With a promotional hashtag #LetsRockTheChapel this was always going to be a departure from previous Chapel Sessions’ American and UK singer songwriters and bluegrass/Americana bands but with Black Friday waning, the audience were ready to rock in the aisles.

Six-piece locally based blues rock cover band The Burns Unit along with impressive lighting and a Christmas feel, blew the cobwebs from the cornices and surprised the seated audience who were ready to interact.

The Burns Unit MD and lead guitar, Professor Al Vaughan, who flew in from Vienna that day, took just two numbers before the ample dance floor was heaving all night with an audience determined to enjoy themselves to the very end.

The band’s impromptu Boars Head Carol aided by a table of members from Eastleigh Fusion Choir closed their first set with a fitting seasonal sojourn from the throbbing rock.

The second set showed off the Chapel’s fine acoustics proving this place can host music of all genres.

A dedication to Jack Bruce Sunshine of your Love was well respected with audience air guitar skills evident, followed by a rapturous rendition of House of the Rising Sun.

From Animals to ZZ Top numbers interlaced with Clapton, Santana and The Stones, the Chapel really rocked.

The audience showed their appreciation and called for the blues rock night to be an annual event.”

Sonja Davison