Brian Fallon – Painkillers

Posted on March 14, 2016 by coralmccallum

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Released on Island Records on 11 March, Painkillers is the debut solo record from Brian Fallon, better known as the voice behind The Gaslight Anthem.

When The Gaslight Anthem announced their indefinite hiatus mid-2015, I was decidedly disappointed. I’d recently seen them play a fantastic show at Glasgow’s O2 Academy and was gutted that this appeared to be over for the foreseeable future.

A couple of months later, Brian Fallon announced a series of Spring 2016 solo shows and I jumped at the chance to grab tickets….then began to have a mild panic. What if his solo show was going to take him off on a musical tangent!

I waited for the release of Painkillers with bated breath.

I needn’t have worried.

This solo album brings out the best of Brian Fallon from the song writing to that trademark gravelly voice. It’s the perfect mix of heartland rock, folk rock, Americana rock – badge it however you like!

It’s often been said that bands or artists from New Jersey are permanently in the shadow of The Boss. This album sees Brian Fallon take a huge step forward into the sunlight and create his own shadow.

Running to twelve tracks, painkillers opens with A Wonderful Life. This was the first single to be released from the album back in Dec 2015 and sees Brian stamp his mark from the off with more than a hint of Springsteen.

Title track Painkillers is up next and echoes of Tom Petty influences. (Has Brian deliberately done this to lay old ghosts to rest?) Painkillers is a beautifully written track, like all the others, and spins its tale effortlessly to the listener through its story time lyrics.

This whole record is a masterpiece of lyrical storytelling. Every track has echoes of the past or dreams of the future and is filled with emotions and nostalgia.

In all honesty, there’s not a weak track among them.

Personal highlights for me are Steve McQueen and Mojo Hand.

Steve McQueen’s beautiful acoustic guitar intro instantly transported me to a warm summer evening, sitting on the porch listening to the cicadas while this is played from the comfort of the rocking chair in the corner. It’s a song bursting with memories and dreams. For those of a certain age, who didn’t want to be Steve McQueen while they were growing up? Gorgeous song! I can’t wait to hear this one played live. It’s bound to be a goosebumps moment.

Mojo Hand is a total contrast in style. It’s very quirky. Its catchy and upbeat with a hint of 1960’s chaos to it. It reeks of Bob Dylan! It’s bound to be an audience singalong favourite if it makes the set list (hint! Hint!) I absolutely love it!

Brian Fallon had a hard act to follow after five The Gaslight Anthem records plus his album with The Horrible Crowes. He has more than risen to the challenge with Painkillers. I’ve read that to some this record feels like an extension of the critically acclaimed Get Hurt but I disagree entirely.

Painkillers sees Brian Fallon showcase himself as a songwriter and a solo artist. He has stepped out of the shadow of The Gaslight Anthem with a maturity and self-confidence to take on not only New Jersey’s finest but to take on the world!

I’m now impatiently counting the days until his solo show at Glasgow’s O2 ABC on 6 April. It’s bound to be a night to remember.

10/10

BrianFallon_Tour

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Theory of a Deadman – my first O2 ABC show of 2016

Posted on March 1, 2016 by coralmccallum

Last Sunday saw me boarding the train to Glasgow as I headed off to the O2 ABC for my first visit of the year.

I was heading into the city to catch up with a good friend for an early dinner (it was the 3:25 instead of the 5:25) before introducing her to the delights of the O2 ABC and its giant glitter ball.

Suitably satiated by pizza and a caffeine hit, we arrived at the venue- have I said how much I love this venue? – to find a healthy queue forming.

After a blessedly brief wait in the decidedly chilly February evening air, we headed inside and upstairs.

And the reason for this pilgrimage?

Theory of a Deadman were back in town!

First on stage for the evening were Forever Never, a five-piece band from Essex. In front of a small luke warm (blame the cold weather outside) crowd, they played a solid half hour opening set. There’s a certain charisma to their front man, Renny Carroll. A bit of a Jack the Lad. A bit of a likeable rogue. Plenty patter!

Highlight of their set for me was Speak Up where Renny succeeded in getting the crowd to participate and sing along. No mean feat for an opening act. Definitely a band to keep a watchful eye on.

Next up were Royal Republic. They exploded onto the stage in a manic frenzy of punk rock chaos in suits. My friend and I turned to face each other and exchanged glances that clearly said, “WTF?”

These four guys from Malmo, Sweden proved to be highly entertaining over the next forty five minutes. Their front man was oozing energy and covered a lot of ground on stage but that beautifully quiffed hair never moved out of place despite his frenetic gyrations.

