Spending the Easter long weekend away is something that I have done a few times of late - and it often seems to be a good one for live music. This is despite towns and cities often being somewhat closed down, especially on Easter Sunday itself, which can make the hours around a gig a bit dull, but it is always good to get away - and this past weekend was another good one. As I described in yesterday's post, my trip away got off to an excellent start in Trowbridge with The Wildhearts - with special mention having to also go to Silveroller, one of the best unknown support acts I have seen for a long time. Without wishing to give too much away, The Wildhearts' show was easily the gig of the weekend - and it was not even the original reason for my trip away. It was bolted on to an existing trip to Bristol, which I booked a couple of months ago, to catch the up-and-coming Liverpool-based rock singer Dan Byrne on his most extensive solo tour of the UK to date. Whilst I am not hugely familiar with his history, I first came across him back in 2021 when his then-band Revival Black opened up for Vega in Bilston. I do not remember being all that impressed with Revival Black at the time, and I recall them being somewhat bluesy and generic, so I never gave the band any time after that - despite them being one of those names I had seen around quite a lot and would continue to do so until Byrne left the band. I do not think that Revival Black exist anymore, and over the past few years Byrne has been focusing on a solo career. I knew that he has sometimes worked with former Skin guitarist Myke Gray, fronting his solo band, but I have never seen any of these shows - so it was not until 2024 when I next came into contact with Byrne. He was the opening act for an excellent double bill of Tyketto and Little Caeser in London that year - and I was somewhat more impressed with Byrne that time, despite not exactly getting hooked. His solo material seemed much sleeker and less bluesy than what I remembered of Revival Black's 2021 set - and I enjoyed his short set despite, as I said, not being blown away. Over the past year or so, though, Byrne's stature seems to have grown. He is not exactly a world-beater, but his name has popped up quite a bit I have noticed - and he has also released an EP and some other singles in recent times. This current tour, though, is easily his biggest undertaking as a solo artist - and it takes in much of the country. At the time of writing there are a handful of shows left - but the Bristol show came towards the end of the lengthy trek. Byrne has recently signed to Frontiers Records and will be releasing his debut album This Is Where the Show Begins in May - and this tour is essentially the album's launch tour. It is a shame that the album did not drop before the tour, as it would have been nice to have heard it before hearing a number of the songs live - but decent-sized crowds up and down the country did not seem to mind this. The Bristol show took place at the Exchange - a small venue that I have been to a number of times before. It is not one of my favourites, I much prefer The Fleece when it comes to smaller shows in Bristol, but the Exchange is smaller and likely more suited to someone with Byrne's current reach - especially given the number of shows on the tour. I did wonder what the turnout would be like, but it was clear after only being in the venue for a few minutes that it would be good. I do not know if the place was sold out, but it was certainly busy - with the main room full throughout the night.
Before Byrne's set, though, the crowd were treated to two support acts. In my view, one was much better than the other - although unfortunately neither were as strong as Silveroller had been the night before. The better of the two, though, was up first - with Kit Trigg playing for around half an hour, getting the crowd warmed up. I was not sure what to expect, as Trigg is the least rockstar-looking musician going - but he soon stormed through a handful of breezy and enjoyable hard rock numbers on his Les Paul. He was a bit weak vocally in my opinion, which meant that the songs lacked a little power, but as a guitar player he had a lot to offer. His riffing might not have been anything especially original, but it was solid and enjoyable - with each song containing plenty of energy and drive as a result. Unlike some younger rockers that are not wedded to the 1970s and 1980s, and I think that it is fair to say that Trigg was not looking to ape that style, at least visually, he included plenty of guitar solos into his set. Some modern acts avoid such, as they seem a bit old fashioned to some, but Trigg clearly does not agree - and his soloing was a lot of fun. Everything felt loose and breezy - and there was a light-heartedness to the whole set. Trigg came across as a very likeable man, and he seemed pleased with the reception he got and seemed like one of those musicians that was just happy to be there. There is always something refreshing about that kind of attitude - and there was certainly no posturing nor rockstar ego on show. It is just a shame that, in my view anyway, his voice let him down a bit. The songs were certainly there, but he lacked vocal power to really push them to the next level. There was a much slower number part way through the set, though, which was dedicated to a friend that had passed away - which saw a much stronger vocal. This heartfelt number was a bit of a highlight of the set, then, as everything seemed to really come together during it - with the rest of his backing band largely sitting the number out until much later on. There were clearly people in attendance that knew Trigg's work, though, as there was quite a lot of singing going on around me - and the overall vibe during the set was positive, which kick-started the night well.
Following on from Trigg's set was the Derby-based three-piece MuddiBrooke. I knew nothing about the band beforehand, despite being familiar with their name having seen it on posters and such - but they really did not impress at all. I did miss their first couple of songs due to a call of nature, but I saw the rest of their set - and it was genuinely one of the dullest I have sat through for quite some time. The band describe themselves as grungy, but in truth I am not really sure what they are - as nothing in their set stood out at all. There is not one riff nor one chorus that I can now remember - with everything sounding lumpy, monotonous, and essentially the same. There was not much spark or life coming from the stage during their set - and the crowd's reaction throughout was certainly much more muted than it had been during Trigg's. His set got the crowd going somewhat, but MuddiBrooke seemed to suck all of the energy back out of the room. I do not like being negative, so I not going to put the boot in further, but I really expected more given that I had heard of the band and that they have something of a following. It was not just a case of them not being for me - as they genuinely sounded like a band that were literally just starting out with no real songs or sound to boast of.
The night's changeovers were pretty quick, so it was not too long before the lights went down and Byrne took to the stage. For just over an hour or so, Byrne ran through most of what will be included on his upcoming debut album, all four songs from his previous EP, and a couple of other bits - in what was an enjoyable and spirited performance from the up-and-coming rocker. Backed by Glenn Quinn (guitar/vocals), Inglorious' Colin Parkinson (bass guitar/vocals), and Max Rhead (drums/vocals), Byrne's 13-song set was generally a powerful one. Rhead did double duty, having also played with Trigg earlier in the set, whilst Byrne added some acoustic guitar to one number. They kicked off with Saviour, a powerful opening rocker - but it was perhaps the following Like Animals, from the previous EP, and She's the Devil, from the upcoming album, where the set really got going. The latter was the lead single from the upcoming album, and it was the song which prompted me to pay a bit more attention to what Byrne was doing. Byrne's current sound is more modern-sounding and sleek overall - but there is still plenty of classic rock influence. She's the Devil reminded me somewhat of Inglorious, and there was a bit more of a classic rock strut in it compared to some of his other songs. Throughout his set, it were the heavier songs which actually resonated with me the most. Both Pulling Me Under and Cherry & Leather were two of my favourite songs of the night - and they both allowed Quinn to show off a bit with some strong riffing. Sadly, he was afforded limited soloing opportunities. There were a couple of solos in the set, but these songs are written by a vocalist for a solo project - big guitar showcase moments are always going to be short lived. Byrne himself came across well and as very likeable, as he has done in the past, and, like Trigg, was just happy to be there with a strong turnout. I did think that he was perhaps less impressive vocally than I have seen him previously - but I think this might have just been vocal fatigue. This tour is likely the longest he has ever done under any guise, and the Bristol show fell near its end. I imagine that his voice was feeling the effect of such a long tour - but this did mean that some of the vocal power Byrne is known for was not always present. He was a little low in the mix at times, too, although generally the sound mix was pretty good - with plenty of weight behind Quinn's guitar and Parkinson's bass, especially during those moments which the latter led. As such, the set was largely pretty hard rocking, but the ballad Easier was a nice moment of respite - whilst there were some slightly more cinematic moments such as the stand-alone single Sentimental. The crowd were clearly enjoying the set, too, and there was a strong atmosphere in the room - and it is always nice to see a young artist getting such a reception. Byrne left his more well-known songs to the end, but also threw in a cover of Audioslave's Show Me How to Live, which I do not think suited his voice all that well and it was one of the set's weaker moments. This was soon rectified, though, with powerful closing versions of both Hard to Breathe and Death of Me, both from the EP, which rounded out the set nicely with powerful riffing and soaring choruses. The setlist was:
Saviour
Like Animals
She's the Devil
Praise Hell
Hate Me
Easier
Pulling Me Under
Sober
Sentimental
Cherry & Leather
Show Me How to Live [Audioslave cover]
Hard to Breathe
Death of Me
I heard enough to pre-order Byrne's upcoming album when I got home - and some of the heavier album tracks caught my ear. He put on a strong showing in Bristol, despite some vocal fatigue, and it is good that an artist like Byrne can pull decent-sized crowds up and down the country before his album has even dropped. Hopefully he can build on this momentum going forward - and I am looking forward to charting his progress.
