THE JACK DASH XMAS BASH / JIMMY McKENNA / DOUG VERRILL

The annual Xmas Bash where we enjoy the Christmas raffle, have a drink and let ourselves go while we watch the band who let themselves go many years ago. Poet Doug Verrill will add a touch of sophistication to proceedings (in a very Teesside way) and we welcome the Toft House debut of Hartlepool’s Jimmy McKenna.

“That Jimmy McKenna has been making unpopular music for a long time, save for 15 minutes in 1977 when his punky pop group DisGuise were big in Hartlepool. Since then he has continued to write and record his songs, releasing a rather impressive 13 albums in his own name and a further 4 as DisGuise, with 6 albums also on CD.

Jimmy appreciates a very wide range of music, having grown up listening to Louis Jordan, Rodger and Hammerstein, Mario Lanza, Cliff Richard, Beatles/Stone/Who/Kinks/Move, Van Der Graaf Generator, the Ramones.

Most of his music has been recorded in ‘group’ type settings in particular with the adventurous bass playing of Gavin Bell and the musical drumming of Jason Bell.

Jimmy however is undertaking a series of naked performances where his aural modesty will be served only by his guitar and voice.”