little little gals
young gal
Keith and Paul
Elise enjoys the band
Dottie, Dave Temple and co
Denis Aguera on guitar with Josef behind
Dave Temple encore
The first Saturday in February at La Gavotte, Riberac was just as unpredictable as the others have been. It was packed out when we arrived, with a sprawling spill-out on the pavement outside (even though the temperatures were decidedly chilly. A far cry from those mellow, mild summer nights.
Inside, a very young teenage girl was confidently singing. A cluster of even younger gals were harmonizing at the mike. Around the bar was a no-go area of little little girls. One of my friends looked positively dismayed at the sight. It was a brief timeless aberration. Once the gal-set was over and strongly applauded, the littl’uns trotted off home.
A scene ouverte is an unruly beast that needs a tight hand otherwise, less-than-competent or merely inexperienced performers can delude themselves into staying on stage too long and then someone really ace finds the hanging-around, the indecision, too inconclusive and they are tempted to grab their gear and go.
I think the fact that most people have travelled quite a few kilometers either to perform or to watch, means that they are prepared to stay the distance. They don’t leave, they grit their teeth or better still, they start chatting to someone. They stay.
By the time, the owners had given Peter the definitive nod to stop (about half past 12) everyone had had a go. Sadly the last group, who were getting into their stride, only managed to squeeze in one number, before the plug got pulled on them. Hopefully they will be back because they were sounding good.
There’s a lot of tolerance on tap because the range is huge – in style and talent. I figure if I hear 2 or 3 numbers that I love. That’s fine. I just blank out the others. I hope that the guitarist Denis Aguera will be back. He did fine.
Keith and the boys came up with new material. The first number was sad and sombre ‘everyone I know goes away in the end …’.They sound like they are in it for the long haul. They generate a big sound and they bounce off each other very nicely.
Dottie only sang one number with the seasoned Dave Temple. There was no mistaking where Careless Love would take you and leave you as she sang, ‘I love my Papa and my Mama too but now I’m going away with you.’
I say 3 cheers to the staff and the musicians and the paying punters because something fun has sprung out of nothing. It’s great to see French and English rubbing along so well, all the cracks smoothed over by the shared enjoyment of the music they are playing or listening to. They are pulling in a great crowd of people, in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of a cold unremitting winter. Pretty damn good. We won’t be here for the March gig but we’ll be champing at the bit for the April one.
Joselyn Morton