Definitely a band to watch out for in future. (They are playing at Download this summer for those of you heading that direction – check them out)

One of the stand out moments of their set was the laid back drumming style adopted by Per Andreasson. He was casually sitting back, feet up on the top of his bass drum, legs crossed and keeping perfect time on the drums either side of him. Brilliant!

Musical stand out tracks were Weekend Man and Tommy Gun.

A hugely energetic band that had the growing crowd relaxed and in good humour by the end of their set and ready to rock it out with the Canadian headliners.

At nine o’clock Theory of a Deadman’s Blame Canada intro tape blared out across the now almost full venue, the drum beat began and the Canadians launched into their ninety minute set with Lowlife. This is possibly my favourite Theory of a Deadman song so it was the perfect start for me and, judging by the fans reaction around me, for many others too. Loved it!

Tyler Connolly informed the fans a few moments later that they would be playing songs from all their albums and that’s pretty much what they did.

This was the third time I’d seen these boys play live and the second time seeing them headline a show. The last time was in April 2015 when they had headlined a sell out show at the O2 ABC. Initially tonight there seemed to be something missing. That wee spark wasn’t there for the first half hour or so but by mid-set they seemed to have found their mojo again.

Joe Dandeneau delivered a stunning drum solo amid a blaze of lights. Awesome stuff!

Fan favourites peppered the set. One of the most popular with the crowd was the beautiful Santa Monica although for my personal taste they dragged this one out just a tad too long at the start. It was followed by another of my personal favourites, Angel.  Love this one and the only thing that could have made it even more special would have been if they had played the acoustic version. Next time, boys, please? Hint! Hint!

Blow and Panic Room both from their current album Savages were firm favourites with the crowd. Panic Room  in particular generated the energetic high of the night from the audience.

Hate My Life rounded off the main body of the set. The Glasgow choir were in fine voice for this one and sang along to every word. Another lyrically fabulous song!

When they returned for their encore Theory of a Deadman treated the fans to a taste of Sweet Home Alabama..or was it Sweet Home Glasgow ( as Tyler redeemed himself for an earlier faux pas when he referred to the audience as English…tut tut) and a rendition of Paradise City ( not quite GnR or Slash but I’ll forgive them) before ending the evening with Bad Girlfriend.

With promises to return with a new record and a new tour, Theory of a Deadman bade us all good night.

I, for one, will certainly be back! Hurry back, boys!

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The Last Ride at the Carnival of Madness 2016

Posted on February 11, 2016 by coralmccallum

 

 

Last Saturday, accompanied by Girl Child, I headed south to Manchester  for the final UK Carnival of Madness show.

This was our first trip to the Manchester Arena. For those of you who haven’t been there – it’s HUGE!!! First time too that I’ve entered an arena via a railway station.

Manchester were a bit smarter than the SSE Hydro had been earlier in the week and opened the doors at 5pm. Plenty of time to invest in merchandise (yes, we invested heavily) and visit the little girl’s room etc before heading into the hall.

Girl Child and I found a suitable spot about three rows off the rail at the right hand side as you look up at the stage. Perfect view.

Highly Suspect were first onstage at 6.15. I’d missed the start of their set in Glasgow and was keen to hear the full thing. The boys from New York were definitely better received in Manchester but their set still missed the mark for me. Lydia, their single, was the highlight for me and they rounded off their half hour slot with Claudeland and a snatch of new material. These guys need to mature a bit for a venue of that size. I’d like to see them headline a smaller show. And, Johnny Stevens, STOP spitting on stage please. It’s disgusting!!!

After an interval, Halestorm stormed the stage. No sound problems here tonight. Lzzy was on fire from the off.

Their set started with Apocalyptic, Love Bites(So Do I) and Amen. What a powerful opening to their set.

Mid-set, Black Stone Cherry played a prank on them and set up a meet and greet in the middle of the stage. (And was that Zach Myers in the thick of it?) Good fun for the final show of the UK run. John Fred Young and Ryan Meyer, drummer with Highly Suspect,  “assisted” Arejay Hale with his drum solo. Brilliant!

Halestorm brought their all too short set to a close with Mayhem, Freak Like Me and I Miss The Misery.

I miss Halestorm already!

Again the audience were tortured by Shinedown’s meditation tape while the stage was prepared. Really, guys? Why? It killed the energy and destroyed the vibe Lzzy and the boys worked their assess off to create.

Shinedown opened their set with Black Cadillac from their latest album Threat To Survival. Awesome set opener. It was followed by Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay, Boom-Lay, Boom) and, one of my highlights of the night, Second Chance.

