Rise and rise of The Stumble

The stumble, Tonic Live Lounge, Preston
The stumbleThe stumble
The stumble

Another great afternoon was spent with Preston’s own powerful six-piece Chicago-style rhythm & blues band, ‘The Stumble’, at the Tonic Live Lounge in the heart of Preston.

With three hours of wall-to-wall music interspersed with a few guest spots from other musicians, including ex Stumble member Rob Livesey on guitar, it was an afternoon to remember.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Fronting the band with the most amazing vocals, was Paul Melville. On guitar and slide guitar was Colin Black, who has a technique to die for. Ant Scapens came into his own on guitar, with Simon Anthony Dixon on sexy sax and oh, what a player! The powerhouse rhythm section of Cameron Sweetman on bass and Boyd Tonner on drums completed this charismatic line-up.

The band played many of the Stumble classics, from previous CDs, but I have to say on the BB King number ‘I’ve Got a Mind to Give Up Living’, Colin Black surpassed himself with an amazing guitar solo. Their fourth album is well on the cooker and I was impressed with one of the new numbers that will appear on the CD, ‘Freedom’. An incredibly powerful track sung and played to perfection by the whole band.

The set finished off with a great take of Stumble 
classic ‘My Life’, a slow heart-rendering romantic track, then breaking into blue beat rhythms at the end. The day would not have been complete without the upbeat ‘Give Me Back My Wings’ to get dancers on the floor and to close what had been a most enjoyable and well supported afternoon.

Rosy Greer

Related topics: