So last night I went to see a local act named Alex Hulme at the Prince Arthur on Lord Street in Fleetwood.
Support was provided by Steve Aldridge & another great guitarist whose name I didn’t catch, as well as the fabulous Steph Fraser, a talented student of Rossall School.
The venue was good, the toilets leave a bit to be desired but cheap and decent pints with a good sound system for the band and a friendly atmosphere.
I was really blown away by Alex, he uses a loop pedal in a similar fashion to Ed Sheeran but produces a very different style of music. He sang a few songs from his new EP There Was A Boy, as well as some of his older stuff including a song called Drifting which was beautiful to listen to, about his grandmother who suffered with dementia before passing away a few years ago.
As well as his original material, Alex put his own spin on a few covers, with a spine tingling rendition of Smile, and a funked up Bittersweet Symphony.
Alex has a great vibe and a certain charm about him which builds a great connection with the audience, with them being so pliable half way through the set that he was able to get a little sing along going to a rarely aired original.
It’s great to see local talent being showcased in Fleetwood, and I hope to see more of both Alex and Steph who played a couple of originals and a cover of Dancing in the Dark.
There’s plenty more coming up at the Prince Arthur in Fleetwood (locally known as the Bug) over the next few months, hopefully they can live up to the standard that Alex & Steph in particular set last night.
Lally.