JD and The Woodsmen are a band I’ve heard spoken about in various places, though until now I hadn’t had the pleasure of seeing them live. When I discovered they were performing at The Frog and Ferret in Spennymoor (which seems to be becoming my second home), it felt like the perfect opportunity to finally catch them.
As a rock fan, this might not usually be my first choice, but it didn’t take long for them to win me over. With infectious renditions of classics by Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and Stevie Wonder, I found myself smiling throughout, foot tapping along almost involuntarily.
The band consists of Gem on lead vocals, Tom on drums and backing vocals, Gary on guitar and backing vocals, Peter on saxophone, keys, and backing vocals, and Harry on bass. Together, they deliver a tight, professional performance, offering feel-good tunes designed to get the audience dancing and singing along, all delivered with their own distinctive style and flair.
The saxophone sound stood out in particular for me, with a rich, voice-like quality that added real depth to the sound, while the guitar solos sparked more than a little nostalgia—prompting thoughts of what might have been had I practised a bit harder back in the day.
In conclusion, JD and The Woodsmen clearly know exactly what they’re doing and are well worth catching live. I’d strongly recommend paying them a visit at their next gig.
David Auston
Spennymoor's local community newspaper.
