My favorite blues LP from back in the day, when I was young and pretty, was Hell’s Session by Livin’ Blues. That was actually my first introduction to the Blues in general in the 1960s. This band was one of the best Dutch Blues bands at the time as far as I was concerned. There is so much variety in the songs, which they released.
Nicko Christiansen with his lived-in raw voice gave that specific own sound to the music. However, I had never heard them play in real life. Until I heard in 2018, that in a different composition, Livin’ Blues Xperience performed in Amerongen, organized by Amuuz in the Allemanswaard with frontman Nicko Christiansen. I thought, we are going to experience that. I was curious what this would be like.
Too bad that the hall did not have a more intimate atmosphere, would be nice in the future, but what a performance! The enthusiasm was splashing off. Great singing and what a performance. Nicko jumped all over the stage like a young guy of 25, alternating with a bit of sax, percussion. The rest of the band had the same enthusiasm and were very well matched. And Nicko can paint well too, but that aside. The original Livin’ Blues sound was well preserved.
I was glad, that I had experienced this and that the band in this composition with so much energy and fun had preserved the Livin’Blues feeling and sound.