Whilst a busy March is now over, April still promises to be another strong month of gigging. It will not be as busy as March was, but with it containing five gigs, three of which are in London, there will certainly be plenty of adventures to be had over the next few weeks. As I write this, I am already back from my first trip away of the month - as I spent much of the Easter long weekend away taking in live music. I will discuss Dan Byrne's show in Bristol tomorrow - but today's piece will cover a night in the Wiltshire town of Trowbridge with The Wildhearts. With the possible exception of a fleeting visit during a family canal boat holiday many years ago, Saturday saw my first visit to Trowbridge. Not exactly known as a live music hotspot, the town's Grade II listed Town Hall previously hosted live music in the 1960s and early 1970s - but has served only occasional civic purposes since, despite the town council having not been based in the building since the 1970s. In recent times, though, the building has undergone a period of restoration utilising government funding - with it turned into a multi-purpose cultural space that officially re-opened in 2025. Part of this regeneration included reinstating the building's ability to host live music - with a 500 capacity room on the first floor designated for such. Given that the building only formally reopened towards the end of last year, not many bands have played this new space - with Saturday's Wildhearts concert one of the first in the building for many years. Whether Trowbridge becomes a regular spot for live music remains to be seen - but I was impressed with the space and would happily return. Trowbridge itself was perhaps less interesting - but there was a lovely park near to where I was staying and everything was within close walking distance. I even managed to pick up a few 1980s metal LPs for surprisingly low prices in a strange little shop in a pretty empty old shopping centre - but that aside the town was not exactly full of life. It was easy to get to on the train, though, only just over half an hour further on from Bristol. The reason for the trip was a night with The Wildhearts - a band I last saw just a few months ago in Torquay. I already had plans to be in Bristol over the Easter weekend, so when the band announced a few shows around a festival appearance tying in Trowbridge seemed like a good idea. I was initially put off by the cost of the Premier Inn, though, but when frontman Ginger Wildheart announced that he was recently diagnosed with cancer, and would not be seeking treatment for it, I decided that I had to make the effort. Who knows how many more opportunities there will be to see the band - and with the excellent Torquay show still relatively fresh in my mind I bit the bullet and paid for the hotel. The ticket and trains were pretty cheap, too, which helped - and it was not long before, following a bit of a nap in the Premier Inn, that I was in the Town Hall waiting for the action to start. The stage was a temporary affair, likely due to the listed status of the building, but it served its purpose - and gave the room a bit of a festival-esque vibe. I was not sure what the turnout would be like in a place like Trowbridge - but the room soon filled up and at points the queue for the merch nearly reached the stage. There was a lot of love in the room throughout, then, and Wiltshire turned out in numbers to support The Wildhearts.
Before The Wildhearts' set, though, the growing crowd were treated to 45 minutes from Silveroller - a young rock band with a single EP to their name whom I had not heard of before they were announced as the support act on this long weekend of live shows. I gave the band a cursory listen online beforehand, and thought that they sounded good - but I was not prepared for how much I was going to enjoy their set. A couple of songs into it, I thought that Silveroller could be the best unknown support act that I had seen for a long time - and this view continued until their very last note. There was not one moment of their set that I did not enjoy - and I picked up a copy of their 2024 EP At Dawn as soon as the set finished. Sound-wise, Silveroller very much take their sound from the early 1970s British rock scene. They somewhat reminded me of a mix of early Bad Company and very early Whitesnake - but with a much stronger Hammond organ presence. I have seen reviews comparing them to bands like the Faces and The Black Crowes - but frontman Jonnie Hodson does not have the bluesy, gravelly voice to really make those comparisons work for me, with his smoother voice much more traditionally hard rock in tone. If anything, they reminded me of a British equivalent of what Dirty Honey are currently doing in America - unashamedly retro but with the songwriting to back it up and a great stage presence. Hodson really made the stage his own during the show, with some David Coverdale-esque microphone stand tricks thrown in - whilst the rest of the band really rocked. Sammy Murdock (guitar/vocals), who seems to be quite a new recruit, mixed hard rock riffing and delicate bluesy moments with ease, whilst throwing in plenty of solos, whilst Lucas Tadini (keyboards/vocals) underpinned everything with his organ. Hammond organ is always a winner for me - and the mix of hard rock riffing, melodic vocal hook, and roaring organ drew me in from the off and never let go. Songs like Hold and Black Crow showed the band at their most rocking, but there were slower moments like Let Me Down Slow which was the bluesiest and most emotive moment of the set. A cover of Hard to Handle is perhaps where The Black Crowes comparisons come from, but it gave something for people to sing early on, whilst a newer single in Trouble Follows Me had those brief shades of early Whitesnake I sometimes heard in their sound. Perhaps the best was save until last, though, with the epic and slightly more sprawling Silver Sun a vehicle for a big chorus and plenty more soloing. With some of the best songs not on the EP, which I am looking forward to digging into, the future looks bright for this band - and their set was worth the price of admission alone.
Following a trip to the merch and then to the toilet, it did not seem all that long before the stage had been cleared and it was time for The Wildhearts. Setlist-wise, the show was largely the same as it was during last year's winter tour, but I felt that this Trowbridge show was better than last year's Torquay show. A hugely better support act helped, but the sound in the room on Saturday was loud and crystal clear. Everything could be heard with real clarity, from each specific vocal microphone, to the two guitars, and the subtle keyboards. It was one of the clearest live sound mixes I had heard for a while - and it really made the band's intricacies shine. Ginger was on fine form, too. He seemed surprised to receive such a reception in somewhere like Trowbridge - and there was lots of banter between him, the other band members, and the crowd throughout. I did notice that many of the staff at the venue were quite elderly - and the thought of them enduring Ginger's off-colour sense of humour and foul language was pretty amusing. It was the music that mattered, though, with the heavy and meandering Failure Is the Mother of Success kicking things off. It was one of three songs from last year's Satanic Rites of the Wildhearts (which I reviewed here) to appear in the set - and the mix of heavy riffing and the slow-burning closing section is a big part of what makes The Wildhearts special. The 15-song setlist covered most of the band's career, too, although it was certainly not a setlist for the casual. It was quite deep-cut heavy, and I actually appreciated hearing some of these songs live for a second time following that previous Torquay gig. There were a few big anthems for everyone to sing along with, though, with both Nothing Ever Changes but the Shoes and Mazel Tov Cocktail hitting the crowd early on - but for each of those were was a Vernix. The non-album track is not one that I am hugely familiar with, but it came alive more this time compared to last time - with its constantly changing pace and complex vocal harmonies bringing the best out of the whole band. The clear mix likely helped - and it allowed me to appreciate what both Ben Marsden (guitar/vocals) and Carol Hodge (keyboards/vocals) brought to the band vocally. Hodge also impressed with some fluid guitar solos, even during songs which did not have one originally - and the band overall had a great sense of rehearsed looseness. The clarity of the mix and the overall volume really allowed the band to sound heavy, too, with newer cuts like Maintain Radio Silence and Splitter both sounding larger than life. I appreciated getting to hear the new cut Spider Beach again, too, from the band's upcoming album Northern Spirit - and I enjoyed it a lot more this time. Hodge featured a lot during it, both musically and vocally - and the melodic, slightly industrial tune showcased what the current five-piece version of the band can achieve. By this point the band were starting to reach favourites territory, and the crowd-pleasing Everlone saw plenty of singing in the room - and the piece was stretched out somewhat to include a few other riffs from the band's lengthy canon. This segued into the lengthy Slaughtered Authors - another song which has not been played live all that often over the years. Despite this, though, the song is a real anthem that fits nicely into the set - with a plethora of riffs of its own, melodic mid-sections, and another huge chorus. There were only two songs of the main set left by this point, but the modern classic Diagnosis certainly raised the roof - before a lengthy take on Chutzpah rounded out the show, with Marsden throwing down plenty of soloing during the chaotic and heavy number. Unlike in Torquay, though, there was time for an encore this time - although the curfew only allowed for one more. The classic oldie My Baby Is a Headfuck was the song chosen for the encore, which again saw plenty of singing from the large crowd. It brought the night to an anthemic close - with the power of The Wildhearts not in doubt. The setlist was:
Failure Is the Mother of Success
Nothing Ever Changes but the Shoes
Sleepaway
Mazel Tov Cocktail
Vernix
Kunce
Maintain Radio Silence
Cheers
Splitter
Spider Beach
Everlone
Slaughtered Authors
Diagnosis
Chutzpah
-
My Baby Is a Headfuck
Despite having seen a very similar show just a few months ago, I had an excellent time on Saturday with The Wildhearts. The band's fire and the excellent live sound ensured that the show was the best Wildhearts show that I have seen to date - and I hope that there are more to come in the future. With Ginger's condition, though, each Wildhearts show that happens is one to cherish - and with at least one more album to come, that has already been recorded, there are things to look forward to for Wildhearts fans.
