We were playing by 8.15 p.m. in as solid a pre-showcase picking session as you could ask for. Apart from the usual Chester crew of Derek and Jean Brandon, Peter Massey, Gordon Morris and myself there were Julie Cross (Crewe) Tony Keysell, John Prytherch (North Wales), Anwen Roberts from Talsarnau (West Wales!), and Chris Wilson from Liverpool, plus a good gathering of audience. These were all joined by the guests for the evening, Mossley Bluegrass & Old-Time Club multi-instrumentalist residents Rank Strangers, namely Dave Pope, Peter “Bonz” Barnes and Pat Heatherington - quite a cosmopolitan lot!

Dave Pope, Pat Heatherington and "Bonz"

This session augured well for the Showcase evening. The room was full as the fiddle of Dave Pope and the clawhammer banjo of Bonz rapped through Angeline Baker, Rosalie and Liza Jane, and all the steady time Pat kept them together on her single-string tea-chest bass (blisters and all!). Pat was amazing on the bass, with her stylish stance and the bang-on accuracy of the pitch of the notes.

Pat on Tea-Chest Bass

The mood changed to Tennessee Girl and Rocky Road where musical virtuosity surfaced with Dave on guitar and Bonz on dobro. The intimacy of the room was evident in Darkest Hour - we really had a good atmosphere and, as usual, the “religious set” from the bar were at the back full of appreciation.

From Dave's excellent mandolin playing in Nobody's Business and Will The Lord Let Me In we moved to real driving clawhammer by Bonz.. Tales of Richmond and Don’t Forget Me Little Darling in particular allowed full vent to their playing and singing.

Could all this be sustained? Of course it could! There was yet more strong singing by Dave on Blue Ridge Mountain Blues (we couldn't keep Derek out of this one) and a classic rendition of Buffalo Gals by Bonz. The Showcase closed with Bottle Let Me Down and Handsome Molly, and for a band that “does not play bluegrass” (so they say) they gave us some cracking 'Old-Time' musical entertainment. And they’re such nice people! They stayed on for a late apré-Showcase pick which maintained the momentum of a memorable evening - without doubt one of the very best we’ve had at Chester.

Yet another in the annals of the Chester Showcases; later this year when someone comments about Rank Strangers I’ll be able to say “You should have been in Chester in January - I was there!!”

David Brightmore, Rhys Ddu, Snowdonia

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Updated 23rd Jan 1999