As ever, in my humble opinion, Brent Smith had a little too much to say for himself. Perhaps the additional chat is OK when you have the luxury of a two hour set but it’s too much for an short forty five minute support slot. And as for wasting time wandering through the hall…. Save it for a headline show. (If they’d skipped this and talked less the fans could have enjoyed at least one more song)

The Manchester rock fans got a special treat from Brent Smith and Zach Myers. Before they began to play the incredible Simple Man they belted out, local band, Oasis’ Don’t Look Back In Anger.

Shinedown closed their magnificent set with Sound of Madness.

Shortly before 9.30 Black Stone Cherry exploded onto the stage amid a blaze of lights and air cannon jets as they powered their way through Me And Mary Jane. This was promptly followed up with Rain Wizard – awesome song- and Blind Man – another equally awesome song. What a spectacular opening to their set!

In My Blood and Soul Creek were equally incredible.

There’s a new found energy and vibe with these boys this tour. Not sure its right to badge it as confidence as that’s something none of them are lacking in. Maybe it’s a mature self-assuredness. Maybe it’s self-belief. Believe it- those fans adore you all!

Unfortunately, after a thunderous rendition of Holding On To Letting Go, my evening took a downward spiral. My Girl Child collapsed and all thoughts of music disappeared until I got her some help and was sure she was ok.

Rock Mum vanished and Mum was back in charge.

The arena staff, who assisted me with her, were all very polite, friendly and helpful but I firmly believe the whole incident could’ve been prevented if the staff had passed cups of water back into the crowd.

Manchester, you could learn A LOT here from your Scottish colleagues at the SSE Hydro.

By the time Girl Child took unwell, we’d been standing in the arena for four and a half hours. Not once had any water been offered to anyone other than a handful of fans lucky enough to be right on the rail. Several folk had gone passed us over the course of the night looking decidedly fatigued.

This was the first arena show I’ve been at where water wasn’t passed out to the fans.

Poor show, Manchester!

In the distance, as I tried to revive Girl Child with some Coke and a Mars bar, I could hear Things My Father Said and The Rambler.

As we crossed the arena with a member of the security staff a short while later, heading for the first aid room, Black Stone Cherry and Lzzy were singing Peace Is Free (Pizza’s Free I believe, according to YouTube footage I saw later).

We left the building to return to our hotel to the strains of White Trash Millionaire. Girl Child loves that one.

Our evening had been somewhat “trashed” but I’m glad to say that Girl Child was fully recovered by the morning.

It just proved to me how quickly an incredible night can take a turn for the worse.

I guess we can only Blame It On The Boom Boom!

CofM 1CoMaCoMb

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The Carnival of Madness kicks off 2016

Posted on February 3, 2016 by coralmccallum

 

 

 

My 2016 gig season kicked off on 1st February in Glasgow’s SSE Hydro arena.

The event? The first Carnival of Madness show in Scotland with a stunning four band line up – Highly Suspect, Halestorm, Shinedown and Black Stone Cherry.

It’s not too often you get the chance to see three of your favourite bands all on the one stage on the one night!

Only minor criticism of the event- doors could’ve, and probably should’ve, opened earlier. They opened at 6pm prompt but Highly Suspect took to the stage at 6.15pm sharp. There just wasn’t enough time to get the folk who had queued outside into the bowl on time to hear them.

We were queuing outside for a while and got in there as smartly as we could, but still missed the first two songs of Highly Suspect’s short six song set. I love this band’s current album but to be honest I was a little disappointed in the three and a half songs that I heard. Lydia, their single, is a fabulous track but fell flat in front of a decidedly disinterested Glasgow crowd. My personal thought here is that the half empty SSE Hydro was just too overwhelming for these three boys. I’d like to see them play somewhere a little smaller and give them a fairer bite at the cherry.

After an interval, Halestorm took to the stage in front of a much bigger crowd. (The standing arena had been sold out for weeks) They opened their set with Sick Individual and instantly the energy in the room was transformed. At points throughout their ten song, forty-five minute set, the sound quality left a lot to be desired and fans struggled to hear Lzzy over Josh’s guitar. Highlights of their set for me were Love Bites (And So Do I), Amen and Freak Like Me.

Arejay was allowed a shortened drum solo and proved to be as entertaining as ever. He put in an acrobatic performance throughout the entire set, spinning and throwing his drumsticks relentlessly, but there was one thing missing from his solo- Arejay, where were your big sticks? Fantastic drummer!

Halestorm brought their set to a storming close with I Miss The Misery. Fantastic. I miss these guys already!

