JAN 2012:
I'm currently working with three very experienced musicians with the hope of forming a new Contra Band line up for 2012.
17/12/2011:
The current Contra Band line-up played its final gig at Harrison’s on Saturday 17th December. It was a sad occasion has the band have been together for around four years, and had been very popular at all of the venues played at over that time, and I’m sure will be missed by many live music lovers.
It was nice to finish at a venue that gave us our first ever Contra Band gig, and we all had a very good evening, that was captured on video for posterity.
We have all remained friends and wish each other the best of luck with whatever avenues we explore next.
23/10/2011:
The band put on crowd pleasing performance at The Queens Head, as we played at this long standing Contra Band venue for the last time.
17/10/2011:
A great 'up for it' crowd at The Albany made for a very enjoyable gig. The revamped stage lighting was also good and meant we could leave our lights in the car!
03/10/2011:
The band rocked a hot and sweaty Saxon the previous Friday. Decent crowd and Pete (local) gig, that he really enjoyed.
28/08/2011:
We had a great time providing the entertainment for a private function of The North Wrekin Riding Club. A nice friendly crowd of all ages were 'up for it' right from the start. Many thanks for all the kind words and not forgetting the tasty buffet and drinks for the band. Well done Julia.
Also big thanks to our old pal Jon Lighting who stood in a bass guitar and did a fantastic job for us.
31/07/2011:
We were a little apprehensive on arrival at the Red Lion in Alvechurch for our third outdoor gig of July.Booked as the entertainment for the beer festival, but without any cover and a fairly dark sky, we couldn’t help but think what we would do if the heavens suddenly opened and poured down on several thousand pounds worth of electronic music instruments.
However, it stayed dry and we had a very good time playing to a large crowd who were out for a good night. Lots of compliments were paid to the band as well.
July also saw the band appoint it's third drummer of the year in Peter Briggs. Peter is a very experienced drummer and we are glad to have him on board and fingers crossed that it's third time lucky. Peter should make his debut at Amber Cafe on Aug 12th. Our thanks go out once again to former drummer Mick Rock for depping over the past few weeks.
10/07/2011:
Our second 'open-air' gig took place at Bishops Wood in aid of raising funds for the village school. It proved to be very successful evening with glorious weather to go with it.
This gig followed a week after our third Wolverley Carnival outdoor gig. Sound gremlins affected our performance a little at Wolverley, but on checking every thing afterwards we could not find any faults, but just to be sure we hire in a PA system with former Bootleg guitarist Jon Lighting manning the desk.
19/06/2011:
We were disappointed to learn that our newly recruited drummer Am, who only joined us in February has had to leave the band due to a change in personal circumstances.
That said we have been very fortunate in recruiting a great replacement in Pete Lynch Williams. A former pro drummer who can also sing a little.
We are busy in the studio getting Pete up to speed with the set and hopefully he will make his debut on July 2nd.
Our thanks also goes out to our original drummer,Mike Stone, who has been on stand by to help out after Am sudden departure.
08/05/2011:
A very enjoyable gig at Harrisons with the best crowd yet. Supserstition made it back to the set after a long lay off. We are about to start working on a few new songs, with ADELE at the top of the list.
17/04/2011:
Despite half of Telford being away for the Easter holidays, a decent crowd turned out at the Capt Webb , for our first gig since last August. The gig saw the official debut of Long Train Running. We had the crowd dancing to most of the second half, eventhough we had to pay close attention to the damm sound limiter, that cut our power on three occasions. Maybe an 'unplugged' set next time. lol
28/03/2011:
A very enjoyable gig at The Saxon with Am finding his feet with some power house drumming and a crowd that danced for most of the night. We expect to confirm a return date in November soon
06/03/2011:
Am played his first gig with the band at The Albany Club and played very well indeed.
13/02/2011:
After a 10 week break, the band started the 2011 season with a storming gig at Barton Marina and the fantastic crowd enjoyed it as mush as we did. It was a fitting gig for Mike Stone to bow out on, and although it was a little sad to see him go, Mike will keep intouch and is happy to dep if we need him to.
New recruit Am Hasan was watching in the wings and is looking forward to his debut on drums at the forthcoming Albany Club.
15/01/2011:
Last weekend we auditioned 5 drummer to replace Mike, and are please to announce that Am Hasan has been offered the job and has accepted. We are looking forward to working with him soon.
Mike will stay for a 'farewell gig' at Barton Marina, and will also help with getting Am upto speed.
30/12/2010:
Our drummer throughout the life of the band, Mick Rock has decided to call it a day and will look to move on when we have a suitable replacement in the drumming department. We wish Mike all the best and hope to keep in touch in the future.
Our early December gig at Harrisons's turned out to be our final gig of 2010, due to the fact that we had to cancell our visit to The Capatin Webb due to the haevy snowfall on the day of the gig. It was regrettable, but Dave would never have made it and doubtul if Nigel would have been arrived safely as well. We will be back in April next year though.
