Earlier than usual, 16:42 to be precise, Boy Child and I set off by train to Glasgow in search of a much-anticipated evening of musical entertainment.

The music Gods had been smiling on me when I’d managed to get my hands on tickets for this show. I’m putting that success down to one of life’s miracles!

The weather Gods on the other hand were most definitely not smiling on us. It was peeing down!

So, who were we off to see?

The awesome Black Stone Cherry in the intimate setting of St Luke’s (capacity 700).

As I’d expected there was already a queue when we arrived at the venue, a converted church behind the city’s legendary Barrowlands.  Even although we’d arrived an hour before doors, I was worried about whether we’d snag a decent spot for the night.

Soaked to the skin, we finally got inside out of the elements shortly after 7pm (why are doors always late in opening when it’s raining?)

While I went to the merch stall, Boy Child secured our spot for the night, just one row off rail. Happy days!

It had been seven years since Black Stone Cherry had played such a small venue in Glasgow. That 2016 show in The Cathouse was one of the best I’ve ever been to.

At 8:30, the lights went down and the boys from Kentucky took to the stage to open their nineteen-song set with the title track from their new album Screamin’ At The Sky. The fans were screaming too. What an opener! Next up, was the firm fan favourite Blind Man. The thundering drum intro from John Fred Young set the bar high for the night.

Glasgow loves these boys and were singing their hearts out right from the get go.

The pace kept up through White Trash Millionaire before the boys mellowed things out for a few minutes with their Bob Marley/Reggae twist on Me And Mary Jane. So cool.

Something that struck me early on in the set was just how much fun those guys were having on stage. Yes, it’s a much smaller stage than I’ve seen them on for a while and that may have clipped guitarist Ben Wells’ energetic performance slightly, but they were having so much fun out there and the fans were feeding hungrily from it. There was also an element of “last night of the tour” party vibe going on.

Over the years, Burnin’ has slowly grown to be one of my live favourites so I was glad it made the cut for the night.

Burnin’ – Black Stone Cherry @ St Luke’s Glasgow 06/10/23 – YouTube

The song that followed it was the first song that Boy Child heard played live at the first gig I ever took him to back in 2009…Rain Wizard (apt considering the weather outside). This was the song that kick started my love affair (and Boy Child’s) with this band. Awesomeness!

Rain Wizard – Black Stone Cherry @ St Luke’s Glasgow 06/10/23 – YouTube

How to follow that? By slowing things right down. Keeping it simple, with Ben Wells on guitar and Chris Robertson’s heartfelt vocals, we were treated to a fairly rare outing for The Rambler. That song has one of my favourite lyrics in it – “I played a pretty Southern girl right out of her dress”. It’s a beautifully heartbreaking song…love it!

Chris was teasing the fans about what song from way back at the start was about to follow. Someone shouted, “Lonely Train” and found themselves the butt of Ben Wells’ teasing response “We’ve a first timer in tonight!”. The song was in fact the awesome Hell And High Water.

This show was flying in way too fast!

Two songs later, in the midst of Cheaper To Drink Alone, Mr John Fred Young got his spotlight moment as he delivered a breathtaking, blood stirring drum solo. He truly is an incredible drummer!

One of my all-time favourites In My Blood followed.

Keeping the energy levels high, Black Stone Cherry played the last one from the new album to make the setlist, Out Of Pocket, next before playing another rarity from their now substantial back catalogue, Maybe Someday, from their debut album. Great to hear it live.

I’ve long since lost count of how many times I’ve seen Black Stone Cherry play live and they never disappoint. At one-point, mid-set, Chris Robertson pointed out that Glasgow, or “the other Glasgow” as they refer to it, is one of their favourite places to play and that they usually start a tour there. (They all live near Glasgow, Kentucky for those who didn’t know). Tonight was the first time in sixteen years that they’d ended a tour there. I suspect it might not be the last time… time will tell.

These boys are such a close-knit bunch but it’s really hard to single out anyone in particular. Collectively, they are a well-oiled machine with so much talent oozing out of each of them. The newest member of the Black Stone Cherry “family” is bass player Steve Jewell but he’s no longer the new boy. He’s found his niche, developed his stage persona and established his place at the table. His arrival a couple of years ago has re-ignited the fire in these guys and the fans love him.

The main body of the set was rounded out with the ever-popular Lonely Train. (The “first timer” would have been happy too LOL) Up on stage, Chris commented about feeling the effects of the tour in his voice. By now, all seven hundred fans were becoming a little hoarse too, but they gave it their all.

Curfew was looming large on the horizon, but there was just time for a two-song encore.

Both Ben and Chris returned to the stage to open the encore with the gorgeous ballad, Stay, from Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea. Maybe it was the lyrics, the message within them or just the general emotion of the night but I sobbed my heart out through this one. Such a heartfelt song.

There was only one song left and Chris promised to blow his voice out if we all helped him sing the mighty Peace Is Free. There really is no other way to finish off a Black Stone Cherry show and what a show it had been!

Definitely one that will go down in the history books…and like The Cathouse show from 2016, I’ve the t-shirt to prove I was there!

Hurry back, boys. We miss you already.