Caught Live: The Union, Academy 3 Manchester, 15 April 2010

The timing of this gig was not ideal for me but as this show was the nearest one to me on this, the first full UK tour from Luke Morley and Peter Shoulder's new project, I was keen to go along. I was a massive fan of Thunder, Morley's previous band and was also well aware of the talent of Durham's Peter Shoulder, having seen his old band Winterville on many occasions until their sudden, unexpected split in early 2007.

The turnout at the Academy 3 was respectable, if not totally packed and I arrived in time to catch the last few numbers from openers Voodoo Six. Based on what I heard, they're a fine hard rock band although I thought the vocalist was perhaps not at his best, he seemed to be battling with a throat problem. I'd see this band again if they are playing anywhere near me, it's old-school hard rock of the sort I used to enjoy in the 1980s.

The Union came on some time later, to the sound of the Strawbs' song of that name; the irony of hearing that old song in an era when being 'part of the union' means nothing like it did when it was recorded wasn't lost on me (not to mention the fact that the first of the 'election debates' was taking place across town at the same time!)

That's about as political as this blog gets, on with the show!

Although billed as a collaboration between the former Thunder guitarist and the young gun from the North East, the live line-up is a four-piece which includes drummer Phil Martini and former Thunder bassist Chris Childs. The atmosphere at this gig was noticeably relaxed; even from my spot a few feet from the stage there was never any possiblilty of a moshpit developing! Peter Shoulder is no longer the slightly starstruck kid he was back in his early Winterville days, he's now matured into a confident frontman with a very easygoing stage presence. I'd almost forgotten just how good a singer he is too, he has that rich bluesy tone very much in the tradition of great singers from his part of the world.

I was unfamiliar with much of the material presented tonight, although they have made one or two songs available on MySpace or as downloads, and apart from the cover of 'Proud Mary' in the encore all the songs played were new. So, no Thunder or Winterville covers! That was probably a good thing, as this is a totally new project and although the rockier songs played certainly do display some of the Morley songwriting trademarks, there were also more acoustic/bluesy ones which were very suited to Shoulder's vocal. The band did note how quiet the crowd were in between songs (although the reception given to each song was warm); that may have been partly due to the audience's unfamiliarity with the songs but also it may have had more to do with the informal atmosphere. It was more of a club gig than a big production, though no less enjoyable for that.

If you were a Thunder fan then this band is well worth your time; however do not expect it to be Thunder Mk 2. There seems to be more scope in this band to explore different avenues, and I look forward to hearing the finished album and seeing the guys again soon.

Caught Live: Theory of a Deadman, o2 Academy Liverpool, 7 April 2010.

About the only thing I knew of this band prior to their gig in Liverpool was that they sounded like Nickelback. It turns out that the connection is far deeper than that; also Canadian, they were actually signed to Chad Kroeger's label and he had a hand in writing the material from their first album, released in 2002. A four-piece band, with vocalist Tyler Connolly using a two-microphone setup (one 'clean', one distorted) in similar fashion to the Nickelback singer, and with him also taking much of the lead guitar work, the focus is very much on Connolly and his throwback 1950's hair (!)

Their songs have much the same structure as their multi-million selling countrymen, with many singalong anthems made for the arena. The main issue I had with them was that they do not really stand out; it's not just that they sound like another more famous band (after all, the last group I saw at this place are also criticised for sounding like a much better-known band from their own land!) but that they could be just one of any number of North American groups playing this style. I could imagine their songs being used in a soundtrack to the latest drama on CBS, or as a backing track to a commercial aired on TV across the pond. The fact that their guitar tech wore a 'Late Show with David Letterman' shirt spoke volumes; it's that sort of pseudo-alternative rock that seems to do so well over there.

They do have some good songs, but nothing that really latches onto the brain the way Nickelback have done. For all their detractors, Kroeger and co have the knack of writing that song which hits the spot. If they can break through with one song in that manner they will probably take off, but for now it's strictly a cult following. The crowd at the o2 was a reasonable turnout, maybe just short of a thousand and many present knew the songs. They did play well, although I thought Connolly's vocal was a little lost in the mix, but as stated before there is little to mark them out as special.

