Gloucester, MA
1/9/26
The Rhumbline in Gloucester is one of those hidden gems in New England. The beer here just tastes better too; as I think any beer tastes better with a kick ass band playing in a corner of the room. You can walk in The Rhumbline any night of the week and catch some top shelf music playing, and tonight is no exception. Behind the microphone tonight is Bradley Royds. All eyes are on him and his talented guitarist, Eric Reardon, backing him up with his ole’ six string. Eric plays expertly, a clear master of the fretboard, but what really captivates me is Bradley’s voice, reminiscent of Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull or Eric Burdon. My favorite song of the night is an original that Bradley wrote about his hometown, Gloucester. It’s a witty song that tells the tale of a drinkin’ town with a fishin’ problem. The song ends and the bar applauds enthusiastically. It’s a sign of a good night, when you stumble on a new musician whose work you enjoy. It’s hard finding talented artists, but that’s what Fred Shrigley, owner of The Rhumbline, has specialized in for decades. For more info on Bradley, check out his website, Bradleyroyds.com (Kier Byrnes)