DESERT STAR DUO    August 4th. 2011

New to our club, but not entirely, this excellent duo gave us a show to savour this evening. Consisting of Gary Haynes, frequent solo performer here, and Phil Bradley, both hail from Sutton-in-Ashfield and have similar music backgrounds.

Both have performed in heavy metal combos but have also involved themselves in country music. Longtime friends they have been playing as a duo for three months.

Gary plays acoustic guitar and has the giant's share of the lead vocals. Phil plays electric guitar takes lead instrumentally, does the occasional lead vocal and general harmonies.

Starting tonight with,Chattahoochie they  continued with, Big River, Sea Of Heartbreak, I Like It, I Love It,  Mama Tried and That Summer.

For each of the three sets they had a change of attire and varied each with old and new country songs.

Later numbers included Shooter Jennings', Fourth Of July, George Strait's, Fireman, Dire Straits, Sultans Of Swing, The Status Quo version of, Wild Side Of Life, Hank Williams 111's, If The Shoe Fits, Johnny Cash's, Folsom Prison Blues, Dwight Yoakam's, Thinkin' About Leavin', and to end this super concert, Today I Started Loving You Again and I Saw The Light.

Each song generated tremendous applause, worthy of great vocals and exhilerating  lead guitar presentations, the latter as good as any I can recall hearing at Shobnall. Everyone of our members was bowled over by it. This may have been Gary's and Phil's first duo show here at the Northern Renegades but certainly not  the last.       

            Cyril  Insley