For fans of the New York-based melodic rock band Tyketto, although three of the current members of the band actually hail from the UK, the wait for their sixth studio album has been a long one. As much as I love the band, and I have been lucky enough to see them live quite a few times over the years, I think that it is fair to say that they have not been the most prolific over the years. The band can trace their history back to 1987, but their much-lauded debut album Don't Come Easy did not drop until 1991 - by which point their brand of melodic rock and hair metal was already on the decline. Like many bands that launched around that time, had they come to the party a few years earlier their career trajectory might have been quite different - but Don't Come Easy clearly did not meet Geffen's expectations, which led to their second album Strength in Numbers being delayed until 1994 when it was finally released on a much smaller label. By this point, any hopes of hitting big were essentially over - and frontman Danny Vaughn left the band, which led to the often-forgotten Shine from 1995 featuring future Journey frontman Steve Augeri in his place. The band broke up soon after and, save for brief reunions in 2004 and 2007, were dormant until a full-time reunion in 2008. This reunion eventually saw all four of the Don't Come Easy line-up together again - which led to 2012's strong Dig in Deep, the band's first album for 17 years. Over the years, though, the original/classic-era members have all fallen away. Guitarist Brooke St. James was the first to leave for health reasons - with bassist Jimi Kennedy following him out the door not much later. Vaughn soldiered on with original drummer Michael Clayton for a number of years, releasing another strong album in Reach (which I reviewed here) in 2016 - but what had become a fairly stable era for the band came to an end in 2023, with the departures of Clayton and St. James' replacement Chris Green. The pandemic had ensured that no Tyketto activity had taken place for a while - and losing both Clayton and Green left Vaughn without his recent co-writers and his main partner in the band since the start. I think that he considered putting the band to bed, and he has since described a 2023 UK tour with FM and Dare, which debuted the current line-up, as make or break for Tyketto going forward. The new line-up clearly gelled quickly, though, and over the past couple of years the band has been quite busy - both on the road an in the studio. As such, last month saw the release of the band's long-awaited sixth studio album Closer to the Sun - 10 years on from Reach. Bassist Chris Childs and keyboard player Ged Rylands, the latter of whom is now the longest-serving member of the band aside from Vaughn, return from Reach - with Closer to the Sun seeing the debuts of both guitarist Harry Scott Elliott (Kane'd) and drummer Johnny Dee (World War III; Waysted; Britny Fox; Doro). Vaughn and Dee go back many years, having both been a part of Waysted's 1986 album Save Your Prayers, but, despite this, Vaughn is now the only original Tyketto member left - and, without Clayton in situ, there is now no-one left in the band who played on Shine. That being said, Closer to the Sun sounds like a Tyketto album - rather than one of Vaughn's solo albums. His solo albums tend to be a bit more laid back and vocal-driven - but Closer to the Sun rocks like a Tyketto album should, even if Vaughn wrote many of the songs alone. Both Elliott and Childs have a couple of writing credits each, with the latter co-producing the album with Vaughn and also mixing it.
Performance-wise it seems like quite a team effort, with everyone credited with backing vocals and percussion - whilst Vaughn and Childs also chipped in with some extra keyboards. A number of session players also contributed, again mostly on keyboards, but rising AOR star Chez Kane (Kane'd) also added plenty of backing vocals. Despite being a melodic rock band, I generally find that Tyketto's albums take a few listens to fully appreciate. I liked Reach when it came out but I like it a lot more now, and I feel like Closer to the Sun will be similar. It has already grown on me quite a bit since first hearing it - but each listen only improves my opinion of it. Opening cut Higher Than High is a good example of this. It was released as the album's lead single, and I did not really like it at first as it felt a bit too bluesy - but now I think that it is a strong track. Tyketto have done songs like this before, of course, but it seemed like a strange choice for a lead single - given what the band's other 'big' songs sound like. A mid-paced rocker, the song is based around a bluesy and quite hard rocking riff from Elliott - which is backed by hollow drumming from Dee and some Hammond organ. There is little of the band's AOR sparkle here, with the overall sound being quite organic. The bluesiness is retained throughout, whilst flashy synths and keyboards are never utilised - with the organ present during the whole song. Big backing vocals are kept to a minimum, although there are some subtle harmonies during the hooky chorus, whilst Vaughn also includes a harmonica solo later on - in place of a typical guitar solo. Elliott does add a brief solo later on, but overall a more organic sound is allowed to shine here - and multiple listens to it have allowed the hooks to stick. Starts with a Feeling moves into more of an AOR territory - as Vaughn co-wrote the song with Jim Peterik (The Ides of March; Survivor; Pride of Lions). The song is not as bombastic nor as overt as many of Peterik's compositions can be, but it fits nicely into the Tyketto sound - mixing a slightly tougher rock sound with big melodies. It is the first song here to feature Vaughn's trademark acoustic guitar presence throughout - with the verses largely built around his vocals, which sound as powerful as ever, and acoustic guitar - whilst Childs' busy bass playing and a subtle drum groove from Dee give the song a surprising amount of energy. Elliott is largely in the background here, but his choppy rhythms sit in the background to add depth - whilst occasional soaring guitar leads cut in to add a 1980s AOR edge, before a lengthier solo later allows him to show off. The chorus does contain a few Peterikisms in terms of melodic choices, but there is enough of Vaughn here to root the song in the Tyketto canon comfortably. Bad for Good returns to a more hard rocking sound - and it feels like the first song here which really introduces Elliott in a big way. His bluesy riffing during the opening number was strong, but the riffing here is more typical of the Tyketto sound - and the guitars essentially dominate throughout. Keyboards are kept to a minimum, with Elliott driving everything during a song which he co-wrote. The main riff feels weighty, whilst the verses are also on the heavier side at times despite the guitar chords sometimes hanging somewhat to allow the rhythm section to shine through. The chorus is where the song really comes alive, though, with additional percussion giving it a real groove - whilst some vocal harmonies make Vaughn's pointed and hooky vocal melodies sound massive. Elliott's best guitar solo on the album up to this point follows later on - and those who love the harder rock side of Tyketto will love this one. I can see it becoming a live favourite thanks to its massive chorus and driving riffing.
The best song here, though, is single We Rise. I heard it a couple of times on the radio before the album came out - so I was surprised when the album version included an acoustic intro. The acoustic guitar and gentle vocal intro adds a lot to the song, though, so when the big guitar chords and drums crash in they feel even more powerful. This is another pretty hard rocking track, but it is that perfect mix of hard rock and AOR that Tyketto have always done so well. It feels like a modern version of a song like Wings in my opinion - and it has the hooks to back it up. Everything about this song is memorable. The stop-start strut of the verses is full of hard rock power, whilst the soaring chorus with big vocal harmonies and melodies is easily the album's hookiest moment. The later instrumental section is great, too, with Rylands kicking it off with a synth solo before Elliott takes over with some shredding. Elliott closes things out with another big solo, too, Neal Schon style, and it is easily the best song the band have written since releasing Strength in Numbers over 30 years ago. Donnowhuddidis, hideous title aside, is a bit of a step down following the previous anthem - and it is one of the album's least interesting songs in my opinion. There are few weaker spots here, but this is one of them - and the song has a bit of a barroom boogie sound which I am not sure is something I really want from Tyketto. Thunder's touring keyboard player Sam Tanner adds the piano to the song, and his ever-present playing is a bit too bluesy and southern rock-esque for Tyketto. There is a fun groove throughout the song, but it feels a little laboured - and lacking in the band's usual crunch and hard rock firepower. Without his usual co-writers here, many of the album's songs were written by Vaughn alone - and this is maybe a song which would have been better suited to a solo album rather than a Tyketto album. Thankfully this moment of weakness only lasts for a few minutes, as the title track then comes along to kick things back into a higher gear. It is another song which really feels like classic Tyketto - starting from a gentle acoustic base before ramping up towards an anthemic chorus. Part-ballad and part-rocker, the song reminds me of similar tracks in this vein like Sail Away or The Run - with Vaughn delivering the song with plenty of emotion, whilst the whole band pull together to create something memorable. Musically, there is nothing especially flashy here. The riffing is quite restrained, with the acoustic guitars and subtle keyboards often dominating - but Dee's percussive drumming and the weight that Elliott adds when he crashes in ensures that the song's journey feels natural, and there is another Schon-esque closing guitar solo. If it was not for We Rise, too, Closer to the Sun would probably win the album's 'Best Chorus' award - as it is another excellent one. Harleys & Indians (Riders in the Sky) is a cover of the Roxette song from their 1994 album Crash! Boom! Bang!. I know very little about Roxette apart from the obvious big songs, but this rhythmic and organic song works well in the hands of Tyketto - even if it is not one of my favourite cuts here. The sound of the song returns somewhat to the blues of the opening number - albeit with a more percussive feel. Organ and harmonica return, whilst Elliott's guitar playing feels a bit more organic and stripped back throughout. The percussive and hollow sound does shake things up a bit, though, and Vaughn really gets to let rip on the harmonica throughout.
