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‘Absolutely fantastic’ blues guitarist Aynsley Lister rocks Newbury’s Christmas




Aynsley Lister

at Arlington Arts, Snelsmore,

on Saturday, December 21

Review by BRIAN HARRINGTON

Aynsley Lister at Arlington Arts 24 Pic: Brian Harrington
Aynsley Lister at Arlington Arts 24 Pic: Brian Harrington

TONIGHT was the last show of 2024 for Aynsley Lister and he and his band were in a party mood and clearly enjoying every moment.

He has, he told us, been touring in a variety of bands and guises for 26 years now, and all of that experience was abundantly clear.

First and foremost Aynsley is a phenomenal blues/rock guitarist whose style encompasses what he called ‘noodly’ bits alongside thunderous crescendos and fat power chords, flipping between those styles with alacrity, so that the audience experience highs and lows aplenty.

Inspired to play by the great American blues guitarists of the past he conveys emotions superbly – any aspiring guitarist should watch him in action.

Aynsley Lister at Arlington Arts 24 Pic: Brian Harrington
Aynsley Lister at Arlington Arts 24 Pic: Brian Harrington

The current band is tight and musically excellent and tore through a great setlist, which took the capacity audience through a selection of tracks drawn from every era of his career from his debut 1996 album to his latest release in 2022.

Opening with Everything I Need from 2000, highlights for me included Soundman, a tongue-in-cheek dig at an arrogant sound technician who thinks he knows better than the band, Eve Part 1, a song Aynsley wrote after watching the Killing Eve TV series, and the wonderful instrumental Quiet Boy.

I loved Amazing, from the latest album and the introspective What’s It All About.

Finishing with a superb rendition of Prince’s Purple Rain, which had the audience singing along and waving phones in torch mode above their heads, it ended in a well-earned standing ovation and the much demanded encore track Big Sleep.

Aynsley Lister at Arlington Arts 24 Pic: Brian Harrington
Aynsley Lister at Arlington Arts 24 Pic: Brian Harrington

From start to finish this was a tour de force from an excellent power trio, who held their audience spellbound.

Another great gig at Arlington Arts.

Absolutely fantastic.



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