Sutton Coldfield’s Thomas Atlas rocked up to the Cotswold venue of Isbourne Arts (a former Methodist chapel) with his band for a night of exception blues music with some funk thrown in. The band line-up was Thomas Atlas (guitar & vocals), André Bassing (keys & bass) & Jack Bowles (drums). The venue in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, has been open as a community asset for music and theatre for nearly two years, with over 80 performances, and has previously hosted The Cinelli Brothers amongst others.
Tom has been thrilling audiences with his full blues voice and electrifying guitar work for over 10 years around the wider West Midlands and nationally around the UK, including at many festivals including Upton Blues Festival and Linton Festival.
He is in the final elements of creating his new album ‘Messages’ in the studio which will be released in November 2026.
He kicked off with ‘Change in You’ a great soulful bluesy number showing Tom’s great vocals and guitarwork backed by energetic drums and percussion underpinned by André on keys (his left hand playing the bass accompaniment). This was followed by a brand-new song ‘When I’m Dreaming’ which was about friend Shaun Hill dreams about and is a slower bluesy number with evocative vocals with solid rhythm section and a spectacular guitar solo.
Then the band played ‘To the City’ written about a painting by unnamed artist with an eerie style to start with lovely percussion and Tom’s powerful Blues voice, before it drops into a great R&B rhythm and echoey guitar.
This was followed by a JJ Cale section with ‘Call Me the Breeze’ with great beat, lovely keys and Tom’s great blues voice & blues guitar and included a keys solo from André and ‘After Midnight’ which its funkier beat and strong vocals and guitar break from Tom, with great keys underpinning the song.
Then to conclude the first half we had the classic Bill Withers song ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ which starts with Tom alone, with his distinct style of guitar playing, before the band joins in and includes a keys solo from André (while still playing the bass line) before another guitar break from Tom, and ‘Voodoo’ which kicks off with keys drums & percussion before great passionate blues vocals from Tom, with effects guitar and great chords. The band finished with ‘Before You Accuse Me’ with great guitar work from Tom and magical vocals supported by the band.
He came back with ‘Limbo’ with great bluesy guitar to start with percussion and then Tom’s evocative vocals and keys on a funkier song. Then another funky song with ‘Foolin’ Me with Tom’s emotive vocals.
‘Shackles on Me’ was next a Jimmie Vaughan song which is a protest song, but Eric Clapton asked Jimmie if Tom could cover the song, with a mate of Tom and Eric updating the lyrics, so it is now about digital ID technology taking over. This is a great blues song with powerful vocals & guitar and great percussion backing. Followed by the Curtis Mayfield song ‘Move On Up’ a classic r&b song which got the audience dancing, with its wailing guitars from Tom and heavy beat backing.
‘Black Cat Bone’ was another funkier blues number with powerful soulful singing and solid rhythm section. Great honky tonk keys solo from André and drum solo from Jack, with virtuoso guitar playing from Tom. Followed by the Rolling Stones classic ‘Miss You’ which is a slower bluesy song with excellent guitar playing with classic Tom expressions, and another keys solo from André.
Tom and the band finished with Eric Clapton’s ‘Further On Up the Road’ but its full blooded blues vocals with great & quick guitar playing from Tom, and then the title track from his new album ‘Messages’ which is a re-worked version of an early classic song from Tom with its powerful vocals and guitar in this extended version to finish.
After much applause from the very appreciative audience tom and the band come back for an encore with The Doobie Brothers ‘Long Train Running’ with the audience on their feet dancing to the funky rhythm.