Pete Molinari
Newcastle Cluny September 16th
Alan Harrison
Since Pete Molinari played Cluny II earlier this year he’s appeared on BBC’s Jools Holland Show and released the new album A Train Bound For Glory which has had great reviews everywhere.
Dressed immaculately in a black fedora and vintage striped blazer Pete began the night with Love Lies Bleeding from Walking Off the Map then delighted the adoring crowd with a short acoustic set which ended with a nerve tingling Lest We Forget that Pete told us ‘was the nearest thing he’s ever written to a protest song’.
As he strapped on his brand new Fender Commando guitar the rest of the band joined him and went on to give the audience a Masterclass in Roots based Rock and Roll.
Starting with a noisier version of Train Bound for Glory than on the new album of the same name, Pete and the band had a ball; blasting through tracks from all three albums and adding 2 or 3 as yet un-recorded songs. Every one was a winner with the crowd who were now packing the downstairs area and leaving the bar empty.
Latest single Streetcar Named Desire was amazing; Easy Street was a riff heavy strolling blues number, Heartbreak Avenue with its twangy guitar breaks, New York City was classic Rock and Roll at its dirtiest and rawest and Out of the Wilderness which was played at full throttle. These and another 14 songs were all rewarded with wild applause from the crowd. 
The night ended as it started with Molinari solo on the acoustic guitar and treating us to A Satisfied Mind, then another new song Wish on the Moon which was pure Buddy Holly and finally a heart rendering Joe South’s Walk a Mile in My Shoes.
Remember the name – Pete Molinari; he’s genuinely going to be a star.
#originally published in Maverick Magazine
