Blues Boy Dan Owen - Hebden Bridge Blues Festival 2013
Opening up for a Blues Festival is never an easy gig. Tonight that short straw was given to BluesBoy Dan Owen - and it could not have been in safer hands. Despite the fact that he is only just twenty one, Dan has the self-assurance and talent of a seasoned pro and he captured his packed audience as soon as he picked up his guitar.
Weirdly famous for appearing both on prime-time Croation television and the Andrew Marr Politics Show, Dan has quickly established an enviable reputation in the blues world. With a quite amazing rich voice that soars and swoops with huge power, he commanded from his first note when he opened up with a foot stomping and slide version of Walkin' Blues. He then produced a terrific set of both covers and original material which included a wonderful rendition of one of The Hat's favourite funeral songs – Willie Nelson's 'Roll Me up and smoke me when I die'. High point for The Hat though was when the guitar, voice and harp all came together for a pew-shaking Little Red Rooster where Howlin' Wolf almost came and joined us in the chapel. No wonder he is being mentored by Mick Fleetwood. Now here's an idea....that peak-time tele programme 'The Voice' should really be dedicated just to Bluesboy Dan – a proper amazing voice and a class act.
