Hilton Valentine ended his charmingly low key though a little overlong opening set for the Incredible Simulators with the one song we all knew. "The House Of The Rising Sun". Hilton played the Animals famous "electric guitar arpeggio" back in the 1960s though Hilton played it on acoustic guitar this night. A lovely quietly moving version and Hilton, even from the set opener (and 2011 album Skiffle Dog On Coburg VT first track) "Rockin' Daddy", the songs are easy, shuffley. songs. With his wife playing a washboard for a couple of songs, and the drummer sticking to a snare drum, the band sift thru rockabilly, skiffle, folk with a timeless, if somewhat enervating pace.
Newcastle's Hilton had his moment with the Animals and then recorded a popular psychedelic album All In Your Head, and sinc ethen has maintained one of those quietly dignified journeymen careers filled with songs that should, maybe I mean should've found a wider audience, but will be appreciated by those who know.
But he isn't a nostalgia act, sure there is "Race With The Devil" but there is also a song about 9-11 and another one about missing nostalgia. Finely crafted folk songs that need no excuse and which he executes in front of an excellent band.
It is a shame he didn't play 30 instead of 45 minutes. The set dragged in the middle and the audience got restless, a table near me spoke incessantly towards the end and while that is rude, it is up to Hilton to keep them interested. Epecially in a club with the booze flowing.
Which is not to say it wasn't an enjoyable set of early rock and skiffle songs by the 70 year old musician and guitar fiend.
Grade: B