Black Country Communion announce July UK Summer Gigs

Rockgig favourites, Anglo-American Supergroup and all-round bloody good chaps Black Country Communion have announced four headline summer shows in the north of England, following their appearance at the High Voltage festival in London's Victoria Park on Sunday 24th July.

Joe Bonamassa (guitar, vocals), Jason Bonham (drums), Glenn Hughes (vocals, bass) and Derek Sherinian (keyboards), play Leeds O2 Academy (Tuesday 26th July), Newcastle O2 Academy (Wednesday 27th July), Glasgow O2 Academy (Friday 29th July) and Manchester Academy (Saturday 30th July).


A special ticket pre-sale will be available to O2 Academy Priority subscribers from Wednesday 2nd February at 9am. To become an O2 Academy Priority customer you have to register at www.o2blueroom.co.uk. Tickets will then go on sale to the general public from 9am GMT on Friday 4th February.

Black Country Communion's self-titled debut album was originally released during September 2010 to rave reviews. It entered the official UK album chart at #13 and shot straight to #1 in the official UK rock album chart. BCC's debut also hit #3 in Classic Rock magazine's Critics Album of the Year poll, while Planet Rock radio listeners voted them as the Best New Band of 2010. BCC are currently mixing their second studio album. The as yet untitled album, produced by Kevin Shirley, and rumoured to be their most explosive to date, is scheduled for June 2011 release.

                                                 All photos: © Christie Goodwin except Derek Sherinian: © Simon Jay Price

LEEDS O2 ACADEMY
Tuesday 26th July 2011
Tickets: £40.00 Standing £45.00 Seated
Box Office: 0871 230 1101
www.o2academyleeds.co.uk

55 Cookridge Street, Leeds, LS2 3AW

NEWCASTLE O2 ACADEMY
Wednesday 27th July 2011
Tickets: £40.00
Box Office: 0871 230 1101
www.o2academynewcastle.co.uk
Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE1 1SW

GLASGOW O2 ACADEMY
Friday 29th July 2011
Tickets: £40.00 Standing £45.00 Seated
Box Office: 0871 230 1101
www.o2academyglasgow.co.uk
121 Eglinton Street, Glasgow, G5 9NT

MANCHESTER ACADEMY
Saturday 30th July 2011
Tickets: £40.00
Box Office: 0871 230 1101
www.manchesteracademy.net
Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PR

Joe Bonamassa - new album "Dust Bowl" release date - March 21st 2011

"Dust Bowl"
The Brand New Solo Album
Featuring Vince Gill, Glenn Hughes & John HiattReleased in the UK - March 21st 2011

Joe Bonamassa is set to release his 12th full-length solo album, DUST BOWL in the UK on March 21st and in the USA on March 22nd. The album will be promoted on Bonamassa's forthcoming 2011 Dust Bowl World Tour that will take in America, Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia.

DUST BOWL is Bonamassa’s 9th studio release on Provogue Records in Europe and his J&R Adventures label (which he created with long-time manager Roy Weisman) in the US and his 6th collaboration with Dust Bowl’s producer, Kevin "Caveman" Shirley (Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Black Crowes, Black Country Communion).

                                                                                         Photo Credit: © Christie Goodwin

Shirley most recently produced Bonamassa’s 2010 release, Black Rock, which entered the UK album chart at #14 and 2010's self-titled debut album from Black Country Communion, the Bonamassa-helmed, British-American rock supergroup with Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath), Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin, Foreigner) and Derek Sherinian (Billy Idol, Dream Theatre).

Recorded in sessions at Black Rock Studios in Santorini, Greece, Ben’s Studio in Nashville, TN, The Cave in Malibu, CA and The Village in Los Angeles, CA, Dust Bowl combines the gritty, blues-based tones of Bonamassa’s first albums with the fluid, genre-defying sounds he’s mastered in the years since, plus a dose of Nashville in duets with legends John Hiatt and Vince Gill.

                     Photo Credit: © Christie Goodwin

"Dust Bowl," Shirley explains, "is very firmly rooted in the Blues, but definitely explores the outer reaches of the genre and showcases Joe’s amazing virtuosity as he digs deep into his psyche in some lengthy and blistering guitar solos."

"This is the best album we’ve ever done," adds Bonamassa. "I’m finding more inspiration in storytelling in my 30s, in writing songs that are about something more profound than ‘my baby left me.’ I like albums that are made with the right intentions and sound organic and a little rough around the edges, like a great band playing live in the room, and that’s what we accomplished with Dust Bowl."

