Born Again's Kayleigh, Michelle and Louise make their way down to Mote Park to witness another long weekend of fantastic hard rock, country and blues at this year's Ramblin' Man Fair.
Friday's line up was a late addition to this year's Ramblin' Man bill but probably one of the days we are most looking forward to. The clouds are heavy and grey and Mote Park is already destined for a weekend of rain and mud. That doesn't stop us though, as we are eager to witness an evening of solid rock and heavy metal given to us by Graham Bonnet, Last in Line, Y&T and Saxon.
It seems that although the rain hasn't kept us away, it has certainly delayed many. This hasn't gone unnoticed by rock royalty
Graham Bonnet as he exclaims "where is everyone?!" Clearly realising that even his popular second track 'All Night Long' doesn't get much of a reaction. It's a shame that festival organisers started his set even earlier than planned; he certainly deserves a larger crowd.
This only encourages Graham to belt out his strong, familiar vocals, almost beckoning fans towards him. It takes a while, but almost like a mating call, the park starts to fill up slightly. Poncho covered bodies groove to tracks such as
MSG's 'Desert Song' and
Alcatrazz's 'Jet to Jet'. This gave Graham the perfect opportunity to joke about the infamous story where he flashed his bits when touring with Michael Schenker... rumoured to be the reason that he no longer played with the guitar hero. It seems that Michael has forgotten about seeing too much of Graham as you can now catch them together on the '
Michael Schenker Fest' tour.
The band who join Bonnet on stage execute such beautiful musicianship and the close relationship between bassist Beth and Graham is obvious. Guitarist Joey Tafolla confidently takes on the complex guitar work of previous guitarists such as Ritchie Blackmore and Yngwie Malmsteen and he wastes no time showing off his skills with great pride. Graham Bonnet's charming and at times comedic showcase makes us all forget about the weather as we smile at the on-stage banter, skill and precision of all the musicians in front of us.
A few already drunken fans around us inevitably request for Graham to play some more Rainbow. It's almost as if he heard them as he finishes his set with Russ Ballard's 'Since You've Been Gone' and Rainbow's 'Lost in Hollywood'. It's clear he knows what the crowd want and although he once again expresses that he'd wished he'd had a later set, he receives a brilliant response as he bids us all farewell.
Graham Bonnet never fails to please his audience. He has no shame in reading lyrics from his hand and the floor and his fans certainly don't bat an eyelid, either. Probably due to the fact that he still manages to maintain his natural ability to perform. A great way to start a weekend of talent! (KG)
As the rain continues, it would be easy to go and take shelter, but alas, it is time for Last in Line- a band that we've been very much looking forward to seeing. After hearing many mixed reviews about the band which features original Dio band members Vinny Appice and Vivian Campbell, we are very intrigued to see how this is going to pan out. The rain eases, and we stand on Vivian's side of the stage in good view of the entire band. It's no secret that Vivian and Dio didn't always see eye to eye, so it's interesting to see how enthusiastic he is when they open the set with one of the Dio's most renowned tracks 'Stand Up and Shout'.
The band are full of glee and Dio's name whistles through the wind as many fans around me discuss his legacy and we're feeling like this is going to be a great way to remember the late, great Ronnie James Dio. The band continue as they mix their own new material in between more familiar classics such as 'Holy Diver' and 'Last in Line' and the crowd sing along in unison. Vocalist Andrew Freeman, although very, very different to Dio in performance and range, does a good job taking on most of the vocals. The difference in performance style however, gives the songs a different vibe, one that we find difficult to enjoy.
After each track we wait for Dio's name to be mentioned but it seems we need to wait a little longer. Their failure to mention him thus far is baffling, considering the set is nearing the end. Freeman then goes on to introduce a new song and announces that "the next song is dedicated to a late friend of ours..." The crowd cheer, clearly expecting to hear a dedication to Ronnie. However, a new song - 'Starmaker' is played for late bass player Jimmy Bain, who played and wrote music on Dio's most vital albums. He of course deserves to be respected and remembered, not only for his contributions to music but also for his personal relationship with Freeman and other members of the band.
