JIM JONES ALL STARS + ERIKA & THE RAVENS – THE PRINCE ALBERT, BRIGHTON 5.4.25
We had last seen the Jim Jones All Stars playing at The Prince Albert in October of last year, so it is testament to their appeal that we are back so soon to witness it all again. I first witnessed this band tearing the roof off at the Lewes Con Club in 2023, (Review HERE), and have considered myself a convert ever since. Fresh back from a tour with The Wildhearts, the band have booked out Brighton’s favourite venue (The Prince Albert) for 3 nights straight, as part of a Jim Jones Allstars ‘Dirty Weekender’ event. Who was I to turn down the opportunity to witness this Rock n Roll juggernaut as it rolls into town?
Jim Jones All Stars are a supergroup if you will, risen up from the ashes of Jim Jones Revue and other like-minded bands from around Europe (The Heavy, The Swamps and of course Thee Hypnotics). The Covid years were the catalyst for forming the band, and since their latest album was released (‘Ain’t No Peril‘) they have been going from strength to strength. They are also on a seemingly non-stop touring schedule, as well as the added promise of a new single and album on its way. The single in question is called ‘Goin’ Higher’ pop pickers, and it will be the first taste of the band’s upcoming new album (soon to be released on The Black Crowes’ Silver Arrow Records). Heck, even Chris Robinson has produced the thing.The band seem more than ready to take on three days of what Brighton has to offer.
It’s always good to have an excuse to pop into The Prince Albert, and I plumped for the Saturday night of this weekend’s shenanigans. Details of the weekend had been kept tightly under wraps, but nearer the date we learned of a screening of early 70″s cult movie, ‘Performance’ (starring Mick Jagger) and DJ’s too. Erika & The Ravens were the main support tonight, but more on them later.
The venue was busy from the get go, as people were enjoying the sunny weather. Before we knew it, 9:30pm had arrived as the gathered throng assembled in the upstairs room with plastic pint pots in hand. They enthusiastically greeted the arrival of Jim Jones All Stars as they shoehorned themselves onto the ample stage. They hit that stage running as they launched straight into their familiar intro, that would surely make the biggest square in the room develop curves and wig out to this energetic tune. ‘Gimme The Grease’ is an absolute banger of a song, showing that the band could well and truly get their funk on. They also showed absolutely no signs of fatigue from the night before. Jim Jones certainly knows how to get a crowd going, as he raised his arms over the heads of the crowd like some kind of preacher, forcing them to follow his rock’n’roll sermon. In layman’s terms, he was giving it some welly. Carlton Mounsher stood stage left, laying down the guitar lines with steady precision, as Gavin Jay stood alongside Jim Jones himself, throwing some low slung bass shapes.
New single, ‘Goin’ Higher’ got snuck in the set, and I can confirm it is indeed a catchy number. It came out on Friday, so make sure you give it a spin online today. This Rock n Roll meets 60’s Soul Revue is a heady mix, and will be sure to get you sweating along with the band as they dig in deep. The room was almost full to capacity tonight but there was an offer to attend Sunday’s event at a cut down price if you were wearing a wristband. ‘Born To Ride’ was a particular highlight of the night and the two pronged sax attack were really giving it some, as they contorted themselves into some interesting shapes. ‘Make It Rain’ got an airing too, and I got myself a good close up look at Jim Jones’s skull shaped pickups on his guitar. ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Psychosis’ is a particular favourite of mine, but the night was brought to a close before we had time to catch our collective breath, with a lively rendition of ‘Shakedown’.
Jim Jones said that he didn’t quite have the energy to leave the stage and get back up again, so the encore was delivered to us quick sharp. He introduced the next song by mentioning it’s Brighton connection (No, it wasn’t a Rizzle Kicks number). It was in fact, a joyous cover of The Who’s ‘I Can See For Miles’ which I can confirm gave me the shivers. The whole night was rounded off with the anthem that is ‘512’ and we knew at that time, we could go home and sleep happily.
As I have said before, Jim Jones All Stars are like watching a 60’s R&B Soul revue, and then some. Imagine you were watching a live rendition of The Blues Brothers on a mission from God. Imagine they were wearing metaphorical leather jackets and their God was in fact called Satan. Then, you’re halfway there.
Jim Jones All Stars:
Jim Jones – vocals, guitar
Gavin Jay – bass (Revue member)
Elliot Mortimer – piano, keys (Revue member)
Carlton Mounsher – guitar (The Swamps member)
Chris Ellul – drums (The Heavy member)
Stuart Dace – sax
Tom Hodges – sax
Jim Jones All Stars setlist :
‘Intro’
‘Cement Mixer’
‘Burning Your House Down’
‘Gimme The Grease’
‘Parchman Farm Blues’
‘Let You Go’
‘Goin’ Higher’
‘Born To Ride’
‘Make It Rain’
‘Soul Trader’
‘Cat Fight’
‘Any Way I Can’
‘Troglodyte’
‘Lover’s Prayer’
‘Rock n Roll Psychosis’
‘Princess & The Frog’
‘Shakedown’
(encore)
‘I Can See For Miles’ (The Who cover)
‘Monkey’
‘512’
Tickets for tonight’s Brighton gig (on Sunday 6th April) can be purchased HERE.
As mentioned earlier, Erika & The Ravens were the main support for tonight. Originally hailing from Spain, they are a band known to play a mixture of Rock’n’Roll and Country & Western styles, and tonight’s varmints in the crowd seemed more than up for it. Front person Erika Nos Oms originates from Castellón (near Valencia) and is one part of a successful DJ duo, by the name of ‘Las Titis’. The band this evening also features Simon Wild from Oh! Gunquit and Vincenzo Di Mattei from The Midnight Crawlers on pots and pans.
Tonight, the band took to the stage promptly at 8:30pm, and were a vision in baby blue. They looked very smart and stylish and their Nashville Country & Western influences shone through from the start. They kicked things off with ‘Whatcha Gonna Do’ and Erika apologised for her vocals not being up to scratch due to illness. I must say, they sounded mighty fine from where we were standing. Simon Wild on guitar proclaimed “Alright!” in between certain songs, and I believed him. The songs were quite mellow and they were met with a matching warm reception from the audience in the room. We were welcomed to the ‘Pink Room’ too, and ‘High Sierra’ was a highlight song of the night for me.
Vincenzo on the drums, swapped between sticks and brushes, and Simon’s occasional surf guitar sounded like it was being gently kissed on the neck by Hank Marvin. Erika’s voice was tuneful and relaxing as she broke into the band’s encore song, ‘Fallin”. This band were a fitting warm up to the main event tonight, and I’m sure we will be seeing plenty more of Erika & The Ravens in the future.
Erika & The Ravens tonight were:
Erika Nos Oms – lead vocals and guitar
Simon Wild – guitar
Vincenzo Di Mattei – drums
Erika & The Ravens setlist:
‘Whatcha Gonna Do’
‘I Almost Called Your Name’
‘Love Charms’
‘I’m Alright’
‘Lonely Moon’
‘The Raven’s Song’
‘Goodnight Moon’
‘Handsome Man’
‘Pink Room’
‘High Sierra’
‘Mother Earth’
‘TNT’
(encore)
‘Fallin’’