22/11/2010:
Our second visit to Eveshams Amber Cafe was very enjoyable, with a very good crowd, considering it was Children In Need night. We have been asked back for two dates next year.
08/11/2010:
In our new 5 piece line-up, we managed to entertain a good crowd at a 50th 'surprise-party'. Many of the people who came to this said they will come and see us at the Amber Cafe, in few weeks time.
01/11/2010:
We had a lot of fun dressing up as a bunch of vampires & gouls for the Alvechurch WMSC club's halloween bash.
It was James last gig with the band and we wish him all the best for the future.
24/10/2010:
Our first time at The Saxon at Cheswick Green proved to be a success, and we will be back next spring for a second visit. The gaffer especially liked our Soul set.
17/10/2010:
We were really pleased with the amount of people who came to see us at The Queens Head last Friday. They had remebered us from our previous outdoor performance from the rear of a flat bed truck on carnival day last July. Even the hard nosed fans of the blues were impressed by our versatility.
26/09/2010:
We had a packed house dancing on the tables at Shoulder of Mutton in Staffs. Great crowd but shame about the cramped conditions etc for the band.
28/08/2010:
Despite a very damp and dismal evening, a pretty good crowd by Thursdays standards were entertained by the band at The Roadhouse. Our performance will hopefully ensure that we get a call back for a fourth time, but for the busier Friday or Saturday slot.
23/08/2010:
The band played it's first ever gig in Coventry on Saturday and were well received and expect to return for a few more dates next year.
10/08/2010:
Another cracking gig at The Capt Webb on Saturday, with James back from honeymoon and old comrade John Daly depping on drums for Mike, who was on hols. I tried my classic rock organ, a Roland VK 7 for the first time and was very pleased with it. Looking forward to our December return.
We were given three more dates for next year.
11/07/2010:
Another good gig at Harrisons on Saturday, we had to do it as a five piece, as James had 'permission' to attend his stag night in the west country. We had enough material to put on a good show without him, but we will welcome him back for the next gig.
28/06/2010:
The band played it's first gig in Dave Charles home town of Evesham on Friday JUne 18th. It was a great gig and we have been re-booked for a further two gigs this autumn. This gig also featured the debut of a classic AC/DC song, You Shook Me All Night Long. Shame about the England result!!
16/05/2010:
After a bit of a lay-off, we retuned to the live scene with an excellent gig at The Turf. The crowd demanded more so we enjoyed giving three encores. They would have had us there all night!!
22/03/2010:
The band eased back into action at a gig in Shirley on Saturday,and will now be concentrating on adding a few more songs to our set list over the next few weeks.
26/02/2010:
Due to the bereavement of a family member of one of the band, we have had to cancel our forthcoming gigs at The Queens Head, Wolverley and Harrisons at Cannock. We will be back at both venues later this year.
14/02/2010:
The band donated their services totally free to help raise money for charity, at Alvechurch WMS Club. It was a great night and and the full house were 'up for it' right from the start.
01/02/2010:
A very enjoyable 'Burns' night in the wilds of Staffordshire. Nigel just made it in time, having driven half way to the gig, before he realised he had left his guitars at home!!
Oh forgot to mention. The band played four new songs for the first time live and we think they were liked by the crowd.
18/01/2010:
The band enjoyed a productive first rehearsal in 2010, and have added another 3 songs to the set list and a revamp to one of our existing. Can you spot the changes on our 'set-list' page?
Also we have started to pick some new material for improving the set as this year unfolds.
21/12/2009:
A great xmas atmosphere at The Captain Webb, as the band signed off for 2009's Pub-Rock circuit. We have been invited back for two gigs next year, with the later one an 'Xmas' gig in December.
14/11/2009:
The band played at two new venues in November. The RED LION at Shirley and The TURF St Georges Nr Telford. Both were very enjoyable and we have been invited back again for dates next year.
19/10/2009:
We played our most prestigious gig to date at The Roadhouse last Friday and I don't think there was anyone in the place who did not enjoy the show. We will be back again some time next year.
27/09/2009:
The bands autumn comitments started on Thursday with a gig at The Thorns, quickly followed by a Saturday visit to Harrisons. On both occasions the crowd were up for a boogie. Harrisons saw the debut of two new songs, Nutbush City Limits and Gimme All Your Lovin.
Both venues want us back in 2010.
01/09/2009:
After several weeks combined summer break, the band assembled for a cracking gig at The Hop Pole. The full house really enjoyed the night, just as much as we all did.
Anoother short holiday break is now under way, but we can't wait to start the autumn / winter period off with a bang at The Thorns. The set will have a few new songs added from our last visit.
06/07/2009
The Contraband provided the evenings entertainment at The Queens Head, Wolverley after the annual Carnival. Playing to the crowd on an open air stage. It was great fun and Robert Plant was in the crowd!