The final two songs of the set are 'Rainbow in the Dark' and 'We Rock' and unless we have gone partially deaf, we are still yet to hear any mention of Ronnie. We feel as if there is no compassion nor respect to the man who deserves it the most. Continuing to wait... perhaps they are leaving the best 'til last? Nope. Still, no mention. The band leave the stage and we are left feeling saddened.
There's no doubt that Last in Line are an excellent group of musicians, however we are failing to see the point of their existence. Are they trying to make a name for themselves and the new material they are creating? Perhaps. Then, either stop playing the Dio material that is bringing the majority of the fans to your shows, or at least pay respects to he who brought you all together. Something which many fans are no doubt wanting do, as was evident in our discussions after the show. A real shame, considering how special it is to watch legends like Vinny Appice on the drum throne.
(KG)
Suitably in the mood for more, we're up front for the penultimate band of the night,
Y&T. The band have the slightly harder t
ask of performing as a trio because second guitarist/backing vocalist John Nymann suddenly took ill and had to cancel his UK trip with the rest of the band at the last minute. Thankfully for us UK fans, Dave Meniketti and co rallied together to put on a sublime (as usual) show. The setlist has been altered to feature less tracks that Nymann would have performed vocal harmonies with Meniketti on.
The silver lining of this unfortunate situation is that we get to hear Meniketti in all his excellence. He's a guitarist that doesn't get enough credit, but he should! As the sole original member of the band, the lead guitarist and vocalist commands the stage, blowing us away with his incredible array of solos and powerful set of lungs.
It's not surprising that they are a little shaky at the beginning, but that disappears as the band start to feel more comfortable on stage, with Meniketti and bassist Aaron Leigh scaling the stage, backed by the powerhouse that is Mike Vanderhule. The crowd is absolutely loving singing along to tracks like 'Dirty Girl' and 'Rescue Me'.
Y&T are one of those bands that have managed to write music in styles across the spectrum; be it a hard and heavy rockin' tune like 'Mean Streak' or a power ballad like 'Winds of Change'. Either way, we're all lapping it up.
Friend of the band, Scottish guitarist Ross McEwen guests on stage for a couple of songs, he's a little nervous, but soon settles in. When you get a call from Meniketti a couple of nights before to join the band on two UK dates, you're not going to say no, no matter how short a time you have to rehearse the material.
Y&T are not to be missed, and knowing that they have a strong fan base here in the UK since they first played in 1982, they will be back for a tour starting in
October.
(MG)
Saxon certainly have a tough act to follow so perhaps it’s fitting that they open with the fierce and fighty ‘Battering Ram’. Off to a hard and heavy start, they show no sign of slowing down as they launch into 1983’s ‘Power and the Glory'. It’s become a set staple by now but the crowd are still as keen as ever to hear it.
After a rousing rendition of ‘Sacrifice‘ teamed with blood red lighting and plenty of smoke, Biff announces that they’ll be doing something they’ve never done before. Having been slightly concerned that this set would too closely mirror those of recent tours, we're on the edge of our (non-existent) seats waiting to find out what this new addition will be. The surprise turns out to be a performance of the entire 1982’s live album
The Eagle Has Landed. Although the result is a set filled with songs that are no strangers to a Saxon live show, it’s a novelty nonetheless and it feels a bit special to be privy to something that supposedly hasn’t happened in 35 years.
As Biff’s whistling echoes across Mote Park, Nigel Glocker lets rip on the drums and the band are in full swing with Motorcycle Man. From here it’s hit after hit after hit and the crowd are lapping it up. As the sun sets, the fast paced ’20,000 Ft.’ paired with some intense pyrotechnics keeps everyone’s spirits high, Nibbs Carter included it seems, as he bounds around the stage.
