To catch one of
your favourite classic rock bands in a year is a treat for most fans, but
2007 is turning out to be something rather special for the older rock fans
out there with the likes of Toto, Journey, Deep Purple, Styx, Saxon and
Thin Lizzy having already toured this year and with the likes of
Foreigner, Alice Cooper, Joan Jett, Heaven And Hell (featuring Ronnie
James Dio) and Motorhead scheduled to tour later this year.
The old
school rockers can once again brush off those leathers and squeeze into
those tight blue jeans once more and venture out of the cocoon that has
had them trapped over past years. Tonight saw another one of
British Rocks iconic bands treads the boards once more, as Magnum play a
long overdue date in Newcastle.
First up tonight are
Birmingham’s new young guns UXL, with the brothers Tierney, John on vocals
and guitar, PJ on guitar, Paul on drums and completing the line-up Dan
Clark on bass and keyboards. The band delivered a short but impressive set
with songs taken from their debut album. Highlights included the new
single and opener ‘Can I Dream Again’, which instantly made the crowd take
notice, especially with the distinctive vocals of John who came across as a
hard edged Chris Isaacs.
Another favourite of mine from the set was ‘New Dawn Waiting’, which
went down a storm with the appreciative crowd and I’m sure they won
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new fans tonight. With several festivals lined up for later this
year the buzz from this band will surely make 2007 their year to break
into the big time. |
So now for the main
event and one that I must say was long overdue as a near capacity crowd
pays homage to the mighty Magnum.
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As the band came
on stage the crowd gave each member a warm welcome and an extra cheer was
given as Bob Catley entered the fray. A big cheer for the wee man who's
warmly known in our household as 'Oor Bob' and I expect in a few more
houses of those devoted fans amongst the crowd. In the crowd tonight
I saw t-shirts that read
like a beginners guide to tours past and present.
The band got
things underway with something from the present in the form of ‘When We
Were Young’, taken from the bands latest release ‘Princess Alice and the
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Arrow’. A track that was definitely meant to be played live, as
are most of Magnums back catalogue. I don’t know what it is, but
the band seem to bring each track alive and give it more depth and
vigour that sometimes is lacking on cd. |
Things continue
as the band dig into that vast back catalogue for a thumping rendition of
‘Back Street Kid’ before returning to the new album for ‘Out of the
Shadows’, which was inadvertently introduced as ‘Like Brothers We Stand’ by
Bob, who just got a little ahead of himself in the set list. This is
another one of those tracks that perhaps seemed to lack lustre a little on
the cd, but live it
was just simply supreme.
The band reached
deep into the vaults for something rather special as they turned it up a
notch or two with ‘On a Storytellers Night’, which gave the crowd a chance
to stretch their vocal chords as they sang and waved their arms around along with Catley.
One dominant
feature of tonight’s show was the sound quality, as it was probably the best
I’ve heard at the venue, and with Clarkin making the guitar sing like it
was part of his very being, this was Magnum at their finest.
It was now time
for ‘Like Brothers We Stand’, another new track which like the previous
new material, was very well received by the adoring crowd.
A big intro by
Mark Stanway led the way for a another big track this time the superb ‘How
Far Jerusalem’. A song that still kicks ass after all these years and as Bob
leaves the stage to let Tony and the rest of the band do what they do best
on the mid section of the song, with Clarkin leaving a lasting impression on
all of the guitar players in the crowd with his superb yet relaxed guitar
style, he just seems to caress the fret board and it just oozes out those
notes with such ease.
The crowd give
out a roaring cheer for what had just gone before and as the cheers die
down the chants of "MAGNUM! MAGNUM!" rang out in appreciation of a faultless
rendition of a crowd favourite.
The band return
once again for what could go down a modern classic the excellent ‘Dragons
Are Real’, then is was time for a couple of real classics, firstly the
stirring ‘Les Morts Dansant’ and then back to The Brand New Morning album
for ‘We All Run’.
The phrase
classic is used a lot on this review because that's just what this band have in
their vast back catalogue, classics that will and do stand the test of time,
and you don’t get any bigger and better than the next song, one of my all
time favourites and I’m sure was probably the show stopper for many, the
outstanding (and probably one of best rock songs ever written) ‘The Spirit’.
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After the
magnificence of 'The Spirit' is was time to bring the tempo up a notch or
two with a run of what can only be described as all time greats starting
off with ‘ All England’s Eyes’, then Clarkin played the first few chords of
‘Vigilante’ and the place erupted into a sea of waving arms to clap
this trio. The band simply excelled with the sublime version of ‘Kingdom of
Madness’, which once again gave the crowd a chance to sing along. This
rounded off the main set with the audience giving their all in support of
the band even before they had a chance to leave the stage.
It wasn’t long
before the band were back on stage to finish off a superb night with the
last of |
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new material ‘Thank You For The Day’, which Bob kindly dedicated to
all present then the band finished off with what else but ‘Sacred
Hour’, which ended with a flash bomb going off and was the icing on
the cake of what was one of the best Magnum shows I’ve ever seen.
Let's hope we don’t have to wait so long next time for the band to
return to Newcastle. |
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