We’re honoured to welcome Geraint Watkins and the Mosquitoes to Ramsgate on Friday 8th November!
For so many years a keystone of the bands of Nick Lowe, Van Morrison, Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, Dave Edmunds and countless more, Watkins is also a revered creator of his own sublime music, much of which has already been perfectly captured in a handful of solo albums and now features in his live shows.
Bob Dylan proclaimed himself a Watkins fan by playing two solo cuts on his Theme Time Radio Hour saying (without a hint of irony) that “Geraint Watkins is my favourite English piano player.”
With a brand new 10” vinyl album hot off the presses in September 2024, this is a first visit to the venue for Geraint Watkins and the Mosquitoes – which these days is a quartet including Oliver Darling (guitar/vocals), Paul Riley (bass), Malcolm Mills (drums).
Watkins was a member of noted British bands Juice on the Loose and Red Beans & Rice and following a move to London with the latter, he soon found himself on the ‘Be Stiff Route 78’ tour as part of Micky Jupp’s band. Shortly afterwards in 1979, Andy Fairweather Low produced Watkins’ first album for the Vertigo label. Session work for producer Stuart Colman followed which led to him joining Shakin’ Stevens’ band before going on to record and play live with Dave Edmunds and many others including Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Mark Knopfler, Dr. Feelgood, Rory Gallagher, The Blues Band, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Stray Cats, Carl Perkins, John Wesley Harding, Tom Jones, Roger Daltrey and John Martyn. In addition to his extensive touring and recording with Nick Lowe, Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings and Van Morrison, he somehow managed to keep The Balham Alligators stomping for fifteen years too.
“One of Britain’s best kept musical secrets” – Louder Than War
“Watkins has his own style, but also enough range to occasionally remind you of someone else. The sultry ‘I Got the Blues’, for example, brought Otis Redding to mind; there was a little Nick Cave in ‘Middle of the Night’; and Van Morrison could be heard in ‘On the Nside” – Americana UK
“A well kept secret and national treasure long overdue for discovery” – Fatea