As The Eagle Has Landed comes to a close and we’re left wondering what will come next, Biff bends down and rips up his set list. Hundreds of indecipherable voices shout out suggestions when we’re asked what we’d like to hear. Sadly our calls for ‘Ride Like The Wind’ fall on deaf ears but energetic and pyro filled performances of ‘And The Bands Played On’, ‘Dallas 1 PM’ and ‘Crusader’ make up for it. The much lesser played, power metal infused ‘Battalions Of Steel’ gains a place in the encore alongside heavy metal anthem, ‘Denim and Leather’. Biff even tries to scare the living daylights out of the whole park at one stage as they trick us with a black out of a couple seconds. This only electrifies the set even more!
Saxon never fail to deliver and this Friday headline slot has been no different as they went at full speed and full power! Yes, some more surprises would have really topped everything off but maybe knowing your strengths and sticking to them is the winning combination here.
(LD)
It's the Saturday morning of Ramblin' Man and as we lay in our tents listening to the mating calls of nearby wood pigeons, we pray that the sun is shining and hope that somehow the rain has moved on. On first peak though, the dreary, grey skies lets us know that we are in for another day of drizzle. It doesn't matter though as after we fill our bellies with a 'Spoons breakfast, we know we get to see the likes of JJ Nichols, Dokken, Glenn Hughes, British Lion and Extreme as well as many other class acts.
Classic rock fans came out of the shelter in their masses to witness none other than 'The Voice of Rock' Glenn Hughes. You have to commend Hughes' work ethic; the year started off with the tragic death of his mother during the Resonate tour, yet he followed through and completed it whilst allowing himself some personal time with his dearest. Why wouldn't we all be out here in the (now) pouring rain for a true musical hero?
Casually striding on to the stage, Hughes and his band open the set with 'Flow' from the new album, warming the crowd up with 'that' outstanding voice and the heavy riff driven tune. Usual guitarist Søren Andersen is missing tonight, but there is suitable replacement, Anders Bo Jespersen, standing in. He does come across a tad cocky on stage, but he does the job well enough. This is probably due to the fact that 1) he's playing with Glenn Hughes and 2) well, anybody would feel super confident playing solos and riffs constructed by Ritchie Blackmore, Tommy Bolin and Pat Thrall!
lifting the mood even more, as Hughes asks the audience
“How Do You Feel?!”. We're all dancing along, banging our heads to this classic, basking in the awe of a majestic singer. “I just want to say it's nice to be home. Really glad to be here, in this weather, because I can guarantee if it's gonna rain, you people will stand out here, and I really appreciate that” Hughes tells us before introducing another track from the latest album, 'Heavy'. It's dominated with a big chorus, paving way to a sing along where we can't quite reach those prolonged high notes. Keyboard player Jay Bo has a moment to shine, scaling the keys proficiently along to the groove of the tune.
Applause fills the air as Glenn announces that the next song was written with his “buddy David Coverdale, a long long time ago”; cue, emotion. We know what's coming, one of the best Deep Purple songs from that period; 'You Keep On Moving'. As the deep bass starts to boom out of the speakers, there's an eruption of cheers from the crowd, followed by a silence. We all just take in the magnificence of the song and then that first verse kicks in and we are singing along, trying to harmonise the best we can with Glenn. It's one of those songs where you just have to sing along and by God, it's still has the ability to sucker-punch you and leave you breathless, as it probably did to anyone hearing it live in '70s. Jespersen embraces the moment to rip out a delightful solo towards to the end.
The beat is picked up with the title track from Soul Mover and then Black Country Communion's fast paced 'Black Country'. Glenn Hughes ends the set with the ever dependable 'Burn' which gets us all roaring along, performing air guitar, air keyboards, air drums, you name it! What a way to end, we don't know how anybody is going to top this performance. The set was far too short for a musician of this calibre; we could have done with a lot more. (MG)
Next up, is Dokken. When Ramblin' Man announced that Dokken was part of this year's line-up, we didn't know what to expect. Particularly considering the fact that we were under the impression that if you missed the reunion tour in Japan in 2016, you missed out completely. It seems though that since original guitarist George Lynch has once again gone his own way, Don Dokken wants to continue touring. It's common knowledge that Don doesn't have the pipes he used to, but what with Dokken being such a dominant part of the '80s heavy metal scene, we march our way to the front to see what this line up- including Jon Levin, Wild Mick Brown, Chris McCarvill and Don Dokken- has in store.
