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	PRENDO REVIEWS
	from Holley's COMET, November 2003
	Prendo The BlueBell, Jesmond Dene, Newcastle upon Tyne 2/10/03
	This was the first time I had come across Yorkshire's John Prendo, not really surprising as he's spent quite a few years living in France. I had no idea what to expect, but Bob, the manager, had urged me to come and see an act who he was highly recommending. Bob told me that John had played at the Turks Head in South Shields - a sadly missed venue. Well here I was at the BlueBell and surprised to see Paul Smirth setting up his drum kit. Paul told me he always playe with John when he gigs up in these parts. The third part of the trio was bass player Pete Bell, who is John's regular bass man and neighbour in South Yorkshire. (I don't live in South Yorkshire, mate. I live up in the North York moors!) It was a bit of a thin crowd to welcome Prendo to the stage, not that it made any difference to the man and his band. John has played in all sorts of situations across Europe and the UK and being professional just gets on with the job. Having seen his Stratocaster at the ready I was thinking that maybe it would be one of those gigs where it's all too loud for me. That wasn't to be. Prendo don't need to blast their way through the wall, the music does the talking. John is more than just an accomplished guitarist and as a songwriter he entertained with his own 'Sensomania', an Indian influenced ' Pass Me By', the swing feel of 'I Made You Up', and a tribute to the four winds ' Advanced Company'. All these songs were decorated with flowing guitar lines and sounds that emanated from a Fender you would swear was made of elastic, as he squeezed and twisted melodic, Hendrix-like sounds from the guitar. He did a couple of covers including Chuck's 'Roll over Beethoven', which bore little resemblance to the original, but to be honest I prefer him plsaying his own stuff. Like his fellow Yorkshireman Jon Strong (and bearing a scary resemblance to him - separated at birth?), he's lived abroad and is now building a following here in the UK. Like Strong he found an audience in South Shields but hasn't made it across the river - yet. Jon Strong never did, and I still don't understand why, but John Prendo, given some gigs here, may find a welcome on Tyneside. Let's hope so, he's experienced, professional, and to top it, a nice guy. The next time you see his name on a flyer give it a go. Good of Bob to remember Prendo and put them on at the BlueBell, a pub that's established itself as a music venue that's prepared to give us some music from a different angle. (Little Nemo)			't mad
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