The Answer - 1865 Southampton 28-03-15




New venue for us this and first impressions were very good.Good size floor and stage and an excellent sound too.

First up were German 2 piece The Picture Books who kicked up a storm with their Southern infused bluesy stomp and heavy as hell led by the mighty roar of Fynn Claus Grabke on vocals and slide guitar.
It was hard to take your eyes off the amazing drumming of Phillipe Mirtschink who put in a display that was mesmerising. A cross between how I would see a caveman drum with huge gong mallets that reminded me of the style of the drummers on the old Roman slave ships!!

Huge near tribal rhythms with a fuzzed up slide guitar and songs from their Imaginary Horse cd had the 30 minute set fly by and one to look into asap!!

Next up was Norfolk 5 piece Bad Touch who release their debut cd Halfway Home on the 27th of April although luckily for us available at the show.

Led by Stevie on vocals who's attire could have him in the 3 Musketeers they played a 30 minute set with a confidence of a band who know they have big things ahead of them.

Throw a bit of The Black Crowes,The Quireboys,The Answer and a great rock n roll vibe into a blender and you get Bad Touch!!

Songs from the debut cd all starred with Wise Water, Mother Load, Waste My Time, Half Way Home and closer New Day all attitude and swagger, low slung guitars and choruses.

Good On Me (Jeans Song) about men buying ladies jeans is an all time classic already!!

Another one to add to the "keep an eye out for" section.

The Answer were simply fantastic. With this show being the last of 20 shows across the UK and their excellent new album Raise A Little Hell hitting the number 1 on the UK rock charts the band were firing on all cylinders and put on a show that confirmed their position as one of the UK's finest bands.

For 75 minutes we were treated to a mix of 6 songs from the new cd and selection of fan favourites and here is what they played.




Raise A Little Hell in my opinion is the best thing the band have done since the debut Rise and everyone of the 6 songs played fitted in perfectly. The amazing thing and it shows how strong the new material is that they didn't play Renegades,Whiplash or Gone Too Long that I love yet it didn't matter but here's hoping for another tour later in the year.

The new songs are all about the groove and the rhythm section of James Heatley on drums and Micky Waters on bass are one of the best teams on the planet. They lay down the rock that lets Paul Mahon on guitar to riff and solo to his heart's content and that allows chief story teller Cormac Neeson on vocals to be the master of the show.

He doesn't stop moving and his banter with the front row only add to the vibe.

I Am What I Am opened the show in fine style with its stop start riff and kick ass rhythm and had the crowd moving from the word go and plenty of singing along too.

Spectacular lived up its name before another new tune Red ripped the roof off. A great rhythm and riff and Micky's bass hitting hard and the huge chorus had heads banging and vocal chords aching.Oh for the days of MTV when rock was king and this would be at the top.

Demon Eyes was a welcome visitor from the past before another new one in Aristocrat became a live favourite straight away and showing the quality of the new songs that they fitted in seamlessly. Punching drums and a heavy bass line over a staccato riff and another great chorus.

Last Days Of Summer which Cormac described as a trippy one and gets longer everytime we play it excelled with the mid song jam again showing how the guitar, bass and drum unit work so well together with a near telepathic understanding. Wonderful fuzzy bass line throughout hit your guts everytime.

Strange Kinda Nothing had James out from behind his kit on a cajon and Paul on an acoustic guitar and the vocal lyric gave Cormac a chance to show his class showing off his range and passion before an electric finish to the song.

A quick romp through New Horizon led to Raise A Little Hell and Cormac joining the crowd on an extended jam and getting everyone to crouch down before jumping up to the chorus was a great sight.

First encore Nowhere Freeway was played all electric on this tour and always puts a smile on my face with its great chorus that the whole crowd hollered back!!

Classic Under The Sky was a great show closer showing how the band have always had the tunes and now with added confidence should really take on the world.

A quick chat and signing session with the band looking forward the European tour and upcoming US tour with Whitesnake and the promise of more UK dates in the Autumn was a great way to finish what was a superb night out!!









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