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BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION
Manchester
O2 Academy, 30 July 2011
The last leg
of the critically acclaimed UK tour ended here in the packed out 02
Academy. Having reviewed BCC last week at Llandundno, the difference
here was energy.
This time
around, the effervescent Jason Bonham stepped it up an extra gear (as if
fourth gear wasn't good enough) and the others nodded to the challenge
until the result was teetering on rock heaven. The Michael Schenker
Group also sensed the mood and Michael was just a little more chipper
this time around. The audience
responded emphatically to a more direct rock 'n' roll approach to
proceedings.
Photo:
Noel Buckley/GRTR!
Photo:
Noel Buckley/GRTR!
A trawl
around social media and our own extensive coverage of High Voltage will
only confirm some of the superlatives I offer here. Talking of which, my
fellow backstage passer, 'Wolfy' Smith from the Glenn Hughes forum
reminded me that they had dropped 'Faithless' off BCC2 for the more up
tempo 'The Great Divide.'
Modern
classics like the epic, 'Song of Yesterday' the Zeppelinesque 'Save Me'
and the heartfelt 'Cold' stood out better with an extra rocker in the
set. so by the time we get to 'Sista Jane, the audience is primed for a
good old headshake.
During
'Ballad of John Henry' I was reassured by the Mancunian audience that I
was not the only anorak who noticed Tommy Bolin's guitar signature on
Billy Cobham's 'Stratus,' greeted as it was with shrieks of genuine
delight. A lovely touch.
BCC's
secret recipe consists of quality material presented immaculately on a
bed of awe.
Bonamassa
was sublime in delivery, Hughes the ultimate rock star, Sherinian
providing a classical foil and Bonham in peak form. Black Country
Communion have finally rewritten the chapter on 'supergroups'.
A way of
gauging whether my own human emotions had got in the way of objectivity,
I observed the body language of the audience. Eyes wide, mouths open,
smiles, nods, head movement, clapping hands above heads and, above all,
deafening cheers following each and every piece. 'Song of Yesterday' is
surely an irony. This is a band of the now.
BCC's secret
recipe consists of quality material presented immaculately on a bed of
awe.
In spite of
having had the privilege of having worked for Glenn Hughes during the
noughties, I still found it difficult to put into words to him after the
show what a jaw dropping performance this was without sounding like an
Elmer Fudd. Inspirational.
As the most
stunning version of 'Burn' I have heard since Caljam came to a
tumultuous close, I concluded that it is almost criminal that this tour
is nearly over. Although we have the consolation of knowing that the
people of Norway will be the last to benefit. It's all about
perspective.
Review by Keith Thompson
Photos by
Lee Millward
Llandudno 23 July
High Voltage 24 July
Glenn Hughes Feature
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