Review by Gary Spiller for MPM
Slipping into December’s double digits we return to one of our favourite Cardiff venues – the Tramshed – for further escapism from the over-commercialised aspects of the season. This evening’s hard rocking shenanigans are delivered, first class of course, by British Lion with fine support in the sprightly form of Tony Moore and long-standing capital city rockers Stray.
Maiden connections abound throughout the evening; opening act Moore had a brief stint as the band’s first keyboardist back in 1977 whilst Londoners Stray supported Maiden on several dates of their summer 2003 tour. As for the night’s headliners there’s the very obvious presence of a certain bassist as well as drummer Simon Dawson who, upon the retirement of Nicko McBrain, has taken up the touring duties behind Maiden’s kit.
Oft mischaracterized as a purely a Steve Harris ‘solo project’ British Lion are much, much more than that. Having seen the band several times I consider such an observation as a major slight upon their talented ranks. The Lion’s vocalist Richard Taylor takes time to shine light upon Harris’ involvement in writing tracks with himself and guitarist Grahame Leslie during the 1990’s well before British Lion became a ‘thing’. The band’s roots are much deeper than at first glance; Taylor’s illuminations certainly opened up hitherto a, personally, previously undiscovered chapter.
It was courtesy of his long-standing friendship with Harris that we were first introduced, nearly two years ago, to Tony Moore in the darkest depths of Somerset. On that occasion I likened him to “an alloying of the larger-than-life spirit of Eddie Murphy’s Nutty Professor and the sparkling intellect, and indeed humour, of Sir Tony Robinson.” Second encounter and I haven’t, to his eternal credit, seen any requirement to diverge from my initial assessment.
From the moment the obligatory thunder rolls and spectres whirl dervishly Moore holds the somewhat spartan early-doors crowd enraptured. Looks like a pre-7pm opening and striking up on the stroke of seven has had an effect on the number of punters through the door. Credit to Moore, as a solo artist, the stage could’ve felt a lonely place, but he doesn’t show any outward concern and skilfully gets on with the job.
With Pink Floyd-esque guitaring Moore, beneath his trademark sparkling baseball cap, makes serious efforts to warp his fret into new dimensions during the opening manoeuvres of the opus ‘Awake’. The mood escalates towards a conflagrant conclusion before rolling without drawing breath into the bluesy vibe of ‘The Clock Has Started’. Villianous creatures create their very own cacotopia with the darkened moments.
Standing at the intersection of light and dark ‘Love We Need You Here’ bears witness to Moore edging towards ‘Wish You Were Here’ with more than a degree of melancholy. Urban areas burn and are reduced to dust. “I love you all!” exclaims Moore as he is, deservedly, received warmly by the slowly expanding Tramshed crowd.
Based around Moore’s abiding “dream of being in a house band” the rousing ‘Just One Night’ continues this affable gent’s reflections. Switching to his keyboard for the final two tracks of a quickfire set, clocking in at a fraction under 40 minutes. Moore unleashes the scintillating ‘Hopium’, a blend of 70’s atmospherics, with his dreams of becoming Elton John or Alice Cooper surfacing.
‘Crazy In The Shed’ does precisely what it says on the tin’s exterior as Moore dons a golden cap and a long pink fluffy coat to match the track’s effervescent jaunty nature. Based on this evening’s despatch Moore is rising towards being an under-rated treasure within the grassroots scene.
In spite of being born in Acton (Sssh don’t inform anyone!) the sole remaining founding member of Stray Del Bromham has been flying the flag for ‘Sarf’ London rock since the late 60’s in imperious form. There’s plenty of motion lotion in the metaphorical tank based upon this evening’s fine hour-long set which if you watched closely enough contained some vital lessons for much younger bands. 110% live, no frills or gimmicks just Bromham’s cheeky chappy patter and the no fucks to be given of him and his bandmates makes for a thoroughly palatable platter.
Very late to the Stray party I made their acquaintance at midnight set at the first Giants of Rock, at Minehead’s Butlins, just over a decade ago. Instantly struck with his extremely accessibility Stray went on, over the years, to forge their status as a popular mainstay of this now much-missed event on the mid-winter festival circuit.
With no fanfare, none is in truth necessary, Bromham roars the introductory mission statement “Let’s make a racket!” before the band hurtles into the hard-driving rhythms of ‘Houdini’. It’s good honest, warts an’ all, R’n’B; pin sharp it transcends the decades effortlessly. Replete with honky-tonk ivories it swaggers with an authority that can’t be taught.
With a tasty caustic Quo riffing the freewaying vibe of ‘Living The Dream’ brings in some southern blues melded with Boston-themed vocals to thrown into the fray. It’s catch as heck and its punchy dual six-stringing blends with the swirling Hammond-infused keys.
‘Jericho’ gallops along at a fair rate before Bromham, much in the vein of fellow Londoner Francis Rossi, patters about Saturday morning matinees before he pauses and, divergently notes “Tell you what we ain’t half had some rain.” Bromham and his sidekicks quite literally kick out the jams in the bluesy bluster of ‘After The Storm.
