Rock Regeneration

Feb17

Pronghorn/Hoedown at Hanks/The Jimmy Hillbillies

on February 17th, 2023 at 18:29

Chaplin’s Cellar Bar, Boscombe

Reunions are great if you can remember the band the first time around and thankfully, though a little misty from all the cider and black that I used to drink; I certainly remember Hoedown At Hanks. Fronted by Harry Cobeans who has since performed in other bands including Kentucky Fight Club and The Jimmy Hillbillies, you would have seen Harry and his band of musical brothers playing in such places as The Gander on the Green, Bacchus, Mr Smiths, Mr C’s and regularly busking around various locations in Bournemouth town. Their white ford transit van emblazoned with their logo was regularly seen powering up and down the motorways of the UK, taking the gang to a host of nationwide gigs.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, there was a movement in Dorset/Hampshire that bucked the trends of the blossoming Grunge/Alternative scene. With The Cropdusters pioneered the Southern hoedown sound with other bands joining the movement including The Crunchy Tractors, The Hood, Ivor And The Engines, Hoedown At Hanks, and of course the mighty Pronghorn; their sound was carved out of a love Cajun bluegrass sounds, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and a large helping of 1977 Punk ethos. It’s hard to imagine now, but back then music fans had labels; Punk, Mod, Skinhead, Rudeboy, Goth, Rocker etc and these bands had a huge mixed following that brought people together. Personally, around that time I had just discovered Goth bands like The Cult, The Mission, and Fields of The Nephilim and my attire certainly showed this, but that didn’t stop me from seeking out these bands performing around the local scene.

Tonight we are celebrating the big-bellied “Sheriff Will Barrow’s” 60th birthday and the £5 entry fee is generously going to the charity Prostate Cancer UK. The Cellar bar tonight is a coming together of a host of faces from that scene, many who have not been together in a room for a very long time. Many of the faces have played in bands together and a healthy cross-pollination of musicians is still seen today performing.

First up tonight are The Jimmy Hillbillies featuring tonight’s man of the hour Harry Cobeans (Mandolin/Vocals) along with the youthful-looking Ex-Pronghorn member Ski (Banjo/washboard/Vocals). These guys and gals still use the original Hoedown foot-stomping influences from back in the day, however with the demands of younger audiences they provide a modern twist. Harry borrows songs from mainstream artists, rewriting the lyrics and making musical tweaks along the way. The guys are joined by Jason Elms on Drums, Jo Eagan on vocals/washboard/melodica/Harmonica, Mark Riley on Bass, Sue Holt on accordion and the band’s latest acquisition new gal Kaz Smith also on accordion. Some band have twin guitars, The Jimmy Hillbillies have twin accordions

The Jimmy Hillbillies 1–2

They start the party off in style with a host of reimagined tracks that get people dancing with songs like “Cornfield Cadillac” that’s taken from “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” and “So Disco” with a heavy influence from Swedish legends Abba. There’s no shortage of talent in this band and all members have their particular skills to bring to the plate. Harry’s creativity is bolstered with Ski’s audience-rousing abilities and Jo’s fine vocals and multi-instrumental skills. Sue and Kaz provide some impressive melodic accompaniment while Mark and Jason’s rocksteady rhythms keep the band perfectly and reliably on track. Tonight already feels as though it’s a special occasion and with The Jimmy Hillbillies as the hors d’oeuvres, we have plenty more entertainment on the way.

Every inch of the Cellar Bar stage is being used tonight to accommodate the “Howdown at Hanks”; the job to relocate all the original band members has been tough, but it has been completed and a job well worth doing. Tonight we have Harry on Mandolin, Rusty Hoe on Banjo flying in especially from his home in Denmark, Hector Stringslapp on Double Bass, Jon Bruce “Fingers” on Drums, Stilts on Fiddle, Arfur Guinness on Geetar, Luke “Warm” Duke on Trombone/ Accordion, Hawkeye Hoolihan on Washboard and birthday boy himself Sheriff Will Barrow playing washboard/belly. Spike was on route but sadly could not make it due to unexpected circumstances. Opening with a mainstay of their former sets Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” the band make a fine racket and all seem to be loving being back together making music. Harry is the conductor of this rable and despite giving them directions and what key each track is to be played in, the band hilariously ignore him and carry on regardless.