Next up were Shinedown. As I watched the roadies set up the stage, I was wondering who was headlining here. They brought out an awful lot of “stuff” for what was effectively a support slot but it’s Shinedown so I’ll forgive them.

Without a word of a lie, I love Shinedown with a passion but their latest album hasn’t really hit the mark for me so I was curious to hear some of the new songs live.

I didn’t have to wait long as their forty-five minute set opened with Black Cadillac from the new record, Threat To Survival. Great choice!

Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay, Boom-Lay Boom) was next and this really got the crowd going.

A stunning performance of Second Chance followed. Love this song!

Something though wasn’t quite right for me with Brent Smith’s performance and I can’t put my finger on it. It may just have been because he never took his baseball cap off and spent a fair part of the set with his shades on. The fans never really “saw” him if you get my drift and there was a bit of a disconnect for me.

Cut The Cord, again from the latest record, was fabulous. Much better live!

Highlight of Shinedown’s set for me personally was Simple Man. I simply love that song. Beautiful!

I last saw Shinedown live in October 2013 when they supported Alter Bridge and I came away from that show wishing there had been less talking and more singing. This time was no different. I love to hear a bit of banter from a band’s front man, a bit of an insight into songs, but I’m there to listen to the music not a sermon.

Shinedown brought their nine song set to a thunderous close with Sound of Madness.  Great number to end on.

Despite the preaching, I’ll forgive Brent Smith his transgressions and be back to see them next time they are in town. Love me some Shinedown!

After Shinedown left the stage a huge curtain was raised to hide the set change. Patiently the capacity Scottish crowd waited….

At 9.25pm the lights dimmed, the curtain fell and revealed Black Stone Cherry charging headlong into Me And Mary Jane, Rain Wizard and Blind Man.  Now that’s how to start a rock show!

A few songs further into the set we were treated to a rare performance of Violator Girl from their debut album. Monster of a song.

Mid-set the fans got the chance to hear the first of two new songs that will appear on the band’s forthcoming album, Kentucky. First up was In Our Dreams. Awesome!

These guys put so much energy into their performance- from Jon Lawhorn and Ben Wells athletic race around and across the stage to Ben’s high kicks. These guys are fit!

And then there’s John Fred Young! Possibly my favourite drummer. Now it was his turn to star with a mind blowing solo! It’s truly a sight to behold. Animal, re-animated in human form. Brilliant!

As the crowd caught their breath, Chris Robertson came back on stage alone. There was a slight air of a little boy lost about him and he confessed that this part of the show scared him. Acoustic guitar in hand, Chris delivered a sensational and heartfelt performance of Things My Father Said. The Glasgow choir sang their hearts out for this one and I got the feeling that their love swelled Chris’ heart too. Incredible, honest, raw performance.

Ben Wells then came out to join him and together they performed the second of the new songs, The Rambler. Sat side by side on two tall stools, they woo-ed the crowd with this beautiful performance of a stunning new song. Absolutely loved it.

The two song acoustic slot was one of several highlights for me.

Peace Is Free saw the remaining members of the band return to the stage and mid-song they were joined by the talented Lzzy Hale from Halestorm. Great song. Great performance and always popular with the fans.

The main body of Black Stone Cherry’s ninety-minute set was brought to a close with White Trash Millionaire and Blame It On The Boom Boom.

With the crowd chanting for “one more song” or words to that effect, the boys ran back out for a short encore. They threw all their remaining energy into their standard show closer Lonely Train and rounded off proceedings with a colossal rendition of Ace Of Spade.

Great way to end an incredible night of RnFnR!

Wish I could do it all again……oh, wait, I can!  I’m off to Manchester at the end of the week to catch the final UK show of this Carnival of Madness!

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And that was 2015 …well, gig wise at least

Posted on December 30, 2015 by coralmccallum

 

 

I guess we’ve reached that time of the of year when we reflect on this year and look forward to next year.

Gig wise 2015 was a little quieter than I would’ve liked but, as we all sadly know, we can’t go to every show.

Way back in January (seems a very long time ago) I went to see Hayseed Dixie for the first time, starting the year in my favourite venue in Glasgow, the O2 ABC. The evening was certainly a musical experience. Some classic rock songs will never be the same again!

February brought Black Label Society, who were ably supported by Crobot. Zakk Wylde in a kilt is a sight to behold! Amazing night even if Boy Child’s nose hasn’t been quite the same shape since…

In March, it was Halestorm at Barrowlands. A memorable evening for many reasons! It also introduced me to two new bands to keep an eye on – Wilson and the fabulous Nothing More.