We're feeling excited- having spent many a night out singing along to Dokken in clubs but nothing beats the real thing, and live! People around us are skeptical as we watch each band member enter the stage. Don is the last to enter as he apathetically bows to the crowd holding his familiar wide brimmed hat in place. The band start their set with 'Don't Close Your Eyes' - a real Dokken classic which would usually be met with people singing along. Not this time, though. This could be due to the fact that it really is tipping it down. We continue to brave the rain and try our best to sing along to the down tuned and somewhat monotonous version of 'The Hunter'. Don really is trying hard, although he looks somewhat embarrassed as he continues to make his way through the set. He speaks to the crowd in a very soft, sombre voice, seemingly worried not to strain his vocal chords.
Guitarist Jon Levin then opens up with the infamous riff to 'Breaking the Chains' as he sports a Charvel guitar with a print not too dissimilar to the ESP that George Lynch plays in the video released in 1981. This song has seemed to lift the spirits of the crowd somewhat and many try their best to adapt their singing to the new tone that Don is sharing now. They continue with setlist choices made of dreams with 'Dream Warriors' and 'Alone Again' being up next. Don's focus during 'Alone Again' in particular is apparent as he puts in his all to produce a vocal quality to match the perfect playing of the musicians around him. They support him with warm looks and Chris McCarvill gives Don a sympathetic pat on the back during a couple of missed notes. Jon Levin breaks up this slow tempo ballad with a note perfect, soaring solo played to perfection.
After a song which clearly stretched Don's vocals to the limit, he surprisingly announces that they are going to play a song from their '90s era and so we hear 'The Maddest Hatter' from the 1999 album Erase the Slate. This certainly stands out among the otherwise 80s choice of material, however it seems Don is able to tackle this with a little more of that enthusiasm and 'oomph' that Don is renowned for.
It's time for 'In My Dreams' and we're guessing this will be the final song in Dokken's set. The band attempt the opening vocal harmony which kicks off this brilliant track. Unfortunately there's someone amidst the group that hits a bum note and so it doesn't have the desired effect. Nevertheless, the band continue into this fan favourite and the immediately identifiable riff gets us grooving. The band gel well together and there is clearly a lot of support and good musicianship within the group.
It really does sadden us to see Don Dokken without that '80s swagger and bravado that he held for so long. He really is lacking the vocal ability to hold down most of the material from the classic Dokken period. Even with vocal support, it's clear that Don is aware of his difficulties and this is apparent in his performance. The band really do give their all, and despite the songs not sounding like you'd wish, seeing Dokken live is certainly on the bucket list for most young fans of '80s heavy metal who missed out on seeing the 'real thing'. This factor means that Dokken may well continue into the future. (KG)
Fueling our systems with the fantastic choice of food and booze that Ramblin' Man has to offer we are ready for Rival Sons. The rain is still hammering down on us as they take their place on the Grooverider stage. They’ve come a long way since their live debut in the UK at Camden’s Barfly six years ago. Having shared the stage since then with greats such as Deep Purple, Kiss and Black Sabbath and with this being their second Ramblin’ Man Fair, it’s fitting that they’re in the headline slot this time around.
With 2015's Hollow Bones arguably being the bands greatest success so far in the UK, it’s an explosive start to the set as the heavy grooving of ‘Hollow Bones Pt.1’ gets the crowd moving from the off. Jay Buchanan’s soulful vocals continue to impress as the band flow into ‘Tied Up’. The straight up rock ‘n’ roll of ‘Electric Man’ gets hips swinging and arms waving as Scott Holiday’s seductive guitar tone cuts through the wind and rain. ‘Memphis Sun’ provides some much needed Californian Warmth. The beautiful, stripped back number from 2009's Before The Fire allows the band to show us their raw talent, of which they clearly have an abundance. Sticking with the early material, ‘Torture’ and ‘Soul’ from the band’s self titled EP stand the test of time.
