..I'M A BLUESMAN FROM BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND. I PLAY LEAD GUITAR AND SING IN A LOCAL BAND CALLED "THE PONTIAX". WE'RE PRETTY MUCH A CHICAGO BLUES BAND AND WE'RE JUST DOIN OUR BIT TO HELP KEEP THE BLUES ALIVE IN THIS PART OF THE GLOBE. I ALSO RUN A MONTHLY BLUES JAM IN THE TOWN WHERE I NOW LIVE. IT'S ON THE FIRST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH AT THE IMPERIAL BAR IN CENTRAL AVENUE, BANGOR. IT'S A PLATFORM FOR LOCAL WORKING MUSICIANS, "BEDROOM PLAYERS", AND THOSE WHO ARE TOO COMMITTED TO OTHER THINGS IN LIFE TO COME AND LET OFF STEAM. WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL TO DATE AND IF THINGS CONTINUE THIS WAY, WE MAY EVEN HOLD A FESTIVAL IN THE FUTURE TO CELEBRATE THE BLUES HERE IN BANGOR. I'M GETTING MARRIED LATER THIS YEAR TO THE MOST WONDERFUL HUMAN I'VE EVER HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING. SHE'S A VERY PATIENT AND UNDERSTANDING GIRL. LOL. I PRETTY MUCH LIVE TO PLAY THE BLUES THESE DAYS. I GREW UP IN BELFAST DURING THE TROUBLES AND MUSIC WAS AN INCREDIBLE RELEASE FROM THE PRESSURES OF A SOCIETY STEEPED IN FEAR AND SUSPICION. THERE WEREN'T MANY PLACES TO GO TO SEE GREAT ARTISTS BACK THEN BUT OUR LITTLE COUNTRY HAD A WEALTH OF TALENT AND THE LOCAL MUSICIANS PLAYED FAR AND WIDE TO APPRECIATIVE AUDIENCES. AS A TEENAGER , I'D DISCOVERED ROCKABILLY MUSIC AND HAD THROWN MYSELF INTO THAT WAY OF LIFE WITH RELATIVE EASE. FAST, HIGH ENERGY MUSIC WITH A SERIOUSLY BAD ATTITUDE. I WAS A BIT TOO YOUNG FOR THE PUNK ERA. I JUST MISSED IT BY A FEW YEARS. LOL. THE BRITISH ROCKABILLY REVIVAL EXPLODED WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE STRAY CATS, RESTLESS, THE METEORS, KING KURT ETC AND I WAS ADDICTED!! BUT I DISCOVERED THE BLUES ONE SATURDAY NIGHT IN BELFAST IN THE FORM OF THE JIM DALEY BLUES BAND. HERE WAS THIS OLD GUY PLAYIN A PIANO AND SINGIN THE BLUES. RONNIE GREER WAS THE BEST GUITAR MAN I'D EVER HEARD AND CHARLIE BURTON PLAYED THAT DRUM KIT LIKE IT WAS AN EXTENSION OF HIS LIMBS. ALTHOUGH THE BASS PLAYERS' NAME ESCAPES ME, I WAS BLOWN AWAY. GUEST APPEARANCES BY THE LEGENDARY SAM MAHOOD AND A YOUNG HARP PLAYER CALLED BILL MISKIMMON MADE A BIG IMPRESSION ON ME. THERE I WAS WITH A BIG BLONDE QUIFF, BLEACHED JEANS, TATTOOS AND DOC MARTIN BOOTS, TOTALLY CAPTIVATED BY THIS BUNCH OF OLDER GUYS SINGIN ABOUT A HOOCHIE COOCHIE MAN AND A MOJO. I HADN'T A CLUE WHAT A MOJO WAS, BUT I HAD TO HAVE ONE!!!! LOL. I'D BEEN PLAYIN DRUMS IN A COUPLE OF ROCKABILLY BANDS BUT I KNEW IN MY HEART THAT I WANTED TO PLAY BLUES GUITAR. WITHIN A FEW YEARS I'D PUT THE DRUMS ASIDE AND STARTED TINKERING WITH GUITAR. BUT LIFE TAKES OVER AND WORK AND FAMILY ETC CAME FIRST. NOW THE BOYS ARE GROWN UP, AND I'M PRETTY COMFORTABLE IN MY WORKING LIFE. THE BLUES ARE MY PRIMARY CONCERN AND WILL REMAIN SO. MOTORBIKES ARE A BIG PART OF MY LIFE TOO. BEEN RIDING FOR A COUPLE OF DECADES NOW AND I MUNCH A FAIR AMOUNT OF MILES ON A REGULAR BASIS. I RIDE A HONDA BLACKBIRD AND TEACH OTHERS TO RIDE SAFELY (AND QUICKLY) FOR A LIVING. I'VE ALSO A KEEN INTEREST IN ARCHAEOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY. DON'T ASK.......... ;-)CIARZ
sean costello feel so good
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9ZiDg5B2Vg
Sean Costello. Passed away 15th April 2008. R.I.P. buddy
The Pontiax - Blues in The Kitchen
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids....
The Pontiax playing The Kitchen Bar in Belfast city centre, friday 1st August. Tail end of The Thrill Is Gone. Matt Martin on piano, Lawrence Dugan on bass, Pete Malcomson on second guitar, our new drummer - Hal Gordon and yer man here on the sexy blue Strat.
SEAN COSTELLO - MAMA TALK TO YOUR DAUGHTER. This is for me, the ultimate version of this J.B. Lenoir classic. R.I.P. Sean :-(