At the end of March I caught the Rival Sons show at the O2 Academy. I’ll never forget those kilts!

April should have started with Pierce The Veil and Sleeping With Sirens with my Girl Child but unfortunately I was ill and missed that show. Girl Child missed out – something I still feel guilty about.

April ended with Theory Of A Deadman at the O2 ABC. Great show!

Next up were The Gaslight Anthem at the O2 Academy at the start of June. Another great show and glad to have seen them before they announced their “hiatus”.

June 15th was most definitely a highlight show – Tremonti at the O2 ABC. Absolutely awesome show! And add in the pleasure of meeting Mark Tremonti and the rest of the band. Lovely guys.

Then began my musical drought!

(True, there were shows I could’ve gone to but I was planning ahead for 2016 and economics coupled with a modicum of common sense had to come into play)

The drought ended on 12 November in The Cathouse! Crobot were back in town and this time they were headlining! I finally got to keep my promise to be on the rail, centre front, when they headlined a show in Glasgow. Awesome night! Love those boys! Precious memories and I finally remembered to get those autographs!

And the calendar was brought to a close in December with Ghost at the O2 ABC, back where I’d started the year. A bizarrely brilliant experience.

So what lies ahead for 2016?

I’ve five shows lined up so far….

February sees The Carnival of Madness come to the UK for the first time ever, bringing Highly Suspect, Halestorm, Shinedown and Black Stone Cherry to the stage. Three of my favourite bands all on one night! No wonder I’m going twice! (Glasgow and Manchester)

At the end of February, I’ve tickets to go back to see Theory Of A Deadman.

Early April I’m going to check out Brian Fallon and the Crows (front man with The Gaslight Anthem in case you were wondering)

At the end of April I’m going to see Chris Cornell’s acoustic show.

All things going to plan there should be a few more dates added to the diary throughout the year!

Here’s to 2016 being a rockin’ good year!

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Mark Harrison – On The the Chicken Sandwich Train

Posted on December 22, 2015 by coralmccallum

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It’s almost eighteen months since I was first introduced to the music of Mark Harrison.

At that time, I’d been given Mark’s 2014 release The World Outside to review.

I’ve been hooked ever since!

Unfortunately, I missed Mark’s visit to Glasgow back in January when he performed as part of the Celtic Connections festival.

On The Chicken Sandwich Train, a live album, recorded as part of Acoustic Roots at Wigan Parish Church on 17 April 2015, is Mark’s fourth release.

Live albums are a bit of a love/hate thing for music fans. Some people love them; some people loathe them. Me- I love them!

Listening to this almost makes up for missing the Glasgow show!

This fourteen song record is interspersed with a handful of “stories”, little insights into the story behind the song and little insights into the gentle, dry humour of this talented performer.

The album opens with Big Mama’s House, from The World Outside. This is possibly the quirkiest start to a set being played in a church! Love it!

Mark has a beautifully subtle finger-picking style that sparkles throughout this entire album. Playing either his 12 string or his 1934 National, he’s equally at home creating his distinctive soundscapes.

In the past, Mark has been accompanied by a variety of equally talented musicians. On this outing, the lucky gentleman is Charles Benfield on double bass and additional vocals. He compliments Mark perfectly.

I’m not about to go through On The Chicken Sandwich Train track by track…or should that be carriage by carriage?. That’s a journey I’d strongly encourage you to buy a ticket (CD) for and enjoy at your leisure.

Even to pick out the highlights here was a challenge. Long Gone Miles and Panic Attack, both from The World Outside, stand out for me. Crematorium Blues from Crooked Smile is instantly toe-tapping but also subtly different in style to many of the other tracks. Love Your Second Line, again taking this musical journey down another track.

One of the main attractions for me to Mark’s music is his ability as a songwriter. His musicianship is beyond question but as a songwriter he’s fantastic. This album echoes with fresh, vibrant lyrics that tell stories, several of which hark back to days gone by as do a lot of his musical influences, but it all sounds as fresh and new as if it were penned only this morning. That’s a rare talent that comes straight from the soul.

This album finishes with Georgia Greene, another finger clicking, toe tapping tune. Perhaps it’s the edit of this record, but where’s the audience? I’d have loved to hear a bit more passion from them here.

Normally it’s the 5:25 to Glasgow I’d be boarding but I’m very pleased to have journeyed On The Chicken Sandwich Train.

Fantastic musical journey.

Who knows, if and when Mark returns to Glasgow, I may yet board the 5:25 to see his show.