Along with the best of intentions, Dust Bowl benefits from collaborations with the best of Nashville, legends Vince Gill and John Hiatt. Gill lends his signature guitar stylings to the John Hiatt/John Porter-penned "Tennessee Plates," on which Hiatt duets with Bonamassa. Gill also plays on "Sweet Rowena," a song he composed with frequent writing partner Pete Wasner. Arlan Scheirbaum, Beth Hart and Blondie Chaplin play on the Michael Kamen/Tim Curry track "No Love On The Street," and Glenn Hughes sings on the Paul Rodgers-penned "Heartbreaker."

                                                                                         Photo Credit: © Christie Goodwin

Other standout tracks include Bonamassa originals that showcase his storytelling, such as the album opener "Slow Train," an old-style British Blues song, "Black Lung Heartache," "The Last Matador of Bayonne," "The Whale That Swallowed Jonah" and the title song "Dust Bowl."

In support of the album, Bonamassa's Dust Bowl World Tour includes the U.S., Canada and Europe as well as Australia and Asia, including Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. Voted "Best Live Act of 2010" by Planet Rock Radio, Bonamassa’s mesmerizing concert experience is set to get even better with the infusion of some of his best new music to date.

                                                                                              Photo Credit: © Paul Bergen

2010 was a stellar year for Bonamassa and his best to date. Black Rock was highest charting album. He was called "The Blues Rock Titan" by Guitar World and was honoured twice in Guitar Player Magazine's 2010 Readers' Choice Awards winning "Best Overall Guitarist" for the first time and "Best Blues Guitarist" for the fourth consecutive year.

BCC’s debut self-titled album, released in Sept. 2010, entered the UK Album Chart at #13 and #1 in the Rock Album Chart and received rave reviews.

It was placed third best album of the year in the Classic Rock Critics Poll and Planet Rock listeners voted them as #1 Best New Band and Band Of The Year.

                                                                                          Both photos: © Christie Goodwin

Joe Bonamassa – Official Website
http://jbonamassa.com

Joe Bonamassa – Facebook 
www.facebook.com/joebonamassa

Joe Bonamassa – Twitter 
http://twitter.com/jbonamassa

Joe Bonamassa – YouTube 
www.youtube.com/joebonamassatv

Rockgig's best of 2010

Mark Evans - ME

With so many great cds and tours out in 2009 there was concern that 2010 would not be as good - well 2010 put up a hell of a fight: 18 gigs and some great music.

Gigs.
1.Black Country Communion John Henry's.Secret show only 120 people there and first ever show.Just wow!!
2.Black Country Communion.Shepherd's Bush.Go from strength to strength.Roll on cd 2 and tour.
3.Any of the 3 F.M.shows attended.Great to have them back better than ever.
4.Kiss.LG Arena.Arena show with bells on.
5.Winger/Airrace/Furyon.3 bands all superb.

Cd.

1.FM.Metropolis.Stunning comeback.
2.Accept.Blood Of The Nations.Squash racket has had to be restrung.Riffs and more riffs.
3.James La Brie.Static Impulse.Dream Theater songs in 4 minutes.Brilliant.
4.BCC.Stunning old school rock.Cd 2 should kill.
5.Iron Maiden.The Final Frontier.Superb as always.
6.Treat.Tour De Force.Chorus after chorus.Love it.
Special mentions to Ratt Infestation,Giant Promise Land and Steve Lukather All's Well That Ends Well with easily the most personal cd of the year.

Dvd.

1.The Big Four Live in Sofia.
2.Chickenfoot Get Your Buzz On.
3.Rush. Beyond The Lighted Stage.

Best new band cd.

1.BCC.
2.Furyon Gravitas.
3.Vega. Kiss Of Life.
4.Faithealer.Welcome To The Edge Of The World.

Reissue.
1.Survivor.Vital Signs.
2.Judas Priest.British Steel.
3.Heavens Edge.
4.Black Sabbath Heaven And Hell and Mob Rules.

On a personal note the Steve Lukather interview made the year.Top top man and just a fantastic experience.

2011 has many gigs already lined up with the list looking like 1985 Maiden,Accept,Rush,Toto,Journey/Foreigner/Styx and Europe.

