Review & Photography by Ritchie Birnie for MPM
After the release of their incredible debut EP Hollow Souls take to the road and treat us to an unforgettable show.
The support for tonight is the insanely talented Troy Redfern. He may look like a missing Aerosmith band member due to his cool looks but he sure would give Mr Perry a run for his money with the old guitar licks.
Since I have last seen him he has doubled the band members by adding Paul Annis on drums and percussion, and there has to be a tip of the hat just for the fact that he stood the whole show.
The added instruments may take a little of the limelight of Troy but it really does broaden the sound and definitely adds new textures to the older songs.
The set is short but tight with three tracks from the new album “Retribution” alongside four older songs. If you have seen Troy before you know what you are getting, a musical spectacle, riffs, some slide and a whole lot of fun.
The new songs of “Shakin'”, “Taken my Soul” and “Aching Heart” got the crowd involved from the off and you could see the people who had not heard of Troy pay attention and as the show rolled on and the old bangers crept in that was all the more evident. A great show from a pro.
As soon as I heard the debut from Hollow Souls I was blown away. I was already a big Kris Barras fan going back to “Lucky 13” and as much as I loved the later, heavier “Halo Effect” album it was his blues side I was drawn to so I was delighted to hear that this project kept that flame alive. As Kris confirmed himself the KBB will keep going in that direction so I hope and Pray that Hollow Souls runs parallel.
The show kicked off with the EPs opening number in “Borderline” and this catchy, Southern drenched blues number filled the venue. For me this is Kris in his element and those guitar tones are stunning.
It is our first taste of Phoebe Jane on vocals and instantly you know she is born to be centre stage and that voice is far too good to be stuck as a backing singer. She owned that stage and I think Kris may just have found a star.
That thought is instantly cemented as the band lay down a barnstorming rendition of Zep’s “Rock and Roll”. The tight five piece knocked this out of the park.
It is back to the EP with “Bad Things” with Kris taking over vocal duties from Chris Tapp who shone but there is no let down in the live setting. This is just some beautiful blues.
With the first release only being an EP we have to dig into Kris’s back catalouge and also some blues classics which “I Don’t Need a Doctor” is definitely one and this gives Kris his time to shine as the fretwork is outstanding.
Next we go right back to his first album for “Tearing me Apart” and where we heard Phoebe for the first time I think. I went back and listened to the original and it was obvious even then that the young woman was destined to shine.
We are in full flight Blues mode and after “Rock me Baby” the band kick ass with EP track “Shotgun” and this was a highlight. This was my favourite of the EP release and live this hyped up, heavy assed blues was insane.
After another couple of older songs we burst into a run from the EP and we finish off the songs remaining in one fell swoop and I have to be honest this three track run was amazing. The new songs sounded pristine live and it shows how powerful they were that they were not overshadowed by the Blues classics or Kris’s older songs.
Talking of older songs we go into a balls to the wall closing run of songs for the finale and I do not need to introduce “My Parade” or “Hail Mary”. These are in every KBB show and as you stand and watch this band you know why they cannot be left out. They get the crowd in full voice and the juices are flowing.
After a short break the band come back with Troy also taking the stage for a cover of Freddie King’s “Going Down” and just like that the show is over.
This was entertainment from the first note until the last. This is a band that must continue. We need Kris’s Blues side, we need more from Phoebe as I am sure we have just scraped the surface on what this talented singer has in store.
