Story by Norm Richards
Dropped in to see Brent Parkin release a his new album VINTAGE RHYTHM last evening at the Park Theatre. I’ll get back to Brent. For a warm up, I took in a little Skiffle while attending the movie of John Lennon’s early life before The Beatles were formed. The movie is titled “Nowhere Boy,” words out of the mouth of a stern school head master as if to say, “You’re going nowhere, boy.” Lennon will prove this dude wrong and it felt good just knowing he would. Ability and talent does not always lie wide awake to boring academics brought to you by cold spirits. The creative mind works in other ways.
The musical parts of the film were not the focus, the relationships with Aunt Mimi and his mother Julia are the core of the whole second act. The film is shot hot and with warm colors. If I wasn’t looking at a film print I’d think it was filmed in high definition. Why not? Film may not exist soon.
I liked the parts where John meets Paul McCartney for the first time and later George on a bus ride where Paul makes him play a few licks. Paul is given a bit of a competitive edge to John but it appears John respects his talent and it’s a swift move by the filmmaker but they end up on stage together. Skip the boring parts I guess since most of us know the story anyway. Early rock and roll makes it’s appearance.
It’s a nice finish to my evening watching Brent Parkin do his thing with the local boys especially when he performs ’That’s Alright Mama.” I’ve seen Brent Parkin and the Stingers and I’ve seen Brent in Hounddog awhile back. His vintage rhythm is made for the ease in which he plays guitar these days. My Mama would have been jiggling and tapping her feet in the front row if she were still here I assure you. Way to go Brent! Fine evening.
