Fans and heroes
Last updated 11:44, Friday, 25 July 2008
WITH a combined age of 340 years, The Evidence could show 81-year-old Chuck Berry a thing or two.
The six-piece band – comprising three headteachers, two school improvement officers and one ambulance driver – won the battle of the bands contest in February and will open the Maryport Blues Festival tonight.
“There should be no boundaries with age when it comes to music, and we get such a lot out of it,” ssys Mike Cunningham, lead vocalist and guitarist and, by day, head of Flimby Junior School.
“It is really exciting to be playing the festival, and I’m looking forward to seeing Jimmie Vaughan and Chuck Berry.
“It’s fantastic really, to be playing on the same night as him. The guy’s a legend.”
The Evidence were formed 18 months ago, and play “for enjoyment” at weddings and leaving parties, while also holding down full-time jobs. Alex Wilkinson, head of Fairfield Junior School, plays guitar and sax and sings, while Barry Dickinson, head of Richmond Hill Primary in Aspatria, plays keyboards and sings.
Dave Mason, who plays guitar and sings, and Mike Telford, who plays bass, are school improvement officers, while drummer Dave McDonald is an ambulance driver.
The band cite a wide range of influences, including Elvis Costello, Nick Drake, Damien Rice, John Martyn, Miles Davis, Moby, Cocteau Twins, Massive Attack, Big Country, Manic Street Preachers, and the Beatles, to name but a few.
“We don’t stick to a particular genre,” says Mike. “We just like playing good music, which ranges from Snow Patrol and the Stereophonics to older bands like the Small Faces, or songs from the film The Commitments.”
They only entered the battle of the bands competition the week before, but beat off stiff competition from five other local bands vying for a place at the festival, in the final at the Grasslot Rugby Club in Maryport.
Dave Park, chairman of the Maryport Blues Festival committee, says: “The Evidence are a great party band and will be a perfect start to a weekend of 10th anniversary celebrations. In this respect they are similar to Jools Holland, who closes the festival with a big party on the Sunday evening.”
The Evidence play Maryport Blues Festival’s main stage tonight at 7pm.