Hit Me Where It Hurts returns to the classic hard rocking Tyketto sound - and it is another number which nicely mixes hard rock and AOR sounds, even if the former largely dominates. The chorus has some AOR sparkle, thanks to Vaughn's fast-paced vocal delivery and some shimmering keyboards, but there is a lot of weight on show here. There are similarities to Bad for Good, then, in the way that Elliott drives everything - although he did not co-write this one. Nevertheless, his big guitar riffing is ever-present here. He is perhaps less busy during the chorus - but the verses have a great classic rock kinetic energy thanks to his snaking riffing, whilst his later guitar solo is one of the album's longest and best. When Tyketto really rock out like this the band really feel fiery and powerful - and this track is another overall album highlight for me thanks to its hooks and energy. One thing that is always guaranteed with each Tyketto album is a huge ballad, and The Picture ticks that box here. Unlike the title track which felt like part-ballad and part-rocker, The Picture is a true ballad - with Vaughn singing over some gentle piano early on, whilst subtle, sombre guitar melodies are added for depth. Vaughn has always written excellent ballads and his Peter Cetera-times-10 voice is the perfect vehicle for them - as he always manages to include so much emotion in each one. Arrangement-wise, this ballad is pretty typical - with slower verses and a bigger-sounding chorus - with the rest of the band adding weight during the latter. The piano is generally left to dominate elsewhere, handled by session player Nigel Hopkins, and the lack of a big guitar solo is something of a surprise. The song is crying out for one - and the lack of such is perhaps holding this song back from being one of Tyketto's best ballads. Far and Away is also a slower number, but it takes a different path - essentially being an acoustic-led, somewhat folky number. Vaughn's vocals and acoustic guitar dominate the song, and it takes a while for anything else to meaningfully join in. Later verses and chorus renditions are backed by some percussive drumming and bigger vocal arrangements, but really the song does not shift much from its organic and acoustic-led base. Tyketto have done songs like this in the past, but this may have been another number best saved for a Vaughn solo album - as it does not really make much use of the band's talents. Later on, some additional melodies are added by session violinist Elizabeth Prendergast, further adding to the folky vibes - moving the song further away from Tyketto's core sound. The album then comes to a close with The Brave, a rockier song that returns to something more typical. Acoustic guitar-driven still, though, the song has an organic and heartland rock-esque feel - with ringing piano chords earlier on and during the later chorus which recall Bruce Springsteen's approach to the instrument - whilst occasional guitar leads add colour atop the busy acoustic guitars and driving rhythm section. The song may not be as involved as some others here, but there is a simplicity to the hooks throughout which work for me. The chorus sticks nicely - and Dee turns in a strong performance on the drums, with some busy fills later on. There is space for one more big guitar solo towards the end, too, and the song ends the album on an up-tempo high - with acoustic guitar and ringing piano closing things out nicely. A couple of songs aside which sound more like Vaughn solo numbers that do not capitalise on the band's power, Closer to the Sun is, overall, an excellent album. It could well the band's best since Strength in Numbers and there are some cuts here which will surely become live favourites over the years. That mix of hard rock and AOR which has always served the band so well strikes gold again here - and I am looking forward to seeing the band live again in a couple of weeks time, where I will hopefully hear a few of these cuts performed.
The album was released on 20th March 2026 via Silver Lining Music. Below is the band's promotional video for We Rise.
It seems fitting that, following my last album review which covered the latest release from The Black Crowes, today's review continues my recent explorations into bluesy, southern rock, and jam band territories with the latest effort from the Florida-based 12-piece Tedeschi Trucks Band. Despite having been aware of the band for quite some time, largely due to my familiarity with guitarist Derek Trucks from his time with The Allman Brothers Band, it was only over the past couple of years that I started to listen to them. After a bit of an Allman Brothers Band kick a couple of years ago, I decided to undertake the lengthy project of checking out the wider 'family' - so in recent times I have been getting to know the catalogues of both Warren Haynes and Trucks in particular. I am now quite familiar with Haynes' solo work and am making headway with the Gov't Mule catalogue - but I have probably spent more time with Trucks, both as part of the now-defunct Derek Trucks Band and the Tedeschi Trucks Band. Whilst the former might be a better showcase for Trucks as a guitarist, due to that band's mixing of jazz fusion into their southern rock and blues, the latter is a much more song-based and soulful vehicle. Whilst the band's shows often see the band stretch out and elongate songs with plenty of jamming and intricate arrangements, on record, at least, the Tedeschi Trucks Band feel a bit more restrained and overtly melodic. The band is, of course, the coming together of Trucks' virtuosic guitar prowess, particularly with a slide, and the soulful vocals and bluesy songwriting of Susan Tedeschi - and these two driving forces seem to bring the best out of each other when it comes to memorable songwriting, with Tedeschi perhaps taming Trucks a little to better serve the more song-based vibe that the Tedeschi Trucks Band aims for. This sets them apart from the more blistering jazz-adjacent workouts to grace the earlier Derek Trucks Band albums, even if that band did also become more song-based as they went forward. Despite only having been into the Tedeschi Trucks Band for the past couple of years, I am now pretty familiar with their catalogue - but Future Soul, the band's sixth studio album which was released last month, is the first of theirs that I picked up as it came out. It is the band's first studio album since the sprawling double album I Am the Moon from 2022 - which was released as four EPs over the course of four consecutive full moons. A novel concept for sure, but it is perhaps fitting that the band followed their most expressive and experimental release with their shortest and most concise to date. Future Soul is just over 40 minutes long, so it is the most bite-sized album by the band yet - but it still covers all of the blues, southern rock, and soul that the band's fans have come to expect. 11 of the 12 musicians that made I Am the Moon such an interesting release return here on Future Soul - with trumpeter Emmanuel Echem the only new face, replacing Ephraim Owens. As usual, the songwriting here is dominated by Tedeschi, Trucks, and auxiliary vocalist and guitarist Mike Mattison, the only remaining holdover from The Derek Trucks Band, whilst founding drummer Tyler Greenwell and relatively new keyboard player Gabe Dixon, on his second outing with the band, also make significant writing contributions as is typical.
As is often the case with the band's work, though, Future Soul is full of feel-good and emotive songs. The band can conjure up a joyous, soulful party atmosphere when they want to - and slow things right down to lead an emotional charge elsewhere. All of those vibes are present here as always, and the album kicks off with Crazy Cryin' - a light-hearted southern rocker which opens with a spiky guitar riff which is soon doubled by Dixon's Hammond organ. A sparse, but groovy, verse kicks things off - with Tedeschi singing in her usual warm and powerful manner against choppy guitar rhythms, with the main riff interjecting, whilst the double drums of Greenwell and Isaac Eady and the pulsing bass playing of Brandon Boone create the main groove. The verses generally follow this pattern going forward, utilising a sparser overall arrangement - and allowing the full power of the 12 band members to shine through during the bigger chorus. The horn section occasionally adds colour during the verses, but they come into their own during the chorus - with brass swells filling all of the gaps alongside Mattison and his fellow backing vocalists. The soulful side of the band is on full display here - and a short, but blistering, guitar solo adds some additional southern rock power to what is an up-tempo rocker. Lead single I Got You has a breezier, poppier feel - driven throughout by Mattison's acoustic guitar chords. This acoustic guitar presence adds a summery feel throughout, whilst the subtle groove from the rhythm section and the colourful piano fills only further this vibe - which allows Tedeschi to sing from the heart whilst the backing vocal trio add plenty of depth, particularly during some wordless vocal-led sections later on. Big guitar moments are generally in the minority here, but Trucks adds some choppy rhythms in the background - whilst also throwing in the occasional bluesy lead. The horn section is once again a force during the chorus - and a closing guitar solo moment, which upends the song's otherwise focus away from Trucks, is another one of those moments which showcases the power of the large ensemble as the backing singers and the horn section continue to add colour throughout. After two rockers with bigger sounds, Who Am I slows things down somewhat and goes for a more restrained sound. Trucks handles most of the guitars here, with ever-present acoustic guitar chords sitting in the background to allow a slightly jazzy electric guitar melody and leads to sit nicely atop the shimmering drumming of Greenwell - whilst backing singers Mark Rivers and Alecia Chakour add subtle percussion. Rumbling organ can be heard beneath everything, but its roar is slightly tempered - adding colour between the folkier guitar presence and the simple bass line (provided on this song by producer Mike Elizondo instead of Boone). The star here, though, is Tedeschi. Some of Trucks' guitar melodies are hooky, but it is Tedeschi's warm vocal delivery and the way that she builds as the song progresses that makes it tick. There is a subtle country edge at times, but generally she sings with a restrained bluesy power - and it is only her voice heard on this track, with the backing singers relegated to percussion duties this time, which only helps her power to shine through.