 

9/10

 

Oh, and if you want to know the story behind the Chicken Sandwich train, buy the album! You won’t regret it.

http://www.markharrisonrootsmusic.com/shop.php

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Photo of Mark Harrison -credits to the owner Mal Whichelow

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A Ghostly experience at the O2 ABC Glasgow

Posted on December 20, 2015 by coralmccallum

For the final time this year I boarded the 5:25 to Glasgow, heading once again to the city’s O2 ABC venue. Ending the year exactly where my gig calendar began way back in January.

It’s no secret – the O2 ABC is my favourite venue in the city.

The headline band for the evening were Ghost, those nameless, masked Swedish ghouls led by Papa Emeritus III.

Neither Boy Child, my chaperone for the evening, nor I really knew what to expect.

Even as we stood in the queue on a surprisingly mild December night, we were struggling to gauge things as we surveyed the folk joining the queue behind us.

The show was a sell-out so the line was soon snaking up the hill behind us.

A hint of things to come was to be found at the merchandise stall. Among the usual CDs, vinyl, T-shirts and hoodies were rosary beads for sale. A first for me at a rock show.

There was only one support act, Dead Soul, a trio from Sweden. Boy Child and I had been chatting in the queue outside to a guy who has been following the Ghost tour round the UK and had asked him about Dead Soul. We had asked him to describe Dead Soul’s genre. He couldn’t. Having heard their blessedly short set, I too struggle to describe them. They comprise two guitarists, synth and drum tracking al accompanied by a vocalist who has an OK voice but who looked like Tommy Flanagan (Chibs from SOA) impersonating Jake from The Blues Brothers.

I’m sorry, these guys failed to touch my soul. The atmosphere in the rapidly filling room was pretty dead too.

Apart from a disappointing support band, so far, all had seemed pretty normal….then someone lit an incense stick on stage. Another first!

While the stage crews turned the stage around ready for the arrival of Ghost, the PA system was playing “church music” – hymnal organs, Gregorian chants et al. All that was missing were the pews and hassocks!

The lights remained dimmed. The incense smoke drifted out over the crowd. The air of expectation grew.

Boy Child’s face was a study!

At half past eight, the lights dimmed even further and intro tape played Misere Mei, Deus followed by Masked Ball. The smoke began to creep out as the masked ghouls appeared on stage, starting their ninety-minute set with Spirit. This was swiftly followed by From The Pinnacle To The Pit, one of the highlights from their current album Meliora, and one I’d expected to sound heavier than it did played live. Awesome song!

Papa Emeritus was resplendent in his robes as he presided over proceedings, subtly converting the Glasgow crowd. The ghouls looked sensational in their black suits, spats and metallic sheen masks.

About half an hour in, Papa brought the Sisters of Sin (two young local ladies dressed as nun) for the evening out on stage. He advised that those lucky enough to be in the front row would be invited to participate in the next song – Body And Blood. While the ghouls played and Papa preached.. sorry sang… the Sisters of Sin came down into the pit and offered “communion” to those of us lining the barrier.

Never in my life did I expect to experience that at a rock show!!

Devil Church, an instrumental track from Meliora, allowed Papa time to slip off stage for a change of costume. He re-appeared for Cirice immaculately dressed in a tail coat, white waistcoat and spats.

After a recording of the haunting Spoksonat as played, Ghost performed He Is. This is one of my favourites from Meliora and conjures up images of Justin Hayward’s War of the Worlds. The crowd were singing along passionately.

At one point during the latter stages of the set Papa came over to my side of the stage and sang to me. His eyes, even with all his make-up on were boring into my very soul, then he smiled and blew me a kiss before heading back across the stage.

Mummy Dust, highlight of the set, really got the crowd going. One glance behind me informed me, as expected, that Boy Child had vanished. No surprise as the mosh pit had opened up behind me and off to the right. The riff from Mummy Dust was certainly blowing all dust away. It’s a monster and sounds awesome live.

Up until them the security personnel had enjoyed an easy evening. Mummy Dust was the catalyst the crowd surfers had been waiting for. Flailing bodies were coming over thick and fast. Crowd surfers make me nervous, having been kicked in the head and on the shoulder on a previous memorable occasion. The security guys did a sterling job here.

The main set concluded with a Roky Erickson cover “If You Have Ghosts.”

Yes, we’d had Ghosts!

Papa was in a playful mood as he introduced the encore song, Monstrance Clock, a homage to Lucifer’s love and the female orgasm. The set played out with a recording of The Host of Seraphim.

A bizarrely brilliant night. The crowd trooped home feeling suitably blessed.

