Kris Barras Band - Torquay Review

With Sylosis and Slash behind me, it was time to head back to Devon to the final gig of the three-night trek. Plymouth was not my immediate destination, though, as my quest for live music took me to Torquay for only my second ever proper visit to the seaside town. As GWR were striking, my train journey from London was a long-winded one - from London Waterloo to Totnes, where I was picked up, via Southampton Central and Exeter St David's. A more typical train journey would have been welcome, but everything ended up going to plan which was something of a surprise - and the train journey via Salisbury, Yeovil, and Honiton, among other places, was actually relatively pleasant, despite its overall length. I ended up in Totnes much earlier than planned as I had left London earlier to mitigate for potential delays which never really materialised, so I had a wander around the town's charity shops and high street for an hour or so before I was picked up and was en route to Torquay. My only previous proper experience of Torquay was seeing Steve Hackett at the Princess Theatre in 2022. I have always thought Torquay to be a bit of a strange place, but the Hackett show was enjoyable - and I was excited to return as it meant seeing the Kris Barras Band live again, this time in Barras' (vocals/guitar) home town. Despite being aware of Barras for a while, I only really got into him in 2021 - when I saw him opening for Black Stone Cherry in Exeter. Since then I have seen him a further four times, including this recent Torquay show, with each experience being excellent. He has evolved from a more typical blues rock guitarist to something more modern and hard rocking in recent years, but the shift in sound has been a relatively natural one - and his current sound is making him plenty of fans. He has been very active over the the last couple of years and this Torquay show was the first night of his latest UK tour - which is in support of his newest album Halo Effect, which drops at the end of this week. It is a shame that the show had to take place before the album came out, but Barras used the opportunity to make the show something of an album release party - and before the live music started Halo Effect was played over the venue's PA as the crowd gathered. This was the first full play of the album in public and, on first listen, it certainly seemed to be another impressive collection of songs from Barras and his band - and a strong follow up to 2022's Death Valley Paradise (which I reviewed here). The venue this time was not the Princess Theatre, but The Foundry - a nightclub which has hosted a pretty impressive selection of bands in more recent years. I was impressed by the venue, with its decent stage, large toilets, and wrap-around balcony which I decided to stand on. I do not usually opt for a balcony view, but it gave a good vantage point - and it proved to be a good place to watch the action from.

Another reason I was excited for the show was the fact that South of Salem were opening it. I have become a huge fan of the band since first seeing them last year with W.A.S.P. - and their headline show in Bristol last year was an impressive spectacle from a band so early on in their career. Promoting a new album of their own, the excellent Death of the Party (which I reviewed here), the Bournemouth-based five-piece made their 40 or so minutes on stage count with an eight-song set which focused on the latest album. They were all rather cramped on the stage, but they delivered their set with the flair and professionalism which they have oozed each of the previous couple of times I have seen them. It was the band's first time in Devon and I really hope that they will be back soon. There were plenty of South of Salem fans in attendance, though, and at times the band could have been mistaken for the headline act. There was plenty of singing along at the right moments from the crowd - as well as chants for the song the band ended up playing last. Moving back to the beginning, though, the set opened as Death of the Party does - with Vultures and Static impressing the sold out crowd. The new album is great, but Static is likely one of my favourite songs from it - and the huge chorus was nailed by frontman Joey Draper, who prowled the front of the stage and often got down into the photographers' area to mingle with those at the front. The heavier Let Us Prey saw the band turn back to their debut album, whilst the setlist centrepiece ended up being a sing-a-long version of Made to Be Mine - a more melancholic piece which featured plenty of singing from the crowd during the wordless vocal hooks of the chorus. I am not sure that the band quite expected the reception that they received, but given how much they have been putting themselves out there in recent years they deserve the rewards they are currently reaping. They did suffer a little from classic support band sound at times, but generally they still sounded powerful - even if Draper's voice was occasionally a little lost in the mix. The crowd did not seem to care, though, and the more subtle Hellbound Heart and the hard-driving, metallic Left for Dead certainly had the large crowd lapping everything up. It was perhaps the final two tracks which really hit home, though, with the big single from the debut album Cold Day in Hell also prompting plenty of singing during the chorus. The song that was being chanted for, though, was Jet Black Eyes - which ended the set. This feels like the band's new version of Cold Day in Hell - and in both songs they already have two defining anthems. I would have loved to have heard more but eight songs was all there was time for. I am sure there will plenty more opportunities to see South of Salem, though, and they certainly got the crowd fired up for what was to come. The setlist was:

