Friday night was the launch of the Steve Lucas CD Cross That Line. Dave & his harmonica are in the band The Rising Tide who backed Steve on this. The launch was at the Lomond Hotel in Nicholson St where the first things that were apparent were how small the room is & the spread of music stands & mics across the entire width of that room. We were sitting right in front of the spot where it seemed the horn section would play.

The first set was the songs from the CD with Dave featuring on some of these. The horn section; from the band the Horns of Leroy were sensational. I needed to get out of my seat & stand at the back where these 3 guys (playing trumpet, trombone & sousaphone) not only played brilliantly but were a visual feast.

For the second set Dave was back in the band & the format was Hounds style; where either Dave or Steve called a song & a key & it was played. Early Dave selections included C’Est La Vie & Don’t Lie to Me. The band at this stage had the core of Dave (v, h), Steve (v, g), Robbo Robertson (d) along with Peter Mavric (b), Bruce Haynes (k), Christian Foyle (sax) & and additional guitarist.

Then Steve called the horn players back ……………… The place rocked, the floor vibrated as 10 musicians united in a mighty jam. The sight of Dave on harmonica (& singing Everybody Must Get Stoned) alongside Christian & the horn players is not one that will leave me any time soon. I just wish as I decamped to the back of the room I’d grabbed my camera to capture those moments. (I’d left my bag on a chair centimetres from the trumpet player’s feet.)

As Steve called time & I returned to the table one of the girls announced that it was probably the best gig she had ever been to.