Despite some sound issues muddying things slightly, Mike Miley and Dave Beste manage to power through and give the band a consistently groovy rhythm section. It’s really impossible to stand still as Rival Sons go from strength to strength with their electrifying brand of modern hard rock infused with the sounds of the '70s. The full range of Buchanan’s incredible vocal ability is stunning to witness from the gritty and powerful ‘Open My Eyes’ into the more delicate and soulful ‘Hollow Bones Pt. 2’. Finishing their set with the toe tapping rock ‘n’ roll of ‘Keep On Swinging’, with its climactic finale is the perfect way for Rival Sons to sign off on their second appearance at Ramblin’ Man. The crowd disperses - soaked through but satisfied and undoubtedly with a swing in their step. (LD)
As the day continues, we're sure to feast on the variety of bands on offer on Saturday's line-up, including witnessing heavy metal Jesus Steve Harris in
British Lion;
last year's favourite Scott Gorham in
Black Star Riders and witnessing motorcycle racer turned musician James Toseland's new musical love
Toseland.
We often find ourselves taking shelter in the very brilliant
Big Red tent which gives us not only shelter, flowing drink and a perfect view of the main stage but also a feeling of familiarity after spending many-a- night at the real thing down on London's Holloway Road.
As darkness arrives and the rain eases, we traipse through the mud to join the masses of
Extreme fans. Extreme had never really been a band on our radar. Something just didn't click. Whatever that something was however, it clicked on a wet Saturday night in Mote Park. Not wanting to miss the headline act, we decided to leave the safety of the Big Red tent, brave the downpours and see what they had to offer.
Right away, Extreme have us and the rest of the crowd hooked. No matter how familiar these songs are, there is no denying that the combination of showmanship and great song writing is enough to win over even the most skeptical of festival goers.
Hits like ‘Get The Funk Out’, ‘Rest In Peace’ and It (’s A Monster) interspersed with lesser known tracks like 'Slide' get the headline set off to a more than solid start. Their debut self-titled record isn’t neglected either with ‘Kid Ego’ and ‘Play with Me’ getting an outing. It’s so clear why this band shot to fame and popularity in the way they did. All four men on stage are first and foremost, performers. They know how to entertain with Gary Cherone and Nuno Bettencourt in particular charming the crowd from start to finish. It’s the end of a very enjoyable, long day but looking around, there is not a single face without a grin plastered ear to ear.
An extended, solo acoustic guitar prelude to ‘More Than Words’ from Bettencourt is completely captivating. One man, alone on stage, has every single one of us under his spell. A true artist, he could probably get away with a headline set of him playing alone. For now though, Cherone,
Badger and Figueiredo re-enter the stage for an electric rendition of perhaps Extreme’s greatest hit. It says a lot about the quality of their performance that this is not a stand alone high point in the set. The great vibes coming from both the stage and the crowd are on the same level until the last note.
Rousing singalong ‘Hole Hearted’ topped off with an excerpt of Queen’s ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ has the band bouncing their seemingly endless energy off each other and around the stage. It turns out that it’s not the only Queen we’re going to hear tonight. After a stupidly impressive and truly mesmerising ‘Flight Of The Wounded Bumblebee’ and the anthemic ‘Decadence Dance’, Extreme close off a rainy Ramblin’ Man Saturday with a fitting, atmospheric and huge sounding cover of ‘We Are The Champions’.
Having gone in with no expectations, we came out as absolute converts, blown away by the incredible quality of music and showmanship coming from this Boston quartet. (LD)
Is that sun we feel upon our dehydrated faces? Surely not! But, alas, it is! The sun is shining down on a very moist Mote Park and we are in for a day of sun, smiles as well as another fantastic bucketful of bands including
Wishbone Ash,
Focus,
Magnum,
Blues Pills,
UFO and
ZZTop, to name but a few.
It was a couple of months prior to the festival that we found out we would be watching
Martin Turner’s Wishbone Ash perform the whole of the 1972 masterpiece,
Argus. They’ve performed this set before in recent years but for many, us included, this serves as a first chance to witness the '70s rock epic in full.