14/06/2009:
The Contra Band played at a 60th surprise party yesterday, at the aptly named ROCK VILLAGE HALL. It was a great venue and a great night. Sound problems during soundcheck was eventually traced to the hearing aid induction circuit. A note to remember in future.
07/06/2009:
The band played their first gig at The Venue nr Telford on Saturday. The owner was very pleased with what we did and asked us to play on New Years Eve. We were happy to say yes.
09/05/2009:
A true sign of a good band is being offered a repeat booking, so it's no surprise to see that the venues we have previously played to date, have asked us back later in the year.
There will of course be several new songs that will be featured in the second half of this year, a few lead vocals being handled by Dave and James.
04/04/2009:
Our new guitarist James Bateman made his debut at The Thorns last Thursday. We all enjoyed the venue and the feedback from the management was excellent. We hope to be back later this year.
20/03/2009:
GIG UPDATES: Please note that the Queens Head date has be rearranged for Saturday July 4th. Also The Old Mill in West Bromwich, has changed hands and the new owners have cancelled all live music bookings.
16/03/2009:
Paul Batterton played his final gig with the band at The Wishing Well on Friday the 13th of all days. But whilst it may have been 'unlucky' for some, it turned out to be one of the best gigs we have done so far. A great and appreciative crowd, who must have not fancied watching Red Nose on the BBC. A very good gig for Paul to bow out on.
01/03/2009:
We had a great time playing our first ever mid-week gig at The Harvester. A very good crowd for a Wednesday, who certainly enjoyed having a good old boogie. Look forward to going back later this year.
12/22/2009:
We are pleased to have our new guitarist James Bateman on board. James teaches guitar at Mathew Boulton College and obviously has a good musical pedigree. He takes over from Paul and he is looking forward to making his debut in April. He will also be the new 'youngster' of the band.
09/02/2008:
Contraband played their first ever gig in Telford at The Fountain. It was a very good night and the fact that the gaffer is a 'sax' nut made it all the more enjoyable for me. It was also a pleasnt change to have a 10min drive home afterwards.
22/12/2008:
The band concluded 2008 with gigs at The Wishing Well and played their first ever gig at the Queens Head, Wolverley. Dave played on both occasions.
A few new songs were performed for the first time, namely, I Feel Good, Run To You and Kiss Me.
We all look forward to returning to action at the Hop Pole in January.
22/11/2008:
The band are pleased to welcome David Charles in to the band on guitar and backing vocals. David has returned to playing live, after a break of about 15 years. David will eventually replace Paul, who will sadly be leaving us due to increased work commitments by the middle of next year.
12/10/2008:
The band returned to playing live after a very long summer lay-off, to The Hop Pole. The decent crowd were impressed and entertained. We can't wait for the next one.
11/09/2008:
The three new DEMO tracks mentioned below, have now been recorded and are downloadable from our MP3 Music Files page. I think it's fair to say, that we are very happy with them.
12/08/2008:
The band are working on three demo songs that should be completed over the next few weeks. RESCUE ME, TIE YOUR MOTHER DOWN and the chart topper MERCY.
08/07/2008:
Second Warm - Up gig
A successful second gig at Harrisons Sports Club was enjoyed by a decent crowd. The band expect to play again there again early 2009.
07/06/2008:
The Contraband play their first gig
At the Windmill Lye. We all enjoyed the set that included FIVE new songs. We have been asked back for a date to be confirmed in October.
Note: The band recently recorded Black Velvet using their own studio and are pleased with the results. (See Downloads)
26/05/2008:
Mandy Reaches Final of Song Contest
A friend of Mandy's recently suggested Mandy should enter a song contest in Telford because some decent prizes were up for grabs.
At first Mandy was not keen, but her persistent friend eventually talked her into it, so Mandy entered "Just for a laugh". However, she got through the heats and semi-final and then on into the final. I popped along for moral support and was quite impressed by at least seven of the ten contestants, in fact it must have been a tough call for the judges.
Pleased to say Mandy turned it on and made second spot, that won her a nice cash prize. Not bad for a few songs.
8/03/2008:
Welcome to THE CONTRA BAND
It became evident that two key members of The Bootlegs were finding it increasingly difficult to commit the necessary time to the band.
Guitarist Jon Lighting had a separate role in indie band The Brascoes, who have been trying hard to get signed to a recording contract. This entails lots of gigs and rehearsals and it probably came as some relief for Jon to step down. We wish him all the best.
Singer Allan Sharpe was finding combining a band plus work and family commitments quite difficult. I'm sure he will be back singing again when he 'recharges his batteries'
So moving on, the remaining members, Barrett, Batterton, Minett & Rock, fronted by Mandy Nuttall will be arriving soon. The addition of a male vocalist to share duties with Mandy is almost in place and we hope to add a second guitar in the near future.