REVIEW: Mike Sanchez at the Huntingdon Hall, Worcester.

LIVE music is slowly dying along with the venues that were once its natural habitat.

And the decline can only get worse as former punters increasingly decide to stay at home instead of enjoying nights out supporting musicians.

This is the gloomy gospel of Bewdley boogie boy Mike Sanchez who – ironically – seemed to contradict his own predictions as he played to a full house for his famed Christmas gig at Huntingdon Hall.

Sanchez is recovering from a serious road accident in Spain which could have been disastrous not only for himself but also his wife and young son who were in the car at the time.

But despite an injury to his left arm, Worcestershire’s most celebrated exponent of vintage rock ‘n’ roll brought the house down with a storming session of non-stop barrelhouse and ballads.

A Sanchez concert always moves along like a Memphis-bound express and this gig was no exception as numbers such as Red Hot Mama blurred into Hurtin’ or Down the Road Apiece, the great man only pausing for breath with items such as Brook Benton’s Kidio.

There is no doubt that as well as being a skilled player, he is also a consummate interpreter and remarkable mimic. His impersonations of blues luminaries such as Howling Wolf, John Lee Hooker and Little Walter are without doubt the best in the business.

And listening to How Many More Years? it really feels as if Chester Burnett had come back from the dead.

The backing band was without equal. A beefier-than-ever sax section provided a powerhouse of sound while guitar slinger Tom Bull fired off some seriously authentic Sun Studios riffing via that tasty Fender Telecaster of his.

Mike Sanchez is a great purveyor of what can truly be said to be people’s music, the human heart beat set to sound. But as the customer base dwindles, how long this will remain the case remains to be seen.

John Phillpott