These are two of the godfathers of alt-country. Some could dispute this, some could carp, or crap if they were dyslexic (why is that so challenging a word to spell, is there no mercy?)
Apologies for opening remarks but Betty was wearing the double denim, holster (is that a canoe in your pocket etc? no, I’m all woman) and stetson combo tonight but was a bit disappointed that neither Gelb nor Lee Philips (good name, Betty Lee Mayonnaise sounds more threatening than just plain Betty, although my former clients assure me that I was never just plain Betty, but we won’t go into that…)
David Lee Cameron, Otis Lee Crenshaw (done that one, readers), Kim Il Lee Jung, we could go on but the lawyers are circling readers, and that’s never going to be a good night’s entertainment, which is what we were here for at Kong Titties on a Monday.
This will yet again be a short resume, when BM arrived Gelb was already giving it the idiot savant, did not remember his own songs. He does good schtick, and is handsome with it, don’t get me started on the Silver Fox look, no really… A class musician messing up his own tunes, he was enjoying it but BM felt sorry for some poor mugs not quite in the loop, maybe WARNING MAJOR ARSING AROUND might have been good for people who had spent £20 and come from Livingston (let’s not judge) for a flipping greatest hits set, just sayin’, guys, whaddya think then? Howie?
Lee Philips has been putting the proverbial back into country music, he did a couple of classic plaintive numbers both old and new – still in great voice, Neil Young and everyone since as influences but very good indeed.
The two then played several numbers together, ramped up the backing a bit towards the end but never much more than steel acoustic, with a last song cover (after a couple of “Jazz/Soul standards” – not that great to be honest) of ‘Pale Blue Eyes’ which was sublime, but in summary, not riveting but very enjoyable – two talented guys having fun on tour… that’s about it.