New cd's from Mr Big,Journey,Ten and FM make it a good year we hope.


Nigel Hull - NH
After some thought based on value for money and enjoyment of the whole evening my top 5 are

1 Europe/Dimaond Head - Leeds 02
2 GMT - Leeds New Roscoe & Swindon The Furnace
3 Blaze Bayley/Fury UK - Wakefield Snooty Fox
4 Y&T/Fury UK - Bradford Rios
5.The Union/Voodoo Six - Leeds Rios

CDs, a bit harder, I don't seem to have bought many 2010 CDs this year so a bit hard to judge, but hear goes.

Black Country Communion
Iron Maiden - Final Frontier
Joe Bonamassa - Black Rock.
Y&T - facemelter
Blaze Bayley - Promise Terror

Biggest shock - John McCoy ringing my house!!!
Biggest Cheer Oxford 3 York 1 BSP play off final
Biggest laugh Liverpool losing to Blackpool at anfield.


Nige Robins - NR

Gigs - three stand head and shoulders above the rest

Steve Lukather - wasn't sure what to expect, took my teenage daughter along too and we both loved it. Christ that guy can play a guitar!
Green Day - Year after year these guys get better and better. It isn't a gig, it's a party.
Black Country Communion - "secret gig". only 120 of us crammed into a rehersal studio, no lights, no pyro and they blew us away!

CDs:

Black Country Communion - Everything and more we hoped it would be.
Kid Rock - Born Free - less rap, more country rock and all the better for it.
Bullet for My Valentine - Fever.  New school plays old school - brilliantly.

Biggest shock - NH telling me that John McCoy had rung his house :)
(and I was right about 2010 being an year full of AOR - just don't mention Glee)

De Staat - The best band you've never heard of?

Holland's critically acclaimed alternative rock band whose unqiue sound is as distinctive as the Dead Weather, Captain Beefheart,
Nick Cave, Steve Reich, Queens Of The Stone Age, and Tom Waits

BAND EMBARKS ON UK TOUR IN APRIL 2011

De Staat are not the usual kind of band we would feature on Rockgig - their sound is more alternative than the Classic Rock we tend to feature but that's fine - we're open to all kinds of rock music (although our resident Saxon and Iron Maiden correspondents might need a bit of convincing). They played Glastonbury last year and the Guardian review was mightily impressive "Holland's De Staat almost made us drop our bacon baps, forcing us to prise open our gummy eyelids and concentrate as they skipped through genres ranging from Queen-gone-blues to summery pop to jazzy rock to doomy funk-metal numbers about going to hell to have a fight with Satan. They exemplified the traits of the perfect breakfast band: that it doesn't really matter what sort of music you play as long as you're consistently tuneful, admirably adventurous and above all interesting. (Mark Beaumont)"

Machinery is the band's second album and follow-up to their 2009 debut Wait For Evolution.Machinery is described by the band as a "gut-inducing slab of psycho funk." It's a dark sonic adventure that takes the listener through underground caves of blues, funk and electro where halal butchers, serial killers, whistleblowers, rats and sweat-covered bodybuilders cross paths.

Machinery is released in the UK on Monday 7th March 2011 on Cool Green Recordings via Mascot Records. The album can be pre-ordered from www.amazon.co.uk

"I often hear we sound like a machine when we play live," says lead singer and songwriterTorre Florim. "I thought it would be fun to expand on that on this record and emphasise the mechanical elements in the music."  

Continues Florim - "We played a lot of rhythms, and also created crazy sounds with the guitars. I didn't want to exclusively focus on the rhythmic parts, but instead wanted to change the way we approached the tools of a conventional rock band setup.  During the process of writing and creating the music, the album developed an industrial flavour that reminded us of a machine."

Influences & Inspiration

The musical influences on Machinery are best experienced through the sound. First impressions cite the rhythms and soundscapes of minimal music-composer Steve Reich, combined with the raw analogue sound of garage rockers Dead Weather.

Says Florim: "What Jack White does with Dead Weather sound really cool, and that's what I wanted as well. It's the old school approach. At the same time I really like using samplers and synthesizers. That's where Steve Reich kicks in. He uses a lot of instruments to create one sound. That's what we tried to do on this album as well, but only in pop terms. It makes for a strange combination - record in an old school manner with a new school manner of writing. It works for De Staat."