Hero feels a bit bluesier and more percussive - with both Tedeschi and Trucks adding subtly brash electric guitar chords to the song's restrained garage rock opening. Guitar melodies are then added atop this somewhat riffy approach - whilst Greenwell's tom-heavy drumming early on does wind the clock back to the 1960s blues rock scene. The verses are quite percussive and foot-stomping, then, even if the gentle organ and Trucks' crying little guitar melodies round the edges off the brashness of the guitar rhythms. The chorus sees the song explode a bit more, though, with a more powerful approach. Greenwell shifts to a more driving hard rock beat, and the guitars and organ just ramp up in power - leading to Tedeschi singing in a louder and more passionate manner. The backing vocalists add depth here, too, and the song moves back between its two vibes: percussive and more expansive hard rock. The closing instrumental section is quite chaotic, too, with Trucks laying into his slide - adding lots of distortion to his sound as Greenwell cuts loose on the drums. What in the World, the only song here not written by the band as it was instead written by Nashville-based singer-songwriter Paul Olsen, strips everything back again - with both Trucks and Mattison teaming up on the acoustic guitar against Eady's lumbering drum beat. The song is a slow-moving ballad, then, which places a lot of focus on Tedeschi's soulful and pleasing vocal delivery - but as things progress the arrangement does feel grander. Trucks throws in a few slide licks here and there, including an aching solo later on, whilst the organ once again does quite a lot of heavy lifting. It is a short song that allows for a moment of respite from some of the more complex and rocking arrangements elsewhere - and it brings the first half of the album to a quiet close. The title track follows, which ups the power quite considerably. Opening with a hard rocking, southern-friend riff - the song might be the heaviest Tedeschi Trucks Band number to date. Trucks dominates here, then, with his riff driving everything - whilst both of the drummers play together to allow for a bottom-heavy and foot-stomping sound. Tedeschi doubles up on guitar to add extra weight, whilst she sings the track in a high-octane, blues rock manner - ably supported by the backing singers who also add some very effective percussion. Trucks' later solo is one of the dirtiest guitar moments on the whole album - and it is great hearing the band really let their hair down on this number, as really rocking out is not something that they do all that often. Under the Knife stands out as it is the only song here not sung by Tedeschi - with Mattison instead stepping up the plate as he generally does at least once per album. Mattison has a great voice, and at times it seems a real shame that is largely relegated to being a backing vocalist these days, but that just makes his showcase numbers all that more enjoyable. This track is a funky, slinky number with a great groove whipped up by Boone and Eady - whilst Greenwell and session player Abe Rounds add some additional percussion. There is plenty of rhythm here, then, and the full power of the band is on show. Tedeschi joins the other two backing singers here to harmonise with Mattison - who drives the song with his acoustic guitar, whilst horn accents and plenty more Trucks slide guitar keeps that funky vibe continuing throughout.
Be Kind is another quite big-sounding piece, but the vibe shifts from funk to barroom blues - thanks to the prominence of Dixon's driving piano throughout. The chorus, which features plenty of brass and wordless backing vocals, perhaps feels grander than barroom blues - but the dancing chug of the verses, driven by bluesy guitar rhythms and the piano, really creates that vibe overall, and Tedeschi's voice naturally leans towards the bluesy. The chorus has a bit more of a swing to it, which is really aided by some subtle percussion from Chakour and the horn section - whilst the dominance of the piano throughout is capitalised on later with a keyboard solo from Dixon in place of a usual Trucks workout. Devil Be Gone also has a bluesy feel overall, but this time the vibe is darker - especially during the verses. This is another song whereby the chorus expands the sound, showcasing the band at full capacity, but the verses here feel fairly low key - despite actually quite a lot going on during them. Chugging guitar rhythms and distorted slide leads essentially fuel the song, but deep, brass additions also add depth to the verses - before the chorus explodes with more backing vocals and a typical horn approach, creating a big halo behind Tedeschi's warm and uplifting vocal delivery. The song's later instrumental section is a bit more expansive, too, with Trucks and Tedeschi trading lead licks back and forth - creating a solo which is part-slide and part-traditional blues, whilst a shuffling and tight groove from the rest of the band rumbles on beneath these two guitars. After a couple of expansive bluesy numbers, Shout Out returns to a slightly more restrained vibe, or at least that is how things seem - with a hollow drum groove from Eady creating a bit of an old-school jazz vibe, whilst a main musical hook, largely played on the guitar but subtly backed by the horns, surfaces throughout. Despite the more restrained sound, though, there is a lot going on here. Mattison's acoustic guitar is once again ever-present, whilst the horn section does a lot of heavy lifting with a good mix of more typical bursts and brass and some more atmospheric, keyboard-esque additions. Rounds' percussion talents are once again called upon, with congas very present in the mix during parts of the song to add to the overall mix of sounds which makes up this jazzy and varied number - and it is one that has grown on me quite a bit since first hearing it. The album then comes to a close with Ride On, another much more stripped back number - with brushwork drumming and some bluesy, picked slide guitar motifs sitting behind Tedeschi's more country-tinged vocal performance. The singing here feels quite laid back, which it fitting given the sparser arrangement - but everyone still plays a part here, with Dixon's shimmering keyboards and more subtle horn arrangements adding depth, especially during the chorus. There are certainly fierier songs here, but the Tedeschi Trucks Band do this sort of laid back country/folk rock well - and there is nothing half-baked about Trucks' closing guitar solo, which sees him really deliver with his slide. This last solo is one of the album's most beautiful moments and it brings this varied album to a melodic close. Due to its concise nature and songwriting variety, I can see this being the Tedeschi Trucks Band album that I listen to the most going forward. It has such a feel-good and heartfelt vibe throughout - and its short runtime means that I can put it on anytime and have a good time. I have been really enjoying exploring the band's catalogue over the past couple of years, and Future Soul is a great addition to it. Hopefully the album's tour will bring them back to the UK - as I would love to see them live for the first time.
The album was released on 20th March 2026 via Fantasy Records. Below is the band's promotional video for I Got You.
March opened with a local show, although Torquay is around an hour away from Plymouth due to some of the roads which go there, and it finished, earlier this afternoon, with another. I have spent time in London, Birmingham, and Wolverhampton over the past month, but earlier this afternoon I made the short trip over the border into Cornwall - and to Livewire Youth Music Project in Saltash. Having grown up in Saltash, and was a budding musician and big music fan even in my teens, Livewire is somewhere I spent many an evening. A youth club with a particular focus on music, I spent two or three nights most weeks there with friends from school and further afield - learning guitar and drums, writing songs, and even playing live shows. There is nothing really like Livewire anywhere else as far as I am aware - so my friends and I were extremely lucky to be able to make the most of its facilities for essentially free before we all went our separate ways when university beckoned. Long before I knew the building as Livewire, too, I used to go to football training there in the winter when I was very young - so the building itself has been a big part of my life. Not long after I started to go to Livewire more regularly, the old sports hall where years before I had played football was turned into a small live music venue - and lots of local bands have graced its stage over the years. A handful of bigger names have also been tempted down - with acts like The Damned, Funeral for a Friend, and Martin Barre having played the venue. It is not often that a 'named' band makes their way down to Livewire, but back in 2018 I saw The Quireboys deliver a memorable show to an unsurprisingly full house. That Quireboys show was probably the last time I was at Livewire, but eight years on it was nice to return - and the reason for such was The Quireboys' frontman Spike returning, this time for an afternoon of acoustic music and stories. Since the pandemic, Spike has been playing stripped back acoustic shows in between the band's recording and touring commitments - and he was one of the first musicians back out on the road following lockdown restrictions. I made the trip to London in May 2021 to see one of these acoustic shows in Raynes Park - which was the first concert I had been to in over a year. It might not have been the best or most memorable of the many, many concerts than I have been to - but it was a special one for obvious reasons, and it was the slow start of things returning to normal. Spike's last few years have been notably hectic, too, having been fired by The Quireboys before he returned triumphantly with a new version of the band - only for the previous, now Spikeless, line-up to rebrand. I think that part of the reason he was fired was his wish to continue his acoustic solo shows in place of The Quireboys then-traditional acoustic tours - although I am sure the split was more complex than that. As such, despite a new-look Quireboys which includes classic members from back in the day and famous faces from other British rock bands, Spike has continued to play acoustic shows on and off over the years - usually accompanied by guitarist Chris Heilmann. The shows are generally off-the-cuff - featuring a mix of music and road stories from Spike. Given that there is not all that much to do in Saltash on a Sunday afternoon, Livewire was busy - and most of the seats in the room were taken by the time Spike and Heilmann took to the stage.
