Ben Poole: Aberdeen Gig Review

For the first time since February 2017, Ben Poole played in Aberdeen on November 30, 2018 at Drummonds. This time, Ben was promoting his new studio album Anytime You Need Me, released on September 2018. The album was produced by Wayne Proctor of King King. Ben Poole’s touring band features Beau Barnard on bass guitar and Wayne Proctor on drums.

It was a great night of blues rock. The songs had extended guitar solos so that Ben could show his guitar playing skills taking turns between Fender Telecaster and Gibson Les Paul. The setlist had five songs from the new album, a good chance to see them performed live.

At 9:30 PM Ben Poole and band took the stage and opened the concert with “Take It No More”, my personal favourite from the new album. The rocking tune “Let’s Go Upstairs” from his debut album came next, where Ben really lets his unique voice shine. Jude Cole’s “Start the Car” version was fascinating. “The Question Why” with its sweet ‘70s vibe was the first song played from the excellent Time Has Come. The band played an extended version of Freddie King’s slow blues “Have You Ever Loved a Woman?”. It is not easy to play a blues standard with so much soul, the public seemed hypnotized during the entire song. Then the band performed songs from the new record: “Further on Down the Line” and “Don’t Cry for Me”. The last cover of the night was Canned Heat’s “Going Up the Country”, Ben played it his way and the result was excellent, one of the best songs of the night. With positive lyrics and lovely guitar solos, the uplifting title track from the new album closed the show. Ben Poole and band returned to stage and played the up-tempo “Stay at Mine”, another song from his previous album, a great way to close the show.

It is always good to received great blues rock artists in the Granite City. I wanted to see the band playing its version of Don Henley’s “Dirty Laundry”, maybe next time.

Set list

– Take It No More
– Let’s Go Upstairs
– Win You Over
– Start the Car
– The Question Why
– Have You Ever Loved a Woman?
– Further on Down the Line
– Don’t Cry for Me
– Going Up the Country
– Anytime you Need me

Encore

– Stay at Mine

Review by Pedro Matta