De Staat's 2008 debut album Wait For Evolution was the brainchild of Florim. He spent eight years making the album and utilized a lot of ideas and influences from his youth. When the band was formed in 2006, and started playing concerts, the songs developed into something real and that's when De Staat turned into an amazing live band. It's that live vibe that De Staat has reproduced on Machinery.

"Machinery is the kind of album that stands on its own. Everyone in De Staat has an individual style of playing which makes up the band's unique sound. On Machinery you can hear De Staat as De Staat sounds live. You can hear the tension of the band playing together."

On the debut album the setup was really simple; one laptop, one soundcard, two microphones and one guitar. This time with a full band in tow, the options were much bigger. The challenge was to define the sound through the contributions and interaction of each member of the band.  

"On the last album the additions of a shaker, tambourine or a cowbell, were pure necessities," says Florim. "Now it's more functional. We made the songs with five musicians and everything else that's added is like the icing on the cake."

This time Torre wrote all basic structures of all songs with five band members in mind. "Some songs were completely thought through and ended up on the record just like they were originally conceived. Other songs have gradually evolved into what they sound like now. It's a joy to now have a band that functions as a soundboard. Every member has his own opinion. That way it makes the songs better.

Band Line-up:
Torre Florim - vocals, guitar
Vedran Mircetic - guitar
Jop van Summeren - bass, vocals
Rocco Bell - percussion, keyboards, vocals
Tim van Delft - drums

Creative Breeding Ground

The preparation of Machinery took place in what only can be described as De Staat's mansion - a farm, just outside Nijmegen, the hometown of the band and a small city in Holland with a big rock scene. That's where the basis of the tracks was laid down and the concept of the record was realized. Eventually they recorded the album in Eindhoven, with Florim as producer and engineer Attie Bauw (The Scorpions, Menace featuring Bootsy Collins and Maceo Parker).

Says Florim - "We have recorded 13 songs in 10 days. It was great to have an engineer like Attie with us because it gave us a lot of experience.  On the song Wait For Evolution I did everything myself, but this time I needed to record a full band and I didn't have a lot of experience to do that on my own."

NATIONWIDE APRIL 2011 UK TOUR
Box Office: 0845 413 4444www.alt-tickets.co.uk

Wednesday 6th April
Camden Barfly
Tickets: £7.00 / Box Office: 0845 413 4444
www.barflyclub.com
49 Chalk Farm Road NW1 8AN

Thursday 7th April
Manchester The Deaf Institute
Tickets: £6.00 / Box Office: 0845 413 4444
www.thedeafinstitute.co.uk
135 Grosvenor St Manchester M1 7HE

Friday 8th April
Nottingham The Bodega
Tickets: £6.00 / Box Office: 0845 413 4444
www.thebodegasocialclub.co.uk
23 Pelham Street Nottingham NG1 2ED

Saturday 9th April
Bristol The Louisiana
Tickets: £6.00 / Box Office: 0845 413 4444
www.thelouisiana.net
Wapping Road Bathurst Terrace Bristol BS1 6UA

Thin Lizzy - O2 Leeds 10th January 2011

Its the first time I had seen them , so unfortunately I have nothing to compare their performance by.

I knew Brian Downey the original drummer was back with them , along with Darren Wharton the long time keyboard player , Vivian Campbell (Def Leppard) , Marco Mendoza (Whitesnake) who had played with them before , Ricky Warwick (The Almighty) on vocals , and of course Scott Gorham.

My mate Stuart Morrow , former bassist with New Model Army invited me , as he was on the guest list.
Ricky Warwick the lead singer started his career with New Model Army years ago , before The Almighty and 
he and Stuart are old friends, and that is why Justin Sullivan, Joolz, and Michael Dean were also there all still connected , or playing with NMA.

The venue was packed, I would guess almost a sell out , and I thought musically the band were excellent as you would probably expect, they did the full repertoire including "Whiskey in the Jar", "Emerald" and "Bad Reputation" playing from 9.00 through to 10:45, including two encores.

Edit this setlist | More Thin Lizzy setlists

Scott Gorhams solo's were very, very good, as was Vivian Campbell's. Brian Downey did a small drum solo that was not great in my opinion. The highlight for me was the driving bass of Mendoza who I thought was outstanding!
Darren Wharton did a couple of individual pieces, but apart from them he was unheard. Ricky Warwick was excellent, both singing and getting the crowd going. A very talented front man indeed, and obviously making reference to the
great Phil Lynott during the evening.

