Hogman @ Stars Dance Club 16/11/21

Its been so long since I saw Hogman aka Hoggy play that I decided it was about time I caught up with him again and it so happened that tonight he was playing at Stars Dance Club. Stars is a large open venue with a huge glass dance floor and sweeping staircases that leads to a large observation area where you can sit back and relax or dance under the stars.

I landed just as Hoggy was finishing his first song, All My Loving by the Beatles. This song always reminds me of a talent show called Young Talent Time that was on in Australia when I was a kid as that was the closing song for the show. Continuing on with All Star from Smashmouth I was taken back to the Shrek movie. I don't think anyone who hears that song and has watched the movie can now associate it with anything else.

Next came the beautiful Keith Urban song Blue Aint Your Color and my oh my Hoggyy had all the ladies in the room fanning themselves as he sure knows how to be seductive with his voice, leaving you completely hooked. His voice to me is a lil' bit rough, a lil' bit gritty, and a lil bit steamy, mix this with his acoustic guitar playing and its a whole lot of sexy coming out of your speakers.

When he sang Elvis's In The Ghetto, it was so gut wrenchingly raw and full of emotion that I felt every word he sang and every note that he played, it was an extremely moving version, one that I could easily listen to time and time again.

Now as an Aussie I am very familiar with the music by INXS so when Hoggy said that he was going to do Never Tear Us Apart I was intrigued as I have never heard it played acoustically before and the late Michael Hutchense just oozed sex appeal. Let me just say that this version was hot damn...mmhmmm, so very very good. Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash, Moonshadow by Cat Stevens, Running Down A Dream by Tom Petty and Slip Slidin Away by Simon and Garfunkel were also thrown into the mix but It was Chris Stapleton's Tennessee Whiskey that had me pausing my note taking so I could just listen. I love this song and Chris Stapleton in general and as a blogger I have heard so many versions by so many different artists in SL and each have taken it and made it their own, some good, some not so good but all individual. Hoggy was no different ,he stripped it back and gave us a version that was completely him and may I say it was simply stunning. It didn't quite knock Savannah Coronets version off the top of my pedestal but it came pretty close.

The toe tapping Wagon Wheel by Darius Rucker saw us literally donning the wagon wheels that were handed out by host Annie Panties....a bit of a different way to dance. Its such an upbeat feel good song that just makes me smile every time I hear it.

Hoggy finished up his set with We Belong by Pat Benetar and while I was disappointed that the hour was over I was happy to be rid of those wagon wheels, damn they are heavy. Saying goodnight and taking my leave I was so glad that I took the time to revisit Hoggy for he is such a great artist and a really nice guy who just loves to play music and make his audience feel good. Also such is the lovely nature of this man that even thought I hadn't seen him play in nearly a year and I wouldn't expect him to remember me, remember me he did and he gave a huge shout out to Droppin The Stream, even though I blogged him the first time for Toggle For Music. It just goes to show you that you never know who is reading or aware of what we do.

I encourage you all to get along to a Hoggy show and see for yourself just what a talent he is.