I have never been to this venue and it is an amazing place – a cafe upstairs by day and by night there is a downstairs gig room. Adrian and the staff have done a great job and this place has a very cool vibe and the sound is top notch.
Susan Santos has sold out this venue which is no surprise given her repertoire of blues rock which showcase her skills as a songwriter, singer and guitar virtuoso. Given she has shared the stage with the likes of Billy Gibbons and won music awards this was always going to be an intimate killer show.
The set kicks off with the cool blues shuffle of ‘Snakebite’ from 2024 album ‘Sonora’. This is so catchy and the guitar solo is sublime. ‘Have Mercy’ from the same album follows and is a classic piece of blues country rock showing Santos’ many influences. Next track, ‘Dusty Road’, is a mid-paced blues rocker with some great changes in rhythm. The drumming is ace and the bass drives along. The audience are now fully on board and will be humming this for weeks.
Susan is in her element wielding the guitar and it looks like something she was born to do. The next track ‘Fever’ shows this completely as it moves effortlessly from stomping blues riffs to a cool catchy chorus. Drummer Ross Gordon plays some intricate drum fills to bring in the ripping guitar solo and the bass lines are cool and complex.
‘Rattlesnake’ from 2016 album ‘Skin and Bones’ is a straight on blues rocker that gets the audience moving and for me is one of the best tracks of the night with some classic riffs and a driving beat. ‘In Trouble’ from 2018 album ‘No U Turn’ has a similar feel but more complex in structure, cool off beats moving from fast to slow and the guitar solo is class.
Each song has its own groove and story and the show gets more engaging as the set goes on and it’s no wonder she is so popular on the contemporary rock blues scene. ‘Hot Rod Lady’ rocks along then before exploding into some inventive lead breaks complemented by intricate bass. The audience enjoying the banter as Susan commands the stage.
‘So Long’ and ‘Call Me Tonight’ follow and lead into ‘Voodoo Wheels’. This is rockabilly at its best and shows how Susan and her band can change style at will and the guitar solo is as authentic as it comes. In contrast ‘Blind Woman’ from album ‘No U Turn’ is a cool blues tune with pop sensibilities with a guitar akin to the White Stripes.
As we enter the home straight Susan kicks into the driving rockabilly blues of ‘Skin and Bones’ with bass player Costa Tancredi and drummer Ross Gordon driving the song along with audience members now dancing along. ‘Let It Ride’ from album ‘Sonora’ has a Hendrix type groove but while Santos displays her influences throughout her music, she is no copyist. This has some complex guitar lines and the band can clearly ad lib as required. This song ends like early Black Sabbath with a crazy dark guitar solo which is mesmerising at times.
The set ends with ‘Hard Times’, a track adopted and covered by artists such as Ray Charles and Clapton and is the perfect vehicle for Santos to showcase her prowess as a singer and guitar player. She engages with the crowd and periodically goes into the audience encouraging them to be part of the show and they duly oblige. Susan’s outstanding voice and appealing guitar style, along with her strong stage presence provide for a great show and the 100 club the following night were clearly in for a treat.
Santos has recorded many albums including “Take Me Home” (2010), “Shuffle Woman” (2012), “Electric Love” (2014), “Skin & Bones” (2016), “No U Turn” (2018), and “The L.A. Sessions” EP (2020) & “Sonora” (2024). Susan Santos will never disappoint and her songwriting, singing and great guitar skills are matched by the coolest trousers I’ve ever seen.
This was a magical performance in a cool intimate venue that I will certainly visit again and I would encourage others to do likewise.