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Rival Sons – one year ago today I heard the Jay-bird sing live

Posted on December 14, 2015 by coralmccallum

A chilly Sunday evening mid-December saw me heading to Glasgow for the last gig on my calendar for 2014. The band of choice – Rival Sons at the city’s O2 ABC venue.

First on stage was Jameson, a blues influenced musician from California. He appeared a little nervous and slightly lost at first. Just one man, his guitar and his amp. At the end of the day, what more do you need? Content from his current ep “Carnivore” dominated his short set. Loved the easy laid back style of this guy. Highlight of his set was “Breathe Your Last”, the current single. Would’ve loved to hear more. Perfect start to the evening.

Next up were Swedish band Blues Pills, fronted by the beautiful and quirky Elin Larsson. I’m pretty sure she instantly won over every man in the room! They played a solid half hour set.  Some fabulous drumming on display by Andre Kvanstrom. Elin’s vocal performance was a mix of Lzzy Hale meets Janis Joplin. Loved the fact she chose to sing one track in her native tongue. Highlight of the set was “Devil Man”. Check these guys out. You won’t be disappointed.

I’m going to be honest here – I had no idea what to expect from Rival Sons. There were no clues to be gleaned by assessing the audience- it was a very mixed crowd that made up this sell out show. I had also been cautioned that Jay Buchanan’s voice was suffering a bit.

Shortly before nine, the guys from California took to the stage amid instantly appreciative cheers. The loudest of which were for guitarist Scott Holiday (or were they for his trademark moustache?)

Rival Sons opened their set with “You Want To” which was quickly followed by “Pressure and Time”. “Electric Man” was the first of six songs in the set from their current album “Great Western Valkyrie”.  With a barrage of flashing spotlight beams, Scott Holiday and bassist David Beste launched into the distinctive opening riff. Jay Buchanan, armed with a tambourine, poured his heart and soul into his vocals. His gyrations on stage have to be seen to be believed!

I’ve been trying to find appropriate words to describe Jay Buchanan’s stage presence and failing. At times, it’s as though he is undertaking a shamanic ritual rather than a vocal performance. His “dance” movements vary from being very fluid and graceful to being jerky and robotic, almost as if ever move pained him. On occasion, he looked like a marionette being controlled by a drunken puppeteer. Frequently he was reduced to his knees on stage by the powerful emotions the performance was stirring. It all felt a bit false and over the top, for my personal taste. I’m not detracting from his vocal abilities as Jay Buchanan has an incredible voice. Just sing the song with a little less amateur dramatics, please.

Scott Holiday, for me, is without doubt the star of the show. I’ve never seen a guitarist change guitar so often during a set – nor seen one who “tosses” his guitar to the guitar tech with such faith that it will be caught safely! With multiple solos throughout the set, Scott Holiday held court on stage nicely and with an air of mischief in those twinkling eyes.

Highlight of the main set was “Where I’ve Been”. After an emotional build up to the background of this song, marred by a loud mouthed Glasgow drunk, Rival Sons played a stunning rendition of this song. Yes, Jay Buchanan’s voice was suffering a tad but the extra huskiness added that je ne sais quoi to proceedings.

The main set ended with a fantastic performance of “Get What’s Coming” and the band left the stage to thunderous cheers.

A few minutes later, Rival Sons returned for their eagerly awaited encore. During “Open My Eyes”, Jay Buchanan discarded his jacket and shoes. Barefoot, he stood and delivered a stunningly beautiful performance of “Sacred Tongue”. The piece de resistance was yet to come. The incredible “Jordan” had crept back onto the set list. Awesome song. Emotional powerful performance. Loved it!

“Keep On Swinging” brought proceedings to a close for the night.

A nice touch at the very end that I really enjoyed was that Rival Sons brought out both support bands to share their final bow and the rapturous Glasgow cheers. Nicely done.

 

(previously published via PhoenixMusicOnline)

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Flashback Friday blog–one year ago today-SMKC at the SSE Hydro Glasgow

Posted on December 4, 2015 by coralmccallum

 

tagged 20The first Thursday in December marked the last UK show of the European leg of Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators’ (aka SMK&C) World on Fire tour. They rounded things off at the SSE Hydro, Glasgow in front of an almost capacity crowd.

First on stage were Australian band Twenty Two Hundred. They seemed to take to the stage ahead of the published time and suffered a little from a lack of audience. (A lot of fans were still only just arriving at the venue.)The sound quality wasn’t great during their short seven song set but un-deterred these guys gave a stellar performance. A band well worth checking out.