Vultures

Static

Let Us Prey

Made to Be Mine

Hellbound Heart

Left for Dead

Cold Day in Hell

Jet Black Eyes

Half an hour after South of Salem's set finished the lights went down and Barras' band trooped onto the stage - launching into a something of a jam which ended up being an extended intro to Who Needs Enemies. Barras joined the band after a minute or so, and the show got off to a rollocking start with the high energy track. Barras himself was in top form throughout, and was in fine voice in particular. He seemed really fired up for the hometown show and belted out Who Needs Enemies from the off - whilst his tight band were probably the most fluid and explosive that I have seen them yet. Whilst Barras is of course the star, special mention needs to be given to Josiah Manning (guitar/keyboards/vocals) who really added a lot to show. His role in the live band has increased over the years. He has always seemed like Barras' right hand man, but he even took the solo spot in a couple of the songs this time to allow Barras to roam around the stage without his guitar - and he was also featured in a big way on keyboards later in the evening. Before that, though, the band really rocked through a number of favourites and new tracks. Overall, five songs from the upcoming Halo Effect were played - with the tough Unbreakable hitting hard early on and the more anthemic Savages seeing Barras get down and dirty with the crowd. Sandwiched between the two, though, was a personal favourite in Dead Horses - and the set just never seemed to let up early on thanks to these riffy, anthemic pieces. The more cinematic These Voices did slow the pace somewhat, though, and it was opened up by an excellent melodic bass solo from Frazer Kerslake (bass guitar/vocals) - but this more restrained vibe overall did not last given that tracks like Hourglass from the upcoming album and, in particular, Devil You Know soon were wheeled out to really rock the crowd. Barras did not have to do much to get the home town crowd on side and the atmosphere levels were high from the off. They only seemed to rise as the set progressed, though, and by the time Manning sat down behind his keyboard they reached a new level. Manning used to play keyboards in the band full-time before switching to guitar as Barras' songs became heavier. What followed was something more stripped back, though, with a delicate piano version of Wake Me When It's Over wowing the crowd - which was closed out by a lengthy and classically-inspired piano solo from Manning, with Barras leaving the stage to let him take the applause. What followed was better, though, with a lengthy guitar/piano intro heralding the aching ballad Watching Over Me - which was stretched out by Barras telling the song's story, lots of bluesy soloing (harking back to his older style), and the rest of the band joining in at the end to rock it up a bit. It was the set's high point really and what followed felt like a victory lap - with the soaring new track Fall to Fly impressing, before an elongated Ignite (Light It Up) included plenty of band interplay and some more soloing from all involved. The anthemic My Parade then saw the main set come to an end, with Barras in the crowd and conjuring up a loud sing-a-long with everyone in attendance. The set ended on a high, then, but the band were called back out for one last track - which saw Hail Mary returned to its old place as the last song of the night. The track is maybe Barras' most accomplished composition in my opinion and it is always a live highlight - and plenty would have left the venue with the chorus hook running around their heads. The setlist was:

Who Needs Enemies

Unbreakable

Dead Horses

Savages

These Voices

Hourglass

Secrets

Devil You Know

Wake Me When It's Over

Watching Over Me

Fall to Fly

Ignite (Light It Up)

My Parade

-

Hail Mary

Seeing the Kris Barras Band live is always a treat, and given his local connections it seems that he is always likely to include a Devon show in each tour. I have become a big fan over the years and I will go and see him whenever I can going forward. He really delivers live and his current harder rock direction is bringing his music to all sorts of new fans. With Halo Effect likely to arrive at my house any day now, I am really looking forward to digesting it given the strength of that first listen and hearing some of it live. It will be reviewed here in due course and I am already looking forward my next Barras show - whenever that may be.