FOR the final night, festival organisers indulged in a spot of missionary work, taking a headline act out to the lesser known regions of Padiham Town Hall.
Nine Below Zero are more R&B than mainstream blues and as such were an excellent change of pace from many of the acts being served up on the Mechanics main stage.
The acoustics at Padiham are not the best but Nine Below Zero soon overcame them and with Dennis Greaves' wonderfully dirty guitar duelling with Mark Feltham's raucous harmonica a thoroughly enjoyable evening was had by all.
There was a little something for everyone in a tight 90-minute set including re-workings of some of the band's earlier material with a few standards thrown in for good measure. Earlier Route 66 got the night off to a solid start.
This band have been a festival favourite for a number of years and their hard rocking style prepared the way, albeit somewhat noisily, for the main act of the night.
Any band which has appeared in an episode of The Young Ones has got instant credibility in my book.
Nine Below Zero's Padiham performance can only of enhanced their reputation and hopefully will see more the festival being taken to the outlying areas next year.
JOHN ANSON
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