Next up were California Breed, a relatively newly formed band fronted by the legendary Glenn Hughes, of Deep Purple fame. By now, the arena was almost full and the sound quality had improved dramatically. Personally, I was a little anxious about seeing this band for two reasons. One – I haven’t really warmed to their self-titled debut album. Two- could Glenn Hughes voice still match expectations? California Breed surpassed my expectations and proved to be the ideal support band. By the climax of their nine song set, they had the Glasgow crowd well and truly on the boil for Slash. Highlights of their set were “Scars” and “Midnight Oil”. And boy can Glenn Hughes still sing! Check them out!

After a brief thirty minute interval, the house lights dimmed and raised a couple of times as the spotlights shone and the intro tape of creepy clown/funhouse music played until finally SMK&C took to the stage. They launched straight into “You’re A Lie”, promptly following this with “Nightrain” and, one of my favourites, “Halo”.

Slash just quietly gets on with the job in hand, smiling under his trademark top hat and aviator shades while effortlessly playing his Les Paul. In fact, all of them seemed relaxed and smiling and this shone through during the entire twenty one song set.

Dressed in tight black jeans and a loose fitting grey vest (swoon…) Myles Kennedy displayed exactly why he is one of the greatest rock voices around today. He delivered a stunning performance!

The vocal chores were delegated briefly to bassist Todd Dammit Kerns. His performance during Dr Alibi proved he is underrated as a vocalist. He can really deliver a tune! Watch out, Myles.  Fantastic number!

Six songs from SMK&C’s new album “World On Fire” made their way into the set. My personal favourite from these was “Beneath The Savage Sun”. Myles told the audience that he would need a little help with this one. The Glasgow choir didn’t need a second invitation!

Two other highlights of the main set harked back to Slash’s Guns N Roses days. Hearing “Rocket Queen” live for the first time was incredible and Slash’s fifteen minute solo mind-blowing. Yes, it’s a bit of an indulgence for the man in the hat but, when you play guitar like he does, it’s allowed. And who doesn’t love “Sweet Child O’ Mine”? Another fantastic performance here from Mr Kennedy.

The main set drew to a close with a rendition of Bad Company’s “Feel Like Makin’ Love” that led nicely into “Slither”, the only Velvet Revolver song of the night.

Amid appreciative cheers SMK&C returned for their encore, accompanied by Glenn Hughes and Andrew Watt from California Breed. They joined SMK&C to perform the Deep Purple classic “Burn”. Watching Myles sing alongside Glenn Hughes is a memory that will live with me and many others for a long time to come. Simply awesome!

All too soon they were bringing the evening to a close with “Paradise City”, their standard set closer. Confetti rained down on the fans, filling the hood of the guy standing in front of me and my handbag- oops. There really is no better way to end a show. An awesomely eargasmic night that truly set Glasgow, if not the World, on Fire!

 

© Coral McCallum – originally published via PhoenixMusicOnline 2014

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Bleach – Caught In A Lie EP

Posted on November 22, 2015 by coralmccallum

Bleach

Bleach are a young and up-and-coming four-piece band from Greenock, a small town on the west coast of Scotland.

Caught In A Lie is their recently released debut EP. Running to four tracks, this EP was recorded  by Soundshape Production and produced by James MacKenzie.

The Nirvana legacy runs deep and strong throughout this band, from their name through to their strong musical influences. (Add in a dose of Oasis too) Bleach describe themselves as an alternative, hard rock band but they can’t deny the grunge era influences. Not necessarily a bad thing.

Caught In A Lie opens with Blind. This opener resonates with this young band’s youth and passion for what they are doing. It’s raw. It’s full of energy. It’ll definitely catch your attention!

Tell Me Why follows on. This is the single from the EP and is perhaps the strongest performance from the band. There’s a more mature edge to this track. They are working a little tighter as a musical unit. It’s all a bit slicker. Tell Me Why is the most commercial of the four tracks, making it the ideal single choice. This one deserves all the radio air time it can get!

I’m To Blame is currently my favourite of the four tracks. Love the guitar intro. Gentle and controlled. Nice vocal control here at the start from front man Josh Cunningham. My only minor criticism  is that the drummer Adam Beaton could have displayed  a lighter touch on the hi hats as they enter the frame. Great song! Great effort!

The EP draws to  thunderous close with the heaviest and “biggest” of the four tracks All I Want. This powerful up-tempo rock song showcases the potential here. This one must be a monster when played live!

Bleach are most definitely a young band to keep an eye on for the future. Caught In A Lie is a fantastic solid display of their talents and their potential is clear for all to hear. I look forward to seeing them develop their own unique Bleach sound and for the influences of their musical icons to take a back seat. All in good time…

 8/10

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