Hoedown At Hanks 1–2–3–4–5–6

The 32 years seem just like yesterday when the band bring out some of their classic tracks; “Girl I Left (Behind Me)”, “Romp and Stomp” and the rousing “Drink Up Thee Cider”. The crowd despite some of them (like me) being a bit long in the tooth all have their dancing boots on and enthusiastically stomp along to the band’s infectious sound. The Sheriff predictably unclips his dungarees and gets his belly out for some sweaty percussion, he is joined by the band’s former drummer with a plastic cup filled with loose change and a guy with a retro cornflake box. To be honest he eats more cornflakes than was used to create a sound.

It was a really joyous occasion and it was truly fantastic to see these guys back on stage together once again. An encore is compulsory according to this Chaplin’s crowd who demand that the band play more. We are rewarded with a couple more tracks; the rousing “Blue Moon of Kentucky” and “Night Train to Memphis”, this time with Hoe taking the lead vocal as he missed out the first time round due to a broken banjo string. As far as reunions go this one was just perfect and let’s hope it’s not the last time these guys share a stage together.

If that’s not enough we still have the mighty Pronghorn to round the evening off in style. Thankfully we are given a short rest in between bands, as us over 50’s need to pace ourselves these days. Founder members Lamma (Banjo/Vocals) and Jon (pulling a double shift tonight) formed Pronghorn over 40 years ago and have kept performing successfully all this time and have even recently released a brand new album “Welcome to Pronghorn Country”. They have performed at a host of major festivals and have a huge following of fans, who loyally frequent their gigs. The rest of the band features the rock steady Aussie Mike on Bass, the versatile Gypsy Joe on Fiddle and highly effective Steve Gun on electric guitar.

Pronghorn 1–2–3–4

These guys all know the drill and within seconds of starting there is a hectic mosh pit bouncing on the small Cellar Bar dance floor. Things get quite rough and owner Harry and his security ask politely for things to calm down a little, much to the disappointment of the excited revellers. Tracks from the new album along with Pronghorn classics rouse any newcomers and the faithful. There is an anti-war song in support of “Ukraine” called “Kashewstre”; which translates to “individuate”….Vladimir Putin are you listening?? The guitar, banjo and fiddle work furiously together with the unbreakably infectious rhythm section and the band keep the crowd active right until their last note.

Tonight has been a coming together of a clan, a collection of friends who have found a common interest in music and have given so much pleasure to so many people. In these difficult times, music acts as a medicine, even if only for the time that the band are on stage. As get-togethers go tonight has been just fantastic; the three bands are all related in some way, if myself and Soundman Conrad Barr did a Dorset Cow Punk family tree the branches would be very far-reaching.

Hoedown at Hanks
Folsom Prison Blues
I Ain’t Broke
Salty Dog
Girl I Left (Behind Me)
Cripple Creek
Night Train to Memphis (Harry Vocals)
Nothin’ Shakin’
Oh Mule Oh (The Donkey Song)
Romp and Stomp
Drink Up Thee Cider
Mamma Don’t Allowa
Blue Moon of Kentucky
Night Train to Memphis (Hoe Vocals)

The Jimmy Hillbillies
Desert Tale
Cornfield Cadillac
Shine a Light
Deadwood Stage
Jolene
Boots On
So Disco
Down to the River to Pray (Alison Krauss)
Mr Rock n’ Roll (Amy McDonald)
Chicken Train
Bond

Pronghorn
Misty Mountain Dew
Psycho Ceilidh
Shady Grove
Hej Sokoly
Kashewstre
Gypsy Liver
Reuben’s Train
Ghost Train
The Cuckoo
Soldier’s Tale
The Cullen
Folsom Prison Blues
Ace of Spades

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