Well first of apologies for the late posting. Apart from everything else that's been going on this week , the computer has decided to crash every 5 minutes.

The Elks had to put up with Nicky doing their soundcheck for them but when I arrived just as they started it turned out that he hadn't done a bad job. Acoustic instruments are notoriously difficult to get a good sound out of ]but it seemed that everything

was as it should have been.

It was also a pleasant surprise to see a good sized crowd in attendance for what we all knew was going to be something a bit different.

The Elks comprise four very talented guitarists , one of whom plays percussion, mandolin and a bit of harmonica. I was familiar with most of their set but was particularly impressed

with their version of a song that I hadn't heard before, I think it was called "Blue Skies" ? I'm sure somebody will tell me who it's by.

Their first half rendition of Bad Moon Rising even managed to get a few people dancing.

I'm sure that the absence of the traditional band set up threw a few people and personally I'd like to see a bass drum included in their set up and for the appropriate

songs a standard electric bass, but on the whole the Elks have a full and rather wonderful sound going on. OK there were a few bum notes here and there and maybe the vocal harmonies

weren't exactly polished but on the whole you have to to take your hat off to the band for trying something out of the ordinary. I'm also sure that for such a fledgling band that

they'll soon discover those songs that work best within the acoustic set up.

I look forward to the next occasion that our paths cross.