The story goes that Jimi Hendrix was
once asked what it felt like to be the best guitarist in the world. "I
don't know," he replied. "Ask Rory Gallagher."
Therefore you had better be damn sure
that if you are celebrating his music, you do so with respect; there are no
worries on that score. This Band of Friends is no mere tribute act. This is a
band of Rory's friends. Two of them,
bass player Gerry McAvoy and Drummer Ted McKenna, played with Gallagher, McAvoy
toured with him for 20 years, while Sensational Alex Harvey Band’s McKenna was there
from 78-81.
It also helps that they have been
doing this for a couple of years - indeed RTM saw them in this very venue 12
months ago, so the act is honed to perfection.
The support band that night, as now,
were Redditch based blues trio Sugar Mama. The band positively exudes youthful exuberance. They also seem to be finding their own feet slightly more than
being steeped in old blues like they were last year and this is despite the
blistering cover of Gallaghers "Laundromat" that they end things with.
Self-penned songs like "Real Love" and "Love No Money" see
them moving into territory more associated with the White Stripes or Wolfmother
and if the lyrics do seem a tad naive, then surely you can forgive them that
given their age. The development of Sugar Mama continues apace.
“The curfew is extended until 2am –
and the bar is free after 10” so says Gerry McAvoy as he strolls out onstage to
begin BoF’s set, he grins mischievously as his band launch into “Last Of The
Independents” a track which sums up the maverick nature of the man who we are
here to celebrate perfectly – a heavy, bluesy, yet insanely catchy tune, it is –
like the hour and a half that follows - absolutely superb.
In truth it is hard to go wrong when
you are playing 90 minutes of Gallagher’s songs, and any time “Bad Penny” is
played it is more or less impossible not to grin insanely like some sort of lunatic.
The real skill, though is in the
choice of band members. McAvoy is a natural showman, who is the nominal
frontman of the group, McKenna belts the kit with gusto, but this trio was
essentially going to live and die by its six stringer, the Rory role if you
will, and Marcel Scherpenzeel is an inspired choice.
The Dutchman not only plays guitar
like a god, he is an excellent singer. McAvoy promises that he is “the closest
thing to Rory you will ever hear” and he is not wrong. “Calling Card” is a
veritable freak out, while set closer “Shadow Play” is just wonderful. They are
back for an encore – which like last year is “Bullfrog Blues” with as many
teasing, false endings as you can possibly imagine, with the band just enjoying
itself.
We will never be lucky enough to see
Rory Gallagher again. Those of us that never did will forever be safe in the
knowledge that thanks to a couple of his mates and a magnificent guitarist we
can, just once a year, close our eyes and imagine what it would have been like.
The best blues fun of the year.
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