As the beautiful first notes of the album float out over the crowd, there is a taste of the magical atmosphere that is to come. The harmonic vocals of ‘Time Was’ suffer a little as the song kicks off - understandably so as these vocal parts were written by and for men who were, at that time, nearly half a decade younger than they are now. Pleasingly, the recovery is swift as the four musicians quickly fall into step with each other. Each of Martin Turner’s current ensemble are relatively new to the fold but they have clearly found their feet with ease. They play fantastically throughout and are obviously well rehearsed. With no overbearing personalities on stage, the focus is on the music itself. Wilson, Brown and Nikolic manage to create a beautiful atmosphere through their playing alone and allow Martin to enjoy the limelight as the clear leader of the band.
Argus has always been a timeless album which prompts even the most stoic of fans to sing along and move with the music. This performance is no exception with the crowd loving every moment of the set, in particular the blissfully tuneful ‘The King Will Come’ and ‘Leaf and Stream’. Willson and Nikolic’s guitar work is so authentic and true to the original music that listening to them play with closed eyes could make someone think they had been transported right back to the 70s.
During this second part of the set Martin Turner really comes into his own vocally, harking back to his past position at the helm of
Wishbone Ash.
‘Warrior’ is a real highlight with the iconic twin lead guitar and melodic vocals melting effortlessly together to provide a stunning climax to the show. In a moment of comedy, the lyrics of
Monty Python’s ‘The Lumberjack Song’ are substituted in place of those of ‘Warrior’. It seems that the probably coincidental similarities between the vocal melodies of both songs have not gone unnoticed by Martin Turner and Co. Things are finished off by an energetic rendition of ‘Blowing Free’. The band really gel and seem to be having a fantastic time bouncing around the stage.
Hearing Argus performed under the warm English sunshine, in the stunning surrounds of this country park with a light breeze blowing over the crowd feels utterly perfect. For 45 minutes we are transported somewhere else entirely. So, it's fair to say that - that's a job well done.
(LD)
After a relaxing afternoon enjoying a range of blues and country musicians, browsing the typical festival stalls and witnessing a very impressive, hair- raising and butt-clenching performance from the
Laguna Motorcycle crew, it's not long before it's time to hop along to the main stage to get prime position for rock marvels
UFO.
It's a great turn-out with many fans sporting original memorabilia showing their support for a band that has given their all to this genre for only a couple of years short of 5 decades! UFO have seen many line-up changes over the years with only 1 member staying put- Mr Phil Mogg. And, here he stands in front of the a sea of UFO fans, looking as dapper as ever. Coolness oozes from his pores as he bobs along to the opening rhythm of 'Light's Out'. His vocals, as always, are on point as he slowly paces the stage, charming the audience. It's a pleasure to see such an important and inspirational guitarist such as
Vinnie Moore on stage with the band as he let's the soulful melodies of Michael Schenker's guitar work flow through his fingers as the crowd watch on in awe.
Phil Mogg continues to charm the audience as he asks all the ladies in the crowd to give a cheer. A few faint squeals echo across the park as he smiles. The band then work their way through a 2015 track 'Run Boy Run' as well as '70s classics 'Ain't No Baby', 'Too Hot Too Handle', 'Only You Can Rock Me' and 'Cherry'. Spirits are high and some of the quieter parts of 'Cherry' are slightly dirtied by the electric sounds coming from the Prog stage across the park. This doesn't go unnoticed by the band as Phil jokes that UFO can most definitely blow them off the stage.
That's exactly what they do as they open up with another track from
Lights Out- 'Love to Love'. As the familiar, atmospheric keys build up, drummer Andy Parker's ride cymbal reflects across the crowd as we enjoy the beauty of this track. 'Love to Love' is such an emotive masterpiece and UFO do a brilliant job sending us all into a trance. It's no surprise that Vinnie Moore does the solo justice, putting his own personal spin on it. He is certainly not someone that needs to replicate anyone's guitar work- not even Michael Schenker's.