There was a support act, but I missed them due to getting to the venue a bit later. As such, it was just Spike which made up my afternoon - but he delivered a memorable and funny afternoon of acoustic rock and roll which lasted for around an hour and a half. I think that Spike and Heilmann have something of a repertoire of songs, and a loose setlist, but I get the impression that the shows are largely just allowed to flow. As much of a spoken word evening as a traditional concert, there were often long gaps between songs whilst Spike would tell stories about his life as a musician. Many of these involved drink and drugs - with some of his peers from over the years, such as Mick Ralphs, Michael Hutchence, and Ginger Wildheart all featuring. There were tales from his time living in America, times spent in Monaco, and also ones about this family in the North East - where his Grandad was an important figure in a coal mine union. The songs which followed the stories were sometimes relevant, but most they were not - and the evening was just a good excuse for a few laughs and to sing along to a few light-hearted songs. Whilst I knew some of the songs played, there were a number that I was not familiar with. Spike sang some of his own Quireboys songs, alongside some new material from his upcoming Spike and the Geordie Rogues project, but a number of songs played were covers - many of which were his Mum's favourites. I think that the whole genesis of these acoustic shows came from him recording a few low-key acoustic songs for his Mum during the pandemic - which have since been released publicly and form the basis for the setlists for these shows. He opened with a dirty blues number, with plenty of harmonica - but for the rest of the set he played guitar alongside Heilmann. Early on the crowd were treated to a stripped back version of Frankie Miller's Raining Whiskey, which appeared on the last Quireboys album, alongside Spike's own You and I from the same album. The hit There She Goes Again was played later, but generally the rest of the set was a mix of ballads and some well-known surprises. A strong version of Chris Isaak's Wicked Game came quite late on in the set, which worked well thanks to Spike's gravelly voice, whilst standards like House of the Rising Sun had everyone in the crowd singing along. Perhaps some of the surprises of the night were the songs from Spike's upcoming Geordie Rogues project. These folky tracks, one original and one cover, were interesting both musically and lyrically - and I look forward to hearing more from that project when the album is finally released. With a new Quireboys album in the works, too, Spike is clearly a busy man at the moment - and it is great that he is being so creative and writing so many songs at the moment. With plenty of banter between him and the crowd, this afternoon's show flew by - and it was not long before he was taking his bows following There She Goes Again rounding out the main set. He did return for one final number, though, with the classic Streets of London rounding out what was an enjoyable afternoon in Cornwall with one of the musicians that I have seen live the most over the years.
Having not long arrived back from London, the March gigging madness is almost over. I have a one more gig this month, a local affair tomorrow afternoon, but a hectic and enjoyable month is almost over. April is still busy, and I am already looking forward to a long Easter weekend away, but it will not be as busy as March - which saw gigs both local and further afield. The reason for the latest trip away, back to London after a couple of Midlands adventures, was to catch the German thrash metal band Kreator on their latest UK tour. I have been a Kreator fan ever since I saw them for the first time back in 2014 - when they co-headlined in Bristol with Arch Enemy. I largely went to the show to catch Arch Enemy live for the first time, and did some casual listening to Kreator beforehand, but I came away from the show a big Kreator fan - and this is something which has continued on since, with all of their albums since getting some love on here in the form of reviews. It is perhaps odd, then, that, until last night, I had not seen the band live again. They have returned to the UK a handful of times since that 2014 tour, but for whatever reason I was never able to make any of the shows. I had a ticket to see them with Lamb of God in 2020, but the show was postponed a number of times due to the pandemic - and then finally due to the closure of the O2 Academy in Brixton due to safety and security concerns following some deaths at a concert. The show was re-scheduled once again, but I was unable to make this final date - so I ended up with a refund years after first buying the ticket. That show promised to be a great one, too, so I was sad to miss it, but these things happen - I just made sure that I would catch them next time. As such, when the band's most recent European tour was announced last year, which included a handful of UK shows, I jumped at the chance - and picked up a ticket. The London show back at the re-opened Brixton Academy made the most sense, given that the other two shows were in Manchester and Glasgow, so I booked a ticket and had months to wait. The night really was one to look forward to, too, as it was not just Kreator on the bill which stood out. The night promised to be a great night of thrash and death metal - with the UK's own death metal pioneers Carcass, Californian thrash kings Exodus, and their fellow Californian noise merchants Nails rounding out the lengthy and impressive bill. Big bills seem to be becoming something of a thing again of late. Classic rock bands used to do this sort of a thing a decade or so ago, but bills with notable bands from top to bottom somewhat died out for a while. They really make sense, as it gives gig-goers value for money whilst likely helping keep costs down for the bands. It does mean shorter sets all round I suppose, but in this economy bands have to make big-scale tours work somehow - and I would not be surprised to see this trend continue and become quite popular again. With fours bands on the bill, though, it meant an early 5:30pm doors time - so by the time I had been standing on the sloping Brixton Academy floor until just before 11pm I really was done in. These long shows are certainly more of a struggle than they once were - but that is the price of getting older I suppose. Perhaps I will opt for a seat at the next lengthy show of this nature - especially at the Brixton Academy as the sloped floor does add to the overall strain on the ankles and knees, despite it affording good views throughout. The venue has never really been a favourite of mine, though, as the sound is often quite mushy there - and I just find Brixton in general quite an unpleasant part of London to spend time in.
By the time I got to the venue not long before the advertised door time the queue was already circling around the block and almost back to the venue again. The venue opened later than planned, too, which was starting to annoy some around me in the queue - but by the time the queue stated moving everyone was quickly inside, and the delay outside meant less time hanging around inside. The changeovers between each band were largely quick, so there was not too much hanging around, and it did not seem like too long before Nails took to the stage. Despite having heard of the band, they were the only band on the bill that I essentially knew nothing about and had not seen live before. I knew that they were something of a punk/metal crossover with very short songs - and they were afforded around 30 minutes which certainly got the crowd going. Despite the early start, there was already a good-sized crowd in attendance when Nails took to the stage - and given the amount of Nails merch that I saw around the venue there were clearly quite a few in attendance who were fans. Nails will never be my thing, and they certainly were not helped by the aforementioned mushy sound, but for half an hour or so I could appreciate the band's no-holds-barred attitude. Mixing hardcore punk, thrash, and death metal, the band's sound was largely chaotic. Each song came and went in a matter of moments, with generally only one or two riffs per song, and extended soloing or instrumental sections of note were largely kept to a minimum. Frontman Todd Jones seems to be the main guy in the band, with the other members all fairly recent recruits, and he managed to whip up quite a bit of energy early on. Moshing was a feature throughout the whole night, but even during Nails' set early on there was plenty of it - and the crowd certainly cannot be accused of taking thing easy early on. Nails' whole set was intense, too, which the crowd only fed off further. The band clearly only really do one thing, so there was little in the way of variety - but this worked given their short set. It was nice, too, to see a newer band on a bill of otherwise veteran bands who kicked off their respective careers in the 1980s. Nails' were easily the most caustic and unapologetic of the lot, too, and the show carried on at a pace from here.
It was only around 20 minutes later that Exodus hit the stage - and the veteran thrash legends were afforded 45 minutes to show the crowd why they are often considered one of the best thrash bands in the business. I did think that they might have sat above Carcass in the running order, as Exodus to me are the bigger band, but both Exodus and Carcass had the same amount of time on stage - so perhaps it was to give the crowd a break from thrash between Exodus and Kreator. I last saw Exodus live at the 2022 iteration of Bloodstock Open Air - but since then there have been some changes in the band, with classic frontman Steve 'Zetro' Souza departing once again to be replaced by a returning Rob Dukes. It was my third time seeing Exodus overall, but it was both my first time seeing the band with Dukes and my first time seeing the band with both Gary Holt (guitar/vocals) and Lee Altus (guitar) on stage together. Holt was on Slayer duty the first time I saw the band live and Altus was absent for unknown reasons at that aforementioned 2022 show - so it was great finally seeing the band's guitar duo of the past 20 years playing together. With only 45 minutes the band did not have a lot of time to play with, so they immediately kicked off with 3111 from their newly-released album Goliath (expect a review of it here in due course). Two songs from this new album were played, including a live debut of the title track, but generally the set was made up of classics the past. I think that it is fair to say that Dukes is not universally loved by the Exodus fanbase, but I enjoyed his performance last night. His voice might not be as unique as Zetro's, but his stage presence was good - and I think he sounded pretty powerful, despite the mushy sound once again striking somewhat. He spoke to the crowd well throughout, too, I felt - and seemed at home singing material from all eras of the band. His previous era was returned to with the lengthy Deathamphetamine, which was arguably the first big overt crowd sing-a-long - but the band set out their stall pretty early with the evergreen Bonded by Blood, one of thrash's most important tracks. Despite the mushy sound, the band still powered through. Jack Gibson (bass guitar/vocals) was quite high in the mix, meaning that his robust playing cut through the mush a little - whilst it is always great to see Tom Hunting (drums/vocals) on stage given all the health issues he went through a few years ago. The legends did not need to do much to get the crowd going, either, and there was plenty of singing during the mid-paced Blacklist and another old classic A Lesson in Violence. The aforementioned Goliath allowed the band to slow right down and deliver something doomy - but largely this was a pace-fest. The later closing duo of The Toxic Waltz and Strike of the Beast showed this - and it was obvious by the time that the band's 45 minutes came to an end that they had achieved what they had set out to. The setlist was:
