Reviewed by Paul H Birch, Photos by Rich Ward
Outside the cold’s not letting up, so it’s a good thing KK’s is heaving with people. Body warmth is what we need and good spirits are in evidence too. Not as many Iron Maiden t-shirts as I’d imagined though. A further minor surprise comes once the Kris Barras Band’s sauntered on stage to Tenacious D’s ‘Tribute’ pouring out over the PA.
I’ve seen Barras previously, both playing acoustic support and more recently with Hollow Souls. The Kris Barras Band I’d known to be blues based, but heard they’d been heading down a heavier terrain. What I don’t expect is that opening number ‘Unbreakable’ sounds like something that could have featured on Yes makeover-album 90125.
As their set proceeds there’s an overall upbeat AOR to the songs interjected by more complicated lead runs. Barras’ voice is pitched higher than I’d previously acknowledged and suiting the material well. The five string bass player leaping and twisting about the stage might come across like he wants to be in a thrash band, but he’s holding the line, alongside a drummer I can barely see and a second guitarist who’s made effective use of and stands to the left of the bare-armed tattooed Barras holding court centre stage.
“Wolverhampton, how the fuck at you?” greets the main man further affecting an image at odds with the songs in evidence. The songs for the first two-thirds of the set tend to be short and sweet, yet often pack a lot in with ‘Dead Horses’ moving from weighted groove to neo-prog then veering towards prog metal on guitar solos that bite and shred, even allowing a little time for the audience to clap along, and so early in a support slot.
Next up, the bass player’s got both his hands across the fretboard and there’s some unusual sounds coming out from the stage – He’s not using a Chapman stick though so I presume some effects are being applied from elsewhere. As ‘These Voices’ and ‘Ignite (Light I Up)’ follow we’re several steps removed from the blues. Barras asks if we’re ready to sing, and the positive response signifies he’s a strong contingent of well-established fans within the crowd. ‘All Falls Down’ is fast-paced scuzz-dipped modern metal and with an album recorded last December and due out later in the year they offer up the as-yet unreleased ‘Monsters We Made’ that could frankly be some boy band singing away on its harmonies between ever faster guitar solos being spun out.
Time for two more numbers, I’m taking it they’re firm favourites as they also featured in the Hollow Souls set last year. First there’s the Southern Gothic rock of ‘Hail Mary’ then the attitudinal Celtic rock chant of ‘My Parade’. There’s much singing along and one arm-waving high in the air from the audience, and with them the Kris Barrs Band’s original blues imprint more apparent. While they draw the biggest crowd response I wonder if that’s more a familiarity with the songs as the newer songs in the set seem to offer a more dynamic shift in sonic tone. Either way, a more than healthy-sized crowd responds well to this guest slot appearance.
There’s not a long wait as ever more bodies sift forward; a varied age range and mixtures of sexes apparent, as Bad Company’s theme tune and Side 2 vinyl opener blasts out over the PA. Slow, strident if not passively cock-sure it states much about the headline act about to appear. Then, as a sea of red light fills the stage, their logo embellished against the back screen, on walk Smith/Kotzen the hot desert-wandering instrumental musings of their own ‘Life Unchained’ now taking precedence over the PA before a shot of real guitars blasts out and Adrian Smith roars down his mic, Richie Kotzen takes the next line, then together, swopping and sharing vocals as they do so with guitar lines.
Everyone up on stage is garbed in a customary weight-displacing black look, but it’s not like anyone needs to shed many excessive pounds. Smith and Kotzen wear cut-off vests and waistcoats – The latter’s now sporting a natural grey cropped hair look that would get him thrown out of a Rolling Stones dressing room while assorted tattoos dance down both his arms. The Iron Maiden contingent dangles a bright red scarf over his chest and a silver-rimmed black Stetson upon his head. They’re standing either side of the front of the stage, behind them resolutely bopping her head one minute, striding back and forwards the next is Julia Lage, solid throughout on bass. Behind them, looks an unfeasibly young looking drummer, apparently Bruno Valverde by name, and unlikely to be able to continue to beat the crap out of his kit by the end of their set, but I could be proved wrong.
Valverde leads the way into ‘Black Light’ with its rich dance groove and while the mics could do with being turned up a notch here the guitars sparkle; the differing styles of the band leaders apparent but compatible. Six strings continue to weave over the shimmering epic chord structure of ‘Waith’, Smith leaning back in classic rock pose as he solos, Kotzen tending to be more static early in the set as he concentrates on getting things right and often delivering a wave of his hand towards Valverde when a song’s about to conclude.