The song ends and is instantly met with well-deserved acclaim from the crowd. Vinnie wastes no time as he goes straight into one of rocks most loved riffs- 'Rock Bottom'. Those few fans that were half asleep through less obvious UFO tracks are now awake and their feet get moving. Fan air guitars are exposed and the band play through both 'Rock Bottom' and their most well-known, loved triumph 'Doctor Doctor'. Knowing that these are undoubtedly the last tracks of their set, they are played with maximum effort and enthusiasm as always. UFO deserve nothing more than the full respect and appreciation that they are getting today here at Ramblin' Man. It's inspirational to see Phil Mogg standing in front of us, full of youth and energy at the age of 69. This current line up do a superb job delivering the tracks that all UFO fans know and love.
(KG)
It's been one hell of a weekend, but it's not over yet. All eyes are on the main stage as we all get ready for some blues rock courtesy of Houston's finest, the 'tres hombres' that are ZZ Top. Drinks are flowing, spirits are high and everybody is in the mood to boogie!
A motorbike engine revs up, followed by fast paced, bass heavy music with a deep voice booming out “It's party time! Time to Rock!”, as Frank Beard, Dusty Hill and Billy Gibbons walk out on stage. They waste no time getting stuck in, as the intro tape counts them into the set opener 'Under Pressure' from their world renowned 1983 album Eliminator. Gibbons' husky deep vocals are alternated with Hill's clean and soulful ones as they command the stage. These guys are in a league of their own, exuding musicianship and showmanship; a triple act, with each element working together in perfect unison. The rhythm section of Beard and Dusty creates the perfect backing for Billy Gibbon's admirably effortless guitar playing.
They swoop us back to 1973 with Tres Hombres openers 'Waitin' For The Bus' and 'Jesus Just Left Chicago'. It's a masterclass in the Blues, tinged with a healthy dose of Texas rock and roll, and we're loving it, swaying along. No time for us to slow down though, as Gibbons' plays the famous Bond intro line before piling into one of their biggest hits, 'Gimme All Your Lovin'. Eliminator gets a healthy measure of songs in the set list with 'Legs' and 'Sharp Dressed Man' also included.
With a musical career spanning 47 years, there's no shortage of tunes to choose from, so we get everything from Rio Grande Mud to 2012's La Futura, playing tracks such as 'I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide', 'Pincushion', 'Cheap Sunglasses', 'My Head's In Mississippi' and 'I Gotsa Get Paid'. ZZ Top's music just oozes coolness and sexiness, you just find yourself unconsciously dancing along. Gibbons is the anchor of it all, with a natural swagger, even when playing covers of other artist's songs, including The Hendrix Experience's 'Foxy Lady'. The crowd is singing along to the chorus of this seminal track that has been made ZZ Top's own in this set.
Halfway through the set, Gibbons announces in his gravel toned voice that they are going to “Turn this into a Country band”, where “ZZ Top turns into Red Neck Rock”. Their guitar tech, Elwood Francis is invited to join them on stage with his lap steel for the good ol' Country song 'Act Naturally' (Buck Owens And His Buckaroos), toning down the mood before picking up it again with Degüello's 'Cheap Sunglasses'.
There is no doubt that ZZ Top are at home on the stage, playing up to the crowd, garnering whoops of joy and delight from the crowd with the Gibbons and Hill double act, incredible solos and laid back approach to dominating our attention. Billy Gibbons comes across as cheeky chap; shouting out that it's “time to drink a little whiskey”, flashing the back of his guitar that has 'BEER' written on it, swigging from a Jack Daniels bottle and smoking a cigar on stage. He's our hero!
As they leave the stage, it's clear that the crowd wants more. Back by popular demand, donning matching sequinned blazers, Gibbons' teases us with the John Lee Hooker inspired 'La Grange' from Tres Hombres before gliding easily into the riff of Fandango's 'Tush'. ZZ Top finish their set with a rousing rendition of none
other than 'The King Of Rock 'n' Roll' Elvis Presley's 'Jailhouse Rock'. We leave Mote park on an high thinking to ourselves, “damn, what a night!”. (MG)
Writers: Kayleigh MG, M Godding and Louise D
Friday & Sunday Photography: M Godding
Saturday Photography: Dave Craig
