BabaJack: Coach House Theatre, Malvern

EVEN though the band held one or two nerves initially they soon grew into this gig to mark the release of Rooster, their third album.

Playing before a crowd largely made up of familiar faces, the three-piece blew away the nerves by playing a mix of old and new tracks in the cosy and intimate surroundings of the Coach House Theatre.

The whole performance was delivered with a great sense of humour and confidence coupled with their infectious rhythm, making for a highly enjoyable evening. Proceedings were driven by stomping percussion, thwacking bass, pulsing harmonica and dextrous guitar work to create a sound which has been described as infused by the blues but not limited by it.

Trevor Steger was to be found at the band’s engine room, wringing the life out of his home-made winebox guitars, while Marc Miletich laid the foundations for Becky Tate to belt out her vocals with great poise and sass.

If the opening 45 minutes found the band exploring their comfort zone and coming up to the boil nicely, they really came out bursting with energy in the second half and threw in a couple of covers and guest appearances for good measure. NEIL WATTS