Review & Photography by Ritchie Birnie for MPM
The band that is too Country for Rock and too Rock for Country kick off their massive Be Right Here tour in Glasgow before they meander through the UK and Europe then back over the water to the good old US of A.
It is an opening night that has all the wobbles you can imagine but it sees a band in ascendancy smooth through the issues and play an unforgettable show to a very receptive Scottish audience.
It looked like the issues hit before a note was played as the three band bill was stripped to two as Steel Woods decided to call it quits before the tour which meant that Bones Owens had to step up to the plate and that is exactly what happened.
The band got an extended set and they were fantastic. They were way heavier than I was expecting (imagine The Picturebooks as a threesome) and the polished output they have laid down on record is thrown away and the live beast comes out in force and it was beautiful to behold.
The Glasgow crowd took them straight to their hearts with songs like “Get it On” setting the scene for their show and they delivered a stunning set.
Now to the main event in Blackberry Smoke which is tinged with sadness but also celebrated as drummer Brit turner died earlier this year, a mainstay and a real favourite here in Glasgow but as they say…the show must go on and what better way to pay homage than to entertain this packed venue and get the audience singing the roof off.
As discussed previously the opening night gremlins kicked in with frontman Charlie Starr’s guitar decides Fuck this tour, I’m not playing ball but rather than have a hissy fit Charlie goes old school and takes on the traditional singer option and does a mighty fine job of summoning his 70s singers pulling off some classic vocalist microphone stand poses and some dodgy dad dancing during opener “Let Me Help You (Find The Door)”.
All issues are resolved by second tune “Good One Comin’ On” and the band just sailed through the problems and as a note of appreciation the audience nod and join in with the singing duties, something that is like a contract the moment you walk into a BBS show, it is an unwritten rule and is basically a touring version of an evangelic church.
New track “Hammer and Nail” slots in beautifully to the set list before we revisit the album that blew up the band in Whippoorwill and “Pretty Little Lie” takes us all back to when we first heard them and with a two hour show we get plenty of reminders of all the amazing shows we have witnessed and the band takes us on a journey that they kicked off all those years ago and they play songs old and new that cement in your heart just how good this band is on record and most especially live.
We get a heavy assed version of “Waiting for the Thunder”, we get stoned out blues heaven in “Hey Delilah” and a bitchin rendition of “One Horse Town”.
A Blackberry Smoke show is something very special, something everyone should witness at least once in your life. It is a band as tight as a midge’s anus, its a celebration of music and it is a congregation gathered enjoy the moment and a chance to block out the everyday noise of life for two blissful hours…something you just cannot put a price on.
