo Goo Dolls cover “Slide” was followed by a Cherry Suede original “What You Do To Me” and then the Eagles “Take It Easy” – all performed with skill, aplomb and beautifully lyrical guitar solos from Randy Young. The man is a joy to watch on those solos, the true guitarist’s funny faces as he feels every nuance of each note. Fabulous. A brave choice to choose “Livin on a Prayer” in front of an audience with a fair number of devoted Bon Jovi fans, but they did it (and us) proud – the lyrics slightly altered to dedicate the song to a certain young lady fan present ;) Again the guitar solo was brilliantly done, not a flat-out copy, but with a nod to the original and some personal touches added. Back to a Cherry Suede song “When I’m Gone” went down very well, and morphed quickly into a Bryan Adams number “Cuts Like A Knife” with Randy Scott bringing the audience into the end with singing along and clapping. Worked really well. “Learning How To Let You Go” – another Cherry Suede original song and one most of the CSB (Cherry Suede Brigade) sang along with loudly. Another brave Bon Jovi choice “Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night” sounded very good, but the following song was “Sultans of Swing” by Dire Straits. Not only one of my favourite songs, but all vocals taken by Randy Young with the deeper more gravelly tones, a definite nod to Mr Knopfler, and some awesome guitar work. Couldn’t fault it, and I did try! Can’t wait to hear it with the full band at another show hopefully soon. An audible request called from the audience “To Be With You” by Mr Big. Perhaps not as well known to some of the audience but it came over very well and was followed by Cherry Suede’s own song “Little Things” from their latest CD “Between Here & There”. Final number was a brilliant acoustic version of one of the older Cherry Suede songs “Not A Day Goes By.” This sadly was the last number, but what a great show and a good night of amazing music. Don’t miss the chance to see these guys if they are in your area, you will not be disappointed! JB