The same cannot be said for the support (Halestorm). A four-piece fronted by female singer/guitarist Lzzy (that's not a typo - she does leave out the 'i'!) they rocked up the place in fine style, after finding themselves opening the show with the withdrawal of Heaven's Basement from the bill. Lzzy introduced herself with an extended bout of shrieking and hollering, this slender dark-haired figure was not afraid to show off her impressive vocal range. The band play old-fashioned hard rock (comprising lead guitarist Joe Hottinger, bassist Josh Smith and Arejay Hale - Lzzy's brother - on drums) but their singer is far and away their best asset. She has power, range, and stage presence; it was like hearing Jody Turner (remember her?) in Suzi Quatro's shoes!
After hearing this band - again, a band I knew nothing about prior to tonight - I and many present were very impressed. They went off to a great reception, the best I've heard from a support act in years. After their set they conducted a signing session at the merchandise stand; the crowd they drew just for that illustrated how well they went down. Luckily for me, I got the last copy of their CD on sale at the gig for a bargain £2 - just because it was the display copy and the case was broken. Result - and all the band signed it! Speaking to Lzzy afterward, she was delighted with the way the band were received.

So then, a good night; although the headline band were good, their support blew me away. Look out for Halestorm, they deserve to go a long way.

Caught Live: Airbourne, o2 Academy Liverpool, 2 April 2010

One of my favourite bands of all time is Bad Company; when the three surviving members of the four-piece announced a reunion tour last Autumn I was keen to go and see them. A bunch of scruffy Aussies put paid to that plan however, when they went and scheduled their gig at Liverpool for the same night as Bad Co's show at the MEN Arena, just up the M62 in Manchester. As someone who is constantly complaining at the gig situation in what is, after all, one of the most famous cities in popular music (plus the tickets for Rodgers and co were a wallet-mugging £35-£40!) the odds were stacked in favour of this hard-drinking, hard-partying lot from Down Under.

The o2 Academy was very busy this night, with three bands on this bill plus another show happening in the downstairs part (Airbourne had the larger stage upstairs) but I was delayed getting into the city, so I had missed both support bands by the time I got into the hall. The place looked very full, even the upper balcony was open and I reckon this show sold out on the night. Impressive stuff considering the competing gig happening 35 miles or so away.

Having seen Airbourne twice before, I knew what was coming, but they still stunned this crowd into silence with their relentless pounding anthems. I don't think half of them knew what had hit them! They've changed hardly at all since their last visit, every song is written to the same straightforward formula, with singalong choruses so that even if you do not know it when it starts, you certainly do by it's end! The subject matter is also pretty simple: songs about boozing, women, or boozing AND women! All delivered at an unrelenting pace so the effect is of being pummelled into submission!

About the only change to last time (apart from the substantial number of songs from new album 'No Guts No Glory' played) was when frontman Joel O'Keefe did his 'Angus' walkabout into the crowd. Not satisfied with merely walking through the audience like last time, he showed Antipodean disregard for health and safety by climbing up to the balcony - from whatever he could find for footholds - and walking along the FRONT of the balcony in front of the barrier, where he could have fallen at any point! Of course, once back on the stage he proceeded to do his favourite trick of bashing beer cans open with his head before lobbing the still-spraying can into the crowd.

Two albums in and those AC/DC comparisons have still not gone away; having seen the masters last year though I can testify that this is a completely different experience. It's a raw, primal, brutal gig as opposed to the polished professionalism of the Young brothers. The brothers O'Keefe are totally unreconstructed rockers, along with their partners David Roads and Justin Street on guitar and bass respectively. Both stay in the background, headbanging away as the play, but are integral to the monstrous sound cooked up. It could only come from Australia!

Like their illustrious countrymen, Airbourne prefer to call their sound simply 'rock and roll' - but this was heavier, louder, harder and more brutal than many bands I've seen who DO consider themselves 'metal'. There was even a moshpit forming towards the end of the set!

Before too much longer these guys will be playing arenas; whether they can keep the hard edge to their show when that happens remains to be seen. Until then, it is strongly recommended that this band be seen while they're still up close and personal.