3111
Bonded by Blood
Deathamphetamine
Blacklist
Goliath
A Lesson in Violence
Raining Blood [Slayer cover]/The Toxic Waltz
Strike of the Beast
The changeover between Exodus and Carcass was also pretty quick, and it was not too long before Brixton was being treated to some gnarly death metal from one of the best British bands to ever do it. As was the case with Exodus, this was my third time seeing Carcass. I first saw them in this very venue in 2022 on a bill with Arch Enemy - and I then caught them headlining in Exeter the following year. Carcass are not a band I listen to often, but their more recent work is excellent - and 1993's Heartwork is a true classic. The band managed to fit 10 songs into their 45 or so minutes on stage - and they barely stopped for breath. Jeff Walker (vocals/bass guitar) only spoke to the crowd very briefly - and they knew that they had to make the time count. Each riff and solo from the excellent guitar duo of Bill Steer and James Blackford impressed the crowd - and there was plenty of moshing and grooving during the set, even if some of the primal thrash energy which whipped up the crowd elsewhere was lacking here. The sound was also a bit clearer for Carcass' set, which helped the band's more technical side to shine. Walker's throaty growls were nice and clear, and the occasional times that Steer added his deeper growls, generally during older songs, the vocal contrast worked nicely. The guitar contrast between the two guitarists also worked well, with Steer's more NWOBHM-esque approach to leads and the shreddier Blackford ensuring that each solo hit hard - and the mix of thrashy, faster death metal riffing and slower, groovier riffs kept the set interesting. Much of the band's canon was covered during the set, but Heartwork received the most love with four of its cuts included. Buried Dreams and the more anthemic No Love Lost were two such numbers that were deployed early on, with hooky riffs and guitar leads filling both - but there was time for the band's more technical side with longer cuts like Incarnated Solvent Abuse and the newer Dance of Ixtab (Psychopomp & Circumstance March No. 1 in B), with the latter showcasing plenty of the band's trademark groove. Carcass had a hand in spearheading the British grindcore scene in the late 1980s with tracks like Genital Grinder, which was deployed later in the set, but the band kept evolving - having quite a lot to do with both the technical and melodic death metal subgenres. Along with the Swedish bands, Heartwork was a seminal release in developing the latter - and Death Certificate and a closing rendition of the title track likely reminded the crowd why. The band's set never felt as intense as that Exeter show from 2023 - but a sold-out club is always going to feel sweatier and more enclosed than a larger room. That 2023 show is likely the most extreme show I have been to in terms of a headline act - so Carcass will always be one of those bands I remember fondly, and I still wear my shirt from that night pretty regularly. It was good to catch up with them again after a couple of years - and they added some proper grime to what was otherwise largely a fast-paced and thrashy evening. The setlist was:
Unfit for Human Consumption
Buried Dreams
Incorporated Solvent Abuse
No Love Lost
Tomorrow Belongs to Nobody/Death Certificate
Dance of Ixtab (Psychopomp & Circumstance March No. 1 in B)
Genital Grinder
Exhume to Consume
Corporal Jigsore Quandary
Heartwork/Carneous Cacoffiny
The changeover between Carcass' and Kreator's sets was a bit longer - as a big curtain covered the stage whilst Kreator's gear was set up. I do not remember the band having much of a 'show' when I saw them with Arch Enemy some years back, but this time they went all-out - with devil statues, a huge model of the band's demon face logo, and a horned riser which drummer Jürgen 'Ventor' Reil made the most of. Afforded an hour and a half, too, this was very much a Kreator show, despite the bill which had come before, and the German four-piece delivered a strong set which largely focused on their newer material despite the inclusion of a few older classics. Kicking off with Seven Serpents from their latest album, the band sounded great from the off. As was the case with Carcass' set, Kreator had a much better live sound. The guitars had much more definition as a result, and frontman Mille Petrozza could easily be heard above the rest of the band. To match the devilish stage show, there was also plenty of fire throughout. I think a recent Powerwolf show had Kreator beaten in terms of fire, but there was still plenty of pyro throughout the show last night - with one notable moment later on seeing two dummies or similar set on fire. Petrozza took a few opportunities to speak to the crowd, indulging in some pretty typical thrash schtick at times, but he did a pretty good of getting the crowd going - even though the powerful 16-song setlist was doing fine on its own. Early highlights included the excellent and slightly folky Hail to the Hordes - whilst Satanic Anarchy, also from the latest album, came across really well on stage. Petrozza's voice has barely aged over the years, and in fact I think that he is a stronger singer now than he was in the 1980s - and Sami Yli-Sirniö (guitar/vocals) is a potent guitar foil for him, handling most of the solos. Petrozza soloed occasionally, though, especially during the older numbers - with both People of the Lie and Betrayer coming fairly early on to shake up the focus on the past 20 or so years. Some die-hard fans may think that Kreator's more anthemic recent work lacks the ferocity and urgency of their early work - but I generally prefer the band's newer material, with the groovy, mid-paced Krushers of the World and the breakneck pace of Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite) showing that they can still deliver the best of both worlds. The former was also dedicated to former Manowar guitarist Ross the Boss, whose death had been announced earlier in the day. There were certainly many people in attendance enjoying a set which largely focused on the band's newer material - and I think that Kreator have done well to somewhat reinvent themselves in recent times and stay relevant. Headlining a venue like the Brixton Academy is not easy for a thrash band that is not one of the Big 4 - and, although the bill helped, Kreator are likely bigger now than they ever have been. Anthems like Phantom Antichrist and the much more overtly melodic 666 - World Divided are a big part of the band's current appeal - but it was still great to hear some older classics wheeled out towards the end such as the fast-paced Endless Pain. I have to say that by the end my feet were really started to hurt, so I was quite glad when the set was coming to an end - despite Kreator's performance being excellent. The chugging Violent Revolution and the oldie Pleasure to Kill were a great duo to close things out on - and I was soon back out into the Brixton night ready for a lie down! The setlist was:
Seven Serpents
Hail to the Hordes
Coma of Souls/Enemy of God
Satanic Anarchy
Sergio Corbucci Is Dead
Hate Über Alles
People of the Lie
Betrayer
Krushers of the World
Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite)
Satan Is Real
Loyal to the Grave
Mars Mantra
Phantom Antichrist
Endless Pain
666 - World Divided
The Patriarch
Violent Revolution
Pleasure to Kill
Apocalypticon
Despite the length of the evening, and the state of my legs and feet afterwards, it was great to catch Kreator last night - backed by such a strong bill. The quality of the bands on display was excellent and it is always good to see veteran metal bands still sounding powerful and vital. Given that I had not seen Kreator for 12 years, it was great to finally see them live again - and I hopefully will not need to wait as long to see them for a third time.
Given the lengthy gap between the band's last two studio albums, it feels great to have a new album from the Georgia-based blues/southern/jam rockers The Black Crowes drop almost exactly two years to the day since their previous effort was released. That last album, 2024's Happiness Bastards (which I reviewed here), was the band's first album of original material since 2009's Before the Frost...Until the Freeze - and their first since reuniting in 2019 following a few years apart. The pandemic meant that the band's reunion had a delayed start, but once they were allowed out on the road they were immediately celebrating the 30th anniversary of their seminal debut album Shake Your Money Maker - before settling down to crown this latest era of The Black Crowes with a new album. I have become a pretty big fan of the band over the years, and Happiness Bastards was one that hit me from the off. It was clear that the tour in support of Shake Your Money Maker's milestone rubbed off on the band - as Happiness Bastards was easily their most concise album since that 1990 debut. Despite starting out writing snappy, riffy, bluesy southern rock anthems, The Black Crowes' sound evolved over time to become more experimental - with jam band aesthetics from acts like The Allman Brothers Band and Grateful Dead creeping into their songwriting. Many of the band's albums are quite long, then, and live they were often known for their fairly lengthy shows - with elongated versions of songs often containing plenty of soloing and interpolations of blues and jazz standards. The band do not really seem to pushing that side of their sound during this current era, though. Happiness Bastards was a short and to-the-point album; and the show that I caught on its tour in Wolverhampton, which is to date the only time I have seen the band live, contained relatively limited jamming. A few songs were somewhat stretched out to allow for some impressive soloing, but generally the band stuck to their more anthemic songs - with lots of older classics played from the first two albums alongside a healthy number of new cuts. This worked for me as, as much as I enjoy some jamming from time to time, the band played many of my favourites - and Happiness Bastards was a regular companion for me throughout 2024, winding up in my Albums of the Year list. The band's reunion does not seem to be slowing down, though, and clearly wanting to build on the overall positive reviews that Happiness Bastards received - the Robinson brothers got back in the studio with producer Jay Joyce to write and record the follow-up. That follow-up, released earlier this month as A Pound of Feathers, feels like a natural continuation of the more concise songwriting exhibited on the previous album. This latest album is a touch longer and perhaps a bit more varied in terms of songwriting - but the song lengths are generally kept to a digestible length, with the band's riffy, bluesy approach once again on show. As always, the Robinson brothers were responsible for the songwriting - but the musicians involved in this release represent a more stripped-back version of the band compared to their touring ensemble. Frontman Chris Robinson does his thing as always, but Rich Robinson played all of the guitars and bass on the album. Keyboard player Erik Deutsch, drummer Cully Symington, and backing singers Mackenzie Adams and Lesley Grant, all of whom have toured with the band in recent years, contributed to the album - but long-time bassist Sven Pipien and current live guitarist Nico Bereciartua are conspicuous by their absence.
