'Normous' Newark

Today's Newark autojumble was massive. It seemed like everyone was encouraged out thanks to the sunshine, the hike in temperature and the chance of a bargain. There were queues to get off the dual carriageway. Queues to buy a ticket to get in. But it was all worthwhile. A great morning out. Here's a few snaps from a morning of cruising around the bike jumble.....

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Old Empire Motorcycles Pup

New British-based custom shop Old Empire Motorcycles have finished this ultra-cool Enfield Electra-based lowrider. Pics from 8ngero

 

Enfield Continental GT

Picked this up on Bubble Visor (http://bubblevisor.blogspot.com): Royal Enfield displayed this Cafe Racer concept at Auto Expo 2012. The 500cc efi-powered machine is styled on the original Continental GT 250 single-cylinder and Enfield in India say they may start manufacturing these by mid-2012. 


The bike has apparently been developed with a lot of input from the British importer, Watsonian - which makes a lot of sense since Britain is the ancestral home of the cafe racer and the original Continental GT was THE coolest bike a 16-year-old kid could lust after back in the early Seventies. 


Believe it. I desperately hankered after one but ended up with an older BSA C15 250. What a mistake. I could have owned a sporty little cafe racer. I ended up with a leaky, tardy, lardy BSA. Don't get me wrong, I had a lot of smiles with the Beezer but it was hardly my dream machine. 


It was only tales of suspect five-speed boxes that put me off buying the Enfield.....

Maybe a new 500cc Contintental GT could finally lay those old ghosts to rest?

Molly Hatchet Rocks!

Thanks you Molly Hatchet for such a fine gig in Sheffield on Sunday.

They were the one big southern band I'd always missed out on seeing - so 30-odd years down the line it was a pretty emotional experience seeing them live at last. I've enjoyed their music for so long and I stood wondering as we waited from them to come on stage, just how I'd managed to get this far without managing to get to one of their gigs before.

Despite a lot of shitty hassles with the O2 Arena sound system, it was fantastic gig once Ingram's lead guitar could actually be heard (about a third into the set!) and they gave it their all.  I enjoyed every minute of the performance, their huge sound and remarkably relentless style.  I mean, playing a full version of Skynyrd's  Freebird and then ripping straight into Flirtin' with Disaster......

I want to thank the band for working their nuts off, touring to keep keeping the music alive. Long may it continue.

Support act Mojo Perry played a fine set too. Bought both their CDs after the gig, 'Two Equals One' and Absinthe Journeys'. Recommended.

 

Rollerburn!

Rollerburn at Newark Showground was a blast. Lots of cool bikes, cool people, roller skating and rock music. The mix of cultures really worked to create an awesome atmosphere. Motorcycle Live at the NEC, on the other hand was errr, a a bit more conventional but had some good points - like the two custom Enfields. The dirttracker co-incidentally was inspired and built by Sideburn mag, the same people behind Rollerburn. Message in there? Creativity rocks.  

Blackfoot rocks

Awesome Blackfoot gig at the Flowerpot, Derby last night.  Last time I saw them was at the Rock and Blues custom show, forget the year. 

But Charlie Hargrett and Bobby Barth were in the line-up then and it was a wonderful experience – Hargrett bouncing around the stage in his eclectic style and Barth with some impressive singing as well as his cool guitar playing. I thought he did a great job with Ricky Medlocke’s songs.

This time around, The line-up features Mike Estes and Randy Peak plus Blackfoot founder member Greg T Walker on bass as ever and Kurt Pietro on drums and tell you what, they rocked.

I was lucky enough to see Estes a couple of times earlier this year, leading his own band, Skinny Molly (brilliant gigs at The Brooke, Southampton and Long Street Blues Club, Devizes). Estes is such a laidback cool-dude of a front man. Great singer too.

And Peak? Wow, he’s simply a great guitar player – and damn good on harmonica too. Nice tribute to Shorty Medlocke!

The Flowerpot was absolutely jammed-packed. Looked like Blackfoot had as good a time as we all did. Great show…..