Scott Gorham incidentally looking more like Jeff Bridges these days with a grey beard , and something of a tummy! (I think Mags would have been disappointed ?)

All in all a very enjoyable night ( and free! )

cheers

jcb

Europe - "Balls and Banners" UK Tour February 2011

Following their knockout performances at 2010’s iTunes and Sonisphere Festivals, Swedish rockers EUROPE will embark on their nationwide “Balls and Banners” UK tour in February 2011. Support on all dates will come from Voodoo Johnson.

Full dates include Glasgow 02 ABC (Feb 17), Birmingham 02 Academy (Feb 18), London 02 Shepherds Bush Empire (Feb 19), Oxford 02 Academy (Feb 21), Bournemouth 02 Academy (Feb 22), Bristol 02 Academy (Feb 23), Manchester Academy 2 (Feb 25), Leeds 02 Academy (Feb 26) and Newcastle 02 Academy (Feb 27). Tickets, priced at £17.50 regionally and at £18 in London, are available from 0844 477 2000, www.ticketweb.co.uk and www.tixdaq.com/europe-tickets/.

Following two sold out December UK gigs with rock supergroup Black Country Communion, iconic vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes, is pleased to announce an 11-date UK tour in May 2011. Click here to read the official announcement - http://www.noblepr.co.uk/Press_Releases/glennhughes/tour.htm.

Formerly of Trapeze and Deep Purple, the forthcoming UK concerts will showcase highlights from his Glenn's colourful career. “Following the incredible reaction we received from last week’s Black Country Communion UK shows, I’m looking forward to touring solo in the UK in May,” says Hughes.

Tickets go on sale to the general public at 9am on Friday 7th January 2011. Leading UK gig guide website www.ents24.com is offering fans an exclusive pre-sale from 9am on Wednesday 5th January.

The May 2011 UK tour dates include Northampton Roadmenders (14), Cambridge Junction (15), Birkenhead Arts Centre (17), Buxton Opera House (18), Edinburgh Picture House (20), Aberdeen Lemon Tree (21), York Opera House (23), Norwich Waterfront (24), Brighton Komedia (26), Poole Mr Kyps (27) and Birmingham Town Hall (29).

Black Country Communion - Shepherds Bush Empire - 30 December 2010

Arrived to see the queues going right around the building and producer Kevin Shirley going through the stage door and a real sense of excitement at only BCC's second official show after the previous night's show in the Black Country.

We here at Rockgig were lucky enough to be invited to the cd release secret show at John Henry's in September so knew that we were all in for a treat.
First up was Joanne Shaw Taylor who recently released her superb second cd "Diamonds In The Dirt".
The 25 minute set included 4 from the new cd "Can't Keep Living Like This, Jump That Train, Dead And Gone and Lord Have Mercy"all showcasing her bluesy vocal style,groove laden songs and her superb geetar playing.
I really can't compliment her enough and her superb soloing brought huge cheers from the large crowd.
As we entered the building a flyer told us she will be on tour during May with a couple of shows supporting Glenn Hughes.
I urge you all to go along and see a rare talent in small shows before her talent takes her to larger venues.
After the sheer out of this world experience of the secret show I had looked forward to seeing BCC in a larger venue.
Coming onto the intro tape of "Ride Of The Valkyries" as the lights dropped we were hit with the 1-2 from the debut cd of "Black Country"and "One Last Soul" with the crowd not needing to be asked to scream the chorus of "Black Country"with Glenn Hughes. Brilliant.