During the last number Smith, remarked that it was good to be back in Birmingham. Fortunately, Kotzen seems to know what part of the Midlands he is, enunciating: “How’re you all doing tonight, Wolverhampton?” before introducing ‘Glory Road’ that’s Bad Company-influenced on record but adds a heavier funk popping into its creepy-crawling blues tonight.
Lage’s slinky bass line introduces the heavy soul strut of ‘Hate And Love’ and now seemingly content Kotzen moves a pace or two towards centre stage as he solos, Smith leaning in towards him as he pushes fetching chords out before the soloist concludes with a modicum of double-tap hammering to finish things off nicely, thank you.
‘Blindsided’ possibly features slide guitar from Smith early in its opening but if so he’s put it away before I get a proper look, either way they turn up the rock on this one, Kotzen hitting grizzly-raw high notes vocally, the pair trading licks and solos with a dynamic intensity, and Lage powering it all along, proving to be a steady impressive quiet force, and to be honest it’s her I’m watching closely tonight – And not just because she’s easy-on-the-eye, Kotzen having sussed that one out by marrying the lady.
The shuffling metal funk rock of ‘Taking My Chances’ weds Bad Co with Deep Purple and succeeds. It evokes a tough attitude while unafraid to expose blue-eyed soul even as guitars squeal, emit echoed roars and dance across their fretboards offering both stylised technique and frenzied emotion. ‘Outlaw’ proves muscular while progressively riding shotgun into Sly & The Family Stone territory, the guitarists heading towards their wah-wah pedals as their taught groove reaches what we perceive to be its climax before turning on its head with some Lizzy-style harmony guitars, Kotzen then articulating vocally before the pair conclude the number impressively.
Far more animated than earlier in the set, Kotzen moves about the stage more now, he and Lage practically dancing to each other at one point, sharing the same mic at another and his previously stoic appearance now prone to beaming smiles. An attitude that contrasts with the nature of next number ‘Darkside’, their harmony vocals resounding over a number that wouldn’t be out of place on a Whitesnake or Coverdale/Page album. “Hope we haven’t depressed you too much!” offers a joking Smith before Kotzen delivers band introductions and they launch into ‘Got a Hold on Me’ that sounds like the missing rocker Deep Purple’s Stormbringer album ought to have featured back in the day – Right down to its racing Blackmore-influenced fiery runs and ka-boom styled explosive conclusion.
‘White Noise’ is a prowling neo-blues stomp, coming on with the resilience of an armoured tank crossing a battlefield with more unashamed blue-eyed soul wailing out from it. Wide white spotlights carouse the stage, turning a liquid purple as broken chords knit their way through the slow blues battered ‘Scars’, before turning up the heat with ‘Running’ and its heavy groove, hook line chorus and some fine performances by all, and if Valverde wasn’t hitting out quite so hard a little while back you wouldn’t notice. Full on, ‘Solar Fire’ rocks Smith/Kotzen’s set to its conclusion – As with much of their music it wears their mutual and individual musical influences proudly but adds personalised nuances that makes their work classically rock-schooled but relevant to a modern listening audience.
If there’s a gripe I can share, it’s that the songs didn’t always come to as dramatic a climax as one might expect. Whether that was down to extending soloing I’m not exactly sure. Regardless, I was little disappointed by anything other than that. Yet, much as the audience applauded each song, they were unusually on the quieter side as they called out for encores. Blame it on being a school night, but Smith/Kotzen deserved better, and they don’t let it affect their performance when they return to encore.
Shared songwriting pieces for their main set, they offer us individually composed numbers for their final two. Kotzen’s ‘You Can’t Save Me’ proves scintillating in its delivery, touchingly histrionic and strangely empowering and even as it ends in rapturous climax Smith finds a space where he intones the opening lick to Iron Maiden’s ‘Wasted Years’ and the audience begin singing along while Lage is pogoing up and down while pummelling her bass, with the guitarists slashing away with raw abandon right up until the moment they declare: “See you next time!” Let’s hope so.
Setlist:
- Life Unchained
- Black Light
- Wraith
- Glory Road
- Hate and Love
- Blindsided
- Taking My Chances
- Outlaw
- Darkside
- Got a Hold on Me
- White Noise
- Scars
- Running
- Solar Fire
Encores:
