Peterborough musician Rob Bull is a familiar face on the local circuit and has joined ESP to report on the city’s vibrant music scene. As well as playing, he also likes to support other local talent and headed down to a Sunday Session at Charters to check out Matt Howard…
I must admit, there are worse ways to spend your time than sitting in the Charters beer garden on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Good beer flowing, some great food being served up and some excellent live music, it’s undoubtedly one of my ‘happy places’ and somewhere I deeply missed during the pandemic.
I recently had my first opportunity to spend such a Sunday back down by the river and caught the very talented Matt Howard performing a solo acoustic set to a Charters beer garden that was once again filled with life and joviality – a truly terrific sight to see after the year that we’ve all endured.
Matt’s repertoire was varied and lengthy – I clocked his first set at well over an hour and twenty minutes! The second half was no shorter, plus two encores either side of a quick dash to the loo, it’s impressive the amount of good quality tracks that Matt is able to perform.
everything from Ed Sheeran and Elton John to Sam Fender and Jake Bugg, mixed in with a few wild cards and requests from the audience thrown in for good measure, Matt caries them all well with accomplished guitar playing and a strong vocal ability.
He certainly has a catalogue of music built for entertaining the masses, which is exactly what he did, rounding off a fine afternoon with some staple sing along classics by Oasis and Neil Diamond that had all in attendance joining in.
Charters itself is undergoing an impressive redevelopment with their beer garden increasing in size this summer. As a musician who also enjoys regularly performing at the venue it excites me to see the work so far and imagine what it will be like once completed.
A raised stage area with a large sail covered roof in the far corner of the garden facing the river will create a theatrical center for all live performances. Along with a reshuffling of the current structures, the addition of a new outdoor bar offering cellar beers and increased food options plus even more seating will allow for some truly fantastic events to take place in a setting unlike any other in Peterborough. Full steam ahead for live music at Charters.
You can find out more about Matt Howard via his Facebook page, likewise with Charters Bar Peterborough or visit www.Charters-Bar.com.
Next up for Sunday Session tunes it’s The Nuggets on July 25 – keep an eye on the ESP Gig Guide for more.
Rob Bull