Sunday Sessions: Crate Rock 'n' Roll Swingers

Behold the sunday afternoon shindigs at the Railway Hotel: a hooting, tooting blues 'n' booze blast. Should you find yourself loose ended or with a few spare hours to fill this coming sabbath - point and steer yourself in the direction of Southend's most rock 'n' roll local. Why? Martin McNeill's Bottletop Blues Band are installed for their every-third-week-residency and calling on a rolling repertory of premium league players

West End legend Mark Casey could be on drummer duties, Martin Johnson may be onboard for some heavy-handed hammond action, or Wes Weston might be huffing, puffing and blowing the house down.



22nd April this year - zip to 1 minute in for a proper old honk-off

Retro vintage finery is the gear to go for - with jive, swings and spins being the dances of the day - 'it's all about the back-step' I'm advised by those in the know (Mrs M).

Between the sets I'll be spinning a mix of jump blues, west coast blues, early R 'n' B, northern, soul, ska and Latin along the way. Every sesh I try and wing in a few newbie-tunes. This week - stand by for the sounds of Magic Sam and Lowell Fulson.

Lowell Fulson - Can She Do It






So from 4 pm, come and rock-along at The Railway. And who knows pal Wilko may even be in - he was last time!