Blues Reviews: The Howlin' Wolf

Dear readers,

It has been some time since my last post, and I will admit that I've taken a bit of time out of blogging for health reasons. As our long, muggy summer came to an unpleasantly damp close, my joints have been acting up, and I simply haven't had the energy to write much. However, with the advent of a cool, crisp autumn upon us, I am now in a much better mood. And there is no better, more atmospheric time of year to talk about one of Glasgow's most atmospheric blues clubs... The Howlin' Wolf.

Named for the world-famous blues player, this basement club on Bath Street certainly captures the atmosphere of an old-fashioned juke joint. There's wood panelling, warm lighting and references to the blues everywhere, from the paintings on the walls to their pun-filled menu. As always, when I last visited it was extremely busy, and my sister and I struggled to find a seat. There were some people dancing along to the music, but most were happy either to hold on to their bar stools or just stand. The crowds can sometimes feel overwhelming, giving the place a very busy vibe, but the people are always chilled out. Crowd and atmosphere: 8 sexy saxophones out of 10.

As I mentioned, The Howlin' Wolf is a basement club... or it at least appears so from its front entrance, where a steep staircase separates the main door from the street. However, round the back there is an accessible, flat entrance which brings one to the back of the club. The disabled toilets are also located on this level. There are a couple of steps separating the back area from the bar though, so an unaccompanied wheelchair user would struggle to go for a drink (the staff are so helpful though, I'm sure they wouldn't mind giving table service!) As a result, the Wolf scores 7 sexy saxophones out of 10 for accessibility.

The last time I visited the Wolf, I didn't have anything to eat. It was fairly late at night, my sister and I had already had dinner before meeting up, and I acknowledged that there might not be much on the menu suitable for her needs as a vegan. In different company though, I have enjoyed the food at the Wolf. The sharing portions of nachos (referred to as B.B. King-sized) are very generous, and dressed with a refreshing squirt of lime. I have also been impressed in the past by the crispiness of their onion rings, and by the large, flavourful prawns which play a starring role in their king prawn tacos. The menu is a mixture of Tex-Mex, Italian and American classics, with each dish executed well. This time, however, with a vegan in tow, we simply had a few drinks, and as something of a beer connoisseur, my sister was impressed by their selection. Food and drink get 10 sexy saxophones out of 10.

But let's be real; nobody comes to the Howlin' Wolf for the food alone. As one of Glasgow's few dedicated blues bars, people go there to hear good, authentic blues music. And we couldn't get more authentic than the stars of the show that night; Blue Milk. Blue Milk promote themselves as a true 'Delta Blues' act, covering standards of the genre as well as blues-influenced modern songs. They are 4-piece outfit consisting of a very enthusiastic drummer, bassist, lead guitarist/singer and dedicated harmonica player. They performed classic blues tunes, executed very well with a rocky, heady edge and lots of sliding guitar. I also thought that their covers of 'Baby, Please Don't Go' and T. Rex's 'Get It On' were very impressive; the latter had the usually staid crowd singing and dancing along. I wasn't sure if my sister would really enjoy the act, as she isn't a huge blues fan, but she enjoyed it, and was particularly impressed with the harmonica player, whose soulful wails gave a Southern authenticity to the music. Blue Milk definitely get 10 sexy saxophones out of 10, and you should catch them if you have the chance.

In summary, I love introducing new people to The Howlin' Wolf, and that night was no exception. The juke joint impressed my guest with music, drink and atmosphere alike, and will certainly be seeing repeated visits from me!

Thanks for reading,

Rebecca x