Great sound and an excellent light show with huge beams of light going all the way round the theatre only added to the evening.
All the band members play their part. Glenn's rumbling bass and vocals,Joe Bonamassa playing the geetar god with a more rock feel to his usual day job,Jason Bonham's powerhouse drumming and Derek Sherinian's keys adding the depth to the songs.
There's a real old school vibe in the songs but it feels so right.
When you hear that they only rehearsed on Tuesday,then Wolverhampton,then London it shows what an amazing chemistry the guys have and what a feel for the music too.
In total 10 songs off the debut cd were played. We seemed to start with shorter songs and then let the music take over in the second half.
We had "Beggarman","The Revolution In Me" and then "Down Again" and then the real fun began.
"Too Late For The Sun" feels like a studio jam on cd yet tonite it developed into a lengthy song that gave all the band members a chance to shine. Joe's geetar solo was stunning.
A 10 minute tour de force yet next song up "Song Of Yesterday"topped that.
With Joe now on vocals the song has just something more.
Stunning on cd live it's incredible.
Again Joe's extended solo brought the house down and then we moved onto his solo song "The Ballad Of John Henry".
Well the Joe fans in crowd had just has 20 minutes of joy and the applause at the end of this song brought the hairs up on the back of your neck.
"The Great Divide"gave Glenn a chance to shine on vox with him striking all the right rock star poses.
Before "Medusa"the old Trapeze number Glenn gave thanks that he had played the song in the 70's with John Bonham and was now lucky to play it with his son Jason. The song again gave all the band members a chance to shine.
The next song was mind blowing a cover of Led Zepp's "No Quarter". The light and shade of the song was brilliant and Jason's drumming and Joe's extended solo was top top drawer. Again finished to rapturous applause.
The set finished with the AC/DC inspired riff and big chorus of "Sista Jane" which is another great live song. The ending included a short drum solo a few bars of the Who's"Won't Get Fooled Again" and then back into "Black Country" to end where we started!!
One encore with Joe now without his jacket went into Glenn's Deep Purple days and "Burn" which again brought the house down. Joe had some real fun pulling lots of rock geetar poses and stunning solo.
And with that after an hour and 45 minutes they were gone.
A new cd is being recorded in January/February with the promise of a real tour after cd 2's launch next summer.
The band are having fun and it will be interesting to see what they can produce if they can play like that with so little time together.

I have been privileged to see BCC twice in their 1 showcase 2 show career.
The term "Supergroup"is used too often but was made for BCC.
ME
10/10.

Skin - Oxford 02 Academy - 17 December 2010

So after last years Download reformation set and high profile acoustic shows with Chickenfoot and Mr Big,an acoustic cd and this years excellent "Breaking The Silence"cd it has turned into Skin's final bow with a 10 date UK tour.

With even brass monkeys outside losing things how would we remember Skin?
More on that later we had 2 acoustic sets to warm us up.
First up a man who appeared with both Myke Gray and Andy Robbins in Jagged Edge way back in the past.
Sadly Matti Alfonzetti was really suffering to sing a note due to a very heavy cold.
He croaked his way through a couple of originals with his humour making us all laugh especially on "Am I Fooling Myself?".
Myke came on to play acoustic on 2 well loved songs from Jagged Edge's "Fuel For Your Soul"cd "Out In The Cold"and "You Don't Love Me".
2 excellent solos from Myke and he was gone before Matti started one more song croaked and his voice had completely gone!!
Next up was Toby Jepson vox from Little Angels,ex Gun,current Fastway and solo artist.
In fact Skin supported Little Angels way back in 93 which helped them enormously as LA were on such a career high.
He was quite brilliant. He played
She's A Little Angel
Kicking Up Dust
Unwind
Don't Prey For Me
I Ain't Gonna Cry
Young Gods including a bit of Backdoor Man
Too Much Too Young.
In 30 minutes he proved what he a star he is and how he should get out on the road more to show people he is still around.
The crowd needed no invitation to bellow their hearts out and he was given a fabulous send off.
The crowd now awaited Skin's final bow and over the next 75 minutes we were shown all their qualities that have been enjoyed by so many fans.
The setlist included 5 off the new cd which all were greeted like old favourites.
Born To Rockn'roll
Good To Be Back
House Of Love
Blew My Mind
Stronger
How Lucky You Are
The Book Of Love
Redemption
Money
Take Me Down To The River
Look But Don't Touch
Tower Of Strength
Encore of
Perfect Day and Unbelievable.
Singer Nev Macdonald was also struggling with a heavy cold yet this seemed to help his bluesy roar to greater heights!!
He and Myke have always been the 2 stars of the band.
Nev's roar and Myke's geetar runs were all over the gig.
A couple of extended geetar workouts especially at the end of "Book Of Love"showed he can still cut it with the best.
Dickie Fliszar(drums), Andy Robbins(bass)and Colin Mcloud on keys held it all together in what was a very high tempo intense gig.
We sang,clapped,cheered,jumped and those that could danced ourselves silly.
Brilliant.
We await the following nights last gig at Nottingham Rock City to be released on cd and another excellent UK band bites the dust.
Sad but many highlights and memories remain!!
ME
10/10