Despite the line-up tweaks, although Deutsch also played on Happiness Bastards, A Pound of Feathers' overall sound is similar to its predecessor - with Joyce's production style carrying over the from the 2024 effort. There is a rawness alongside a hard rock energy here - whilst the band's trademark looseness keeps things from feeling too sterile. Kicking off with Prophane Prophecy (spelling taken from my CD copy rather than how it appears online), a hard rock edge is immediately on show with a barrelling 1970s-esque guitar riff - which is soon overlaid by some slide guitar hooks. Cowbell-led drumming aids the song's later snarling rock groove, whilst Chris' bluesy, ragged voice sounds as good as ever. He has always had the perfect voice for this sort of music, and he exhibits some power during the riffy verses - whilst going for a smoother approach, backed by the two ladies, during the slide-driven chorus. Rich, despite soloing occasionally, has generally been seen as the band's rhythm guitarist over the years - so it is interesting hearing him handling all of the guitars here. His slide playing throughout this track is evocative of the era it is harking back to - and is a lot of melody in his playing here, despite the main riffing being pretty brash. There is not a big keyboard presence during this number, with the drumming and off-kilter bass playing high in the mix - aiding the overall rawness conjured up by Chris' troubadour vocals and Rich's raw guitar playing. Cruel Streak reins in the faster pace of the opening number, instead going for a more overtly bluesy and groovy sound. Rich's memorable riff, with its walking blues rhythm, is a bit more Led Zeppelin-esque this time - with a smoother tone, reining in some of the brashness of the opening number. With the exception of the chorus, this riff essentially carries on throughout the whole song - even during later parts of each verse which see Chris speeding up the vocal delivery with some juddering and old-school blues vocal melodies sees a variation of it remain. The chorus is a bit different, though, with a more strident guitar pattern overall - whilst Hammond organ roars away, cutting nicely through the mix as the two ladies sing in a call-and-response manner with Chris. Occasional guitar leads and some booming drumming rounds out the song - with the strutting anthem sure to become a live favourite on the upcoming tour. Pharmacy Chronicles slows the pace down quite considerably - opening with acoustic guitar chords and the occasional, effects-heavy slide guitar line. A sombre groove is later added by the rhythm section, and once Chris starts to sing the song is immediately recognisable as one of The Black Crowes' trademark acoustic-based ballad-type tracks. These organic numbers have been a bit part of the band's catalogue since the early days, and Chris is always able to inject plenty of emotion into them - whilst Rich's aching slide leads add to such, as do Deutsch's occasional bursts of mournful southern rock piano. The rhythm section grounds the song, the stomping beat limiting it from becoming too whimsical, but the ballad vibes still shine through - largely thanks to the prominent acoustic guitar chords and the excellent vocals of Chris. Songs like this often take a few listens to fully appreciate, but it has become a bit of a favourite of mine over the past couple of weeks - and The Black Crowes often excel at such numbers.
Do the Parasite! returns to a much more hard rocking sound, with an infectious riff kicking things off - which, again, largely remains in situ throughout. The riff is one which is sure to get toes tapping live, whilst the simple drum backing and the relative lack of bass in places gives the song a pretty cavernous and echoey sound - which actually works well. This is aided by Chris' vocals which have something of an effect on them - making him sound a little echoey and more muffled than usual. This sound looks to really throw the clock back to the early days of rock and blues, then, and this vibe continues on through a slide-heavy pre-chorus - before the garage rock vibes of the chorus with barroom piano and occasional washes of organ create a bigger sound overall. Later verses feature occasional organ stabs, which fill the void a little every so often, whilst Rich's later guitar solo is simplistic and bluesy in nature - but it works well within the confines of the song. The song is memorable in part due to its simplicity, and it is another solid rocker in the band's canon. High and Lonesome returns to a prominent, acoustic guitar-driven sound - with staccato acoustic chords creating a rhythm alongside some simple percussive drumming and a similar bassline. The verses follow this staccato pattern throughout, with Chris singing in a rugged and slightly more nasally manner - whilst occasional keyboard swells add colour. The chorus, as is often the case here, is a bit smoother overall - with wordless vocals and harmonies from the backing singers and a slightly folkier overall sound thanks to more fluid guitars and Chris' approach to singing. A tortured guitar solo later adds some effects-heavy melodies to the piece - but really this song is more of an organic number thanks to the acoustic guitar dominance and folky stomp. Queen of the B Sides remains in acoustic mode, and it is easily the most stripped back number here. Delicate acoustic guitar chords and acoustic slide melodies, with the occasional piano accent, make up the backing for Chris' vocals here - whilst Rich adds some ragged harmonies. Like a number of the songs here, this is one which harks back to an early period in rock history - with folky, bluesy, and even country vibes on show as stark acoustic slide guitar leads double Chris' vocals at times. It is a very short song, but I think it adds a lot to the album overall - acting as a mid-album break. It has a very live feel to it too, and the simplicity is what makes it work well. It's Like That returns to a more hard rocking sound, with a brash, garage rock guitar riff kicking things off - but the overall sound from the band here is much bigger. The guitar tones remind me a little of their debut album - and the overall arrangement is similar, too. Barrelling guitar riffing and melodic bass playing back Chris as he sings in an upbeat and energetic manner - whilst punchy drumming and plenty of Hammond elevate the song beyond the more organic vibes of the last couple of numbers. Plenty of soulful backing vocals are thrown in, too, especially during the snappy chorus - whilst Rich later delivers a busy and bluesy solo which is one of the album's lengthier instrumental breaks. This is not one of the songs which stood out to me early on, with some of the more retro numbers doing so originally - but this high-energy rocker adds a lot to the album, and it feels very similar to things that the band were doing in the early days.
Blood Red Regrets returns to something more organic in tone - with a brash, bluesy, walking guitar riff sitting over a raw and slightly distorted drum groove. The loud snare work on this song is a part of its foot-stomping charm - but there is also a grandness to the song which reveals itself in time. The early moments here are largely raw, with the aforementioned riff and drum combo, with sparse bass beneath, the main backing for Chris' slithering vocals - but as the song moves on the keyboards become a bit more prevalent. Led Zeppelin-esque grand keyboard backings are used during the chorus, in a string-like manner, whilst organ is used sparingly to occasionally add further weight. Acoustic guitar is later returned to for a spacey instrumental bridge-like section, but this vibe is largely short lived - with the main riff soon kicking back in for a final grand chorus. You Call This a Good Time? returns to a brash, confident hard rock sound which the band have often exhibited - and there are vibes similar to Prophane Prophecy from earlier in the album here. The guitar riffing is a bit more snarling this time, then, and there is little of a more retro sound - with big guitar riffing, busy bass playing, and some more modern hard rock drumming backing everything. The ladies add some potent backing vocals to a decent chorus - whilst Chris sings in a pouting and preening manner throughout, ever the rockstar. It is fitting, then, that Rich also throws in a guitar solo - and it is one that is less bluesy than is typical for the band, with more hard rock flash and a few busier phrases. Eros Blues is another slower track, at least early on, but instead of acoustic guitars dominating - this time some electric piano from Deutsch is the main backing for Chris' emotive vocals. The piano playing is gentle and atmospheric, which suits Chris' quiet delivery - but the song is quite varied, with heavier sections crashing in every so often. It tends to return to its keyboard roots again, with some different retro keyboard sounds utilised throughout - but the heavier moments are built around an infectious and groovy riff which works well as Chris moves through the gears vocally. The arrangement is a bit all over the place, then, but this sort of songwriting has often worked well for the band - and their jam credentials feel like they are a bit more on show here. The guitar and keyboard interplay here works well, and towards the end the backing singers play a big role to help create an emotive and atmospheric tapestry behind Chris' delivery. The album then comes to a close with the spooky Doomsday Doggerel - a slow-burning and trudging number that also goes for something of an atmospheric sound. The main guitar riff here is somewhat doomy, and it plods along monotonously as Chris adds a tortured vocal atop it. There is a bit of a heaviness to the piece as a result, but it also feels quite old-fashioned thanks to the guitar tones and the subtle keyboard textures which sit beneath the riffing. A snappier chorus section does add the occasional burst of energy, but generally this song creeps along to maintain its haunting and booming atmosphere. The song is unlike anything else on the album, and it is not something often done by the band, but the slower and heavier vibe works well as a closing statement. I am not sure it would work anywhere else on the album, but it gives the album a powerful end. Overall, then, A Pound of Feathers is another excellent release from The Black Crowes. It might not be as immediate as the last album, but it feels more varied and I feel that over time it might feel more impressive and complete as a result. There is certainly more for me here to discover despite the 40-odd minute runtime - and the Robinson brothers have once again delivered in my opinion.
The album was released on 13th March 2026 via Silver Arrow Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Prophane Prophecy.