The crowd-pleasing head-nodder ‘1600 Pennsylvania Avenue’ is well received by the ever-swelling ranks of the Tramshed crowd; evidently the early start caught out more than a few this evening. With smoking highway charisma ‘Black Sun’ aptly motors along with Bromham smiling as broadly as the nearby Cardiff Bay. The atmospheric ‘I Believe It’ soars as only the eagle in full flight can before the pugilistic heavyweight nuances of ‘All In Your Mind’ demonstrates why Maiden covered this track on the b-side of their smash ‘Holy Smoke’. No egos, no fuss Stray still kick posterior and remain relevant over half a century since their inception; catch them live if at all possible. Promise you won’t regret doing so.
A month-long UK tour is close to winding up with a five-night residency at the renown London venue the Cart & Horses for British Lion. Following the conclusion of the northern section of the tour – including a headlining set at Scotland’s Winterstorm – there’s the not insignificant task of completing the southern segment.
The band are in fine fettle and although their 100-minute set doesn’t display much change from their winter tour of early 2024 there is, most tantalisingly, a third un-released track – the ultra-heavyweight strike ‘Paradise’ – to add to previous offerings ‘2000 Years’ and ‘Wasteland’. Maybe just maybe a new album is in the offing.
To a classically infused intro the quintet of Lions stride into the gladiatorial arena and the crowd surges and packs tight to the barrier. The Tramshed gathering are on point right away with the set-opening grandiose ‘This Is My God’ setting a high marker. Expressive powerhouse frontman Taylor is straight at the Cardiff crowd.
It’s a dank Tuesday in the run-in to the festive period and the gig hasn’t by any means sold-out; but this doesn’t matter in the slightest. Anyways I’ve heard much larger crowds make an awful lot less noise than this evening’s vociferous ensemble. With flashes of Maiden the hard stampeding ‘Judas’ gets the venue moving. Harris seems to be revelling in the crowd connection of the ‘smaller’ venues; bristling in his trademark ‘Whale Oil Beef Hooked’ vest.
Segueing effortlessly into a full throttle ‘Father Lucifer’ there’s no collective gas left to spare. Brand-new shiny track ‘Paradise’ follows with the Tramshed receiving the bucketloads of blood they’ve been ferally baying for. A resolutely proud ‘2000 Years’ stands sharply to attention; new for the January ’24 tour it appears to have settled most neatly into the setlist. The predatory drama of the hunting falcon it sets the pulses racing.
The glorious incendiary turbulence of ‘The Burning’ – title track of their 2020 sophomore release – follows as British Lion provide further demonstration of how actually tight an outfit they are. Such are the levels of musicianship that one actually forgets the Mr. Harris is amongst the on-stage ranks. Segueing effortlessly into ‘Legend’, a Celtic detonation of sorts, further gears are shifted.
The inner spirits rise with the Maiden-powered strains of ‘These Are The Hands’ before the spotlight beams upon the pre-British Lion chapter with the anthemic ‘A World Without Heaven’. Taylor, with natural pride evident, relates how it was written back in the 90’s in the very first session with Harris. It’s a track worthiest of the hardiest warrior with Leslie igniting his fretboard.
Taylor connects further with the Cardiff audience relating to visits to the Welsh valleys, “[those were] tough audiences!” he reflects before encouraging their first ever tour coach driver – Chris from Swansea – to the stage. It’s human touches, genuine ones like this that go a long way. With its mournful intro ‘Spit Fire’ sparks off with the Tramshed succumbing, most willingly it must be said, to its avalanche. Twisting and turning its delightful ebb and flow is majesty personified in mellifluous form.
As David Hawkins’ six-string notes bring in the highly resonant ‘Land of the Perfect People’ it strikes me how incredibly striking this band is on a personal level. These lyrics strike home on so many levels especially those parts of myself who have questioned my being on the perfection-driven quarters of social media. Personally, I’m proud to not be ‘perfect’.
Bright and effervescent in equally vast amounts ‘The Chosen Ones’ heavies up an underpinning of early Hogarth era Marillion succulently. Guitars wail in Maiden-fashion in the rollicking ‘Us Against The World’. A compelling invocation ‘Wasteland’ maintains a steep upwards course; never flash but always slick as. Harris’ low-end quakes resolutely as hammer blows are dealt from upon lofty vertiginous perches in ‘Lightning’. Elevating upon the invisible strengths of thermals ‘Last Chance’ is metalliferous grace.
There’s no need for the faff of encores herein; it’s not what British Lion are about in the slightest. The quintet wraps up, just before the hour of eleven, a sparkling, well balanced set with the spiritually rousing stampede of ‘Eyes of the Young’. Appetites appeased the crowd files out in jovial manner, once again British Lion have delivered in consummate style.
Photography by Kelly Spiller for MPM
