Reviewed by Paul H Birch & Photos by Mark Lear
They’re handing out Santa caps here in the club section at KK’s Steel Mill, deep in the heartland that gave birth to that Christmas single. On stage The Soul Revivals plug in, yet hardly look as if they’re about to shimmy and dance to the music, but looks can be deceiving. Hell, I’m taking notes in a pink note book and that’s hardly rock and roll. To one side of the stage there’s a tall bald bass player throwing shapes while across the way Animal from the Muppets appears to have traded in his drums for a guitar, his mane of hair making out like a pneumatic drill on hyperdrive. I can hear a drummer but can’t see him from my viewpoint. Between the axemen is a singer’s telling us that wearing both a coat and a woolly Guns ‘N Roses jumper probably wasn’t a good idea, and soon removes his outer layers. You want other fashion details? We could discuss the lady in the leopard print strides and matching stiletto boots, but I’m a married man. Musically, they throw us some modern metal moods, stomps, and grooves, but there’s more to them than the too obvious – The singer’s got a fair vocal range and appears emotive over a few songs where one generally pick up on lyrics that fall into that mental wellbeing vibe that every new press release harps on about these days. No, I know my generation’s fanciful idea of lyrics should make like David Coverdale and retire gracefully, but we also understood a joke. Fortunately, so does the bloke on stage, who keeps up entertained between tunes. They’re heavy but they also swing, and while below his ever-shaking head the guitarist makes with applied fretboard frenzy, there’s something of the classic rock about the overall structure to his solos.
We’re told they’ve got a Christmas single out and it’s not the cheesiest song in their set. That’s ‘Rock Star’ that they perform about three songs in, and while lyrically it falls into that bracket, I rather like its NWOHM riff on what comes across as a Samson meets Saxon rocker. ‘Outlaw’ follows and there’s impressive light and shade with an overall thumping but epic approach to it. It’s then we get the Christmas single, ‘I Still Believe’ and it’s here they offer the soul part of their name – Both in that it’s a funky blues metal crossover and more so lyrically by way of its getting to the soulful heart of the matter. From on stage, their manager takes video footage of the festive hat-wearing crowd singing along before one final number, ‘Show Me The Right Way’ that thunders along as a grunge-encrusted metal singalong and a “Merry Fucking Christmas!” farewell.
“Wolverhampton, how you feeling?” asks Jared James Nichols barely half-hour later. “Are you ready to rock and roll?” Here, on the edge of the Black Country, even on a rainy Sunday night, the hefty sized crowd reply in the affirmative as wail of guitar is elicited between pinched squeals from the main-man half-bent over centre-stage tearing note from his axe before heading back to his mic stand and launching into ‘Easy Come, Easy Go’ – It’s a full-on attack, guitar and vocal melody acting as one, then when he prowls the stage being a big guy he does it in within a couple of steps, perching himself stage right as he solos, left hand over the top of his fretboard, his right hand’s fingers picking out notes, all between laughing and chatting with the crowd. He’s in a really good mood tonight, and nothing’s going to stand in the way of him sharing that love.
Another thunderous roar of explosion, followed by bluesier licks that lead into what turns into a somewhat doom-crested beating rendition of ‘Hard Wired’ – There’s bludgeoning metal, blues rock, and some subtler asides guitar wise, but my attention’s more drawn to his vocal chops, perhaps it’s the intimacy of the room that means he doesn’t have to scream down a mic, rather enunciate his words. It’s not my favourite song by the man, but the crowd certainly approve. Come solo time there’s sustain, trills and feedback in one hefty harmonious deluge that comes to a halt as he raises his right arm to the sky, turns away from his amp and faces the audience with smiling gritted teeth.
Mr Jared James Nicols is tonight wearing a sawn-off denim jacket-come-waistcoat, with t-shirt underneath. Nothing new there. His hair isn’t quite at full mane’s length but it’s long enough, and the way it hangs in loose ringlets it’s quite possible he plaits it. He introduces his band, Ryan Rice on drums and Brian Weaver on bass and backing vocals, the same guys who were with him last time he played here before they serve us a delicious rendition of ‘Threw Me To The Wolves’.
The song bops, takes on a sensual feel via guitar, his vocals southern rock-etched up to the point we get to a screeching chorus where he pulls in any stray listeners hook, line and sinker – It’s from this point you realise the guy can really sing, from impressive phrasing, nuanced attitudinal one-liners, and an impassioned range. Power chords work up enough froth to launch his solo, feedbacking into his amp, applying sweetened thrashes, digging deep as he sustains all showmanship in a classic manner before getting back into the song. Weaver’s bass gets funky and most definitely chunky preparing the way for a drum solo from Rice as white spotlight bounce furiously down on the stage. With Nichols and Weaver now perched on either side of the stage, the guitarist plays the melody line to The Rolling Stones disco hit ‘Miss You’ adding blues inflections, this instrumental section getting meatier and funkier before one last chorus leaves me with a smile.
He thanks us for the applause and tells us they’re going to do a number he wrote with Tyler Bryant that’s one of his favourites right now, and about better times. “I hope you did it,” he calls out as they begin ‘Way Back’. It’s a back-beating rocker, again there’s some Southern rock shoved in its back pocket, while his guitar tone here is not unlike former local lad Mel Galley of Whitesnake and Trapeze renown, albeit I suspect that’s simply by chance, but it does end with some elegant soloing.
In quick succession we get another rockers’ the first applies tribal drum rhythms and some intricate riffage before becoming something of a metal-gospel crossover, the latter rocking out in a dirty funk manner. “We have a special guest coming up,” says the big beefy American, who then calls out “Andy!” that turns into a repeated question, becoming ever more amusing as people go in search of The Soul Revival’s guitarist – Their singer had joked how both guitarists had spent an hour together earlier in the day having six string nerd discussions, now he nearly misses getting to play with the man in front of a crowd. But he makes it, and it’s inevitably a cover, one that’s stood Nichols well live, being Mountain’s ;’Mississippi Queen’ – It begins with the pair trading mega-licks before a “1, 2…” count takes them into the immortal riff. It’s not perfect, they’re jamming out solos between them as they go along, but it feels good. It’s unfortunate that during this number there’s a sea of mobile phones raised recording the number, rather than them actually watching the smiling faces on stage, we also later find out Mr Nichols had accommodated his playing to work better with our Andy, as he comments: “That was the first time I’ve used a pick on stage since I was 15!” before asking: “Are you ready for some more?” and offering us ‘Good Time Girl’, with a sense of lurching staccato rock strutting that wouldn’t have been out of place on Montrose’s debut album all those many moons ago.
From my position he’s prone to getting down and playing in the pit to get closer to the crowd, or possibly even sitting on the barrier at times. Either way, he unleashes a battery of heavy blues that seems punctuated by a single bass guitar note, only for me to realise Weaver’s instrument’s become unplugged as Nichols turns wide-eyed and calls out “Give us a minute!” While I presume there’s a problem with Weaver, it’s explained Rice leapt up from his drum kit and exited, Weaver concerned following after him. Between calls out to his road crews, the guitarists play instrumentally and we get Hendrix signature lines, Zeppelin licks too, and some boogie rocking before another “Give me a minute…” when he too goes off stage. They return soon after and he asks us to give it up for Ryan, explaining the pressures of life on the road for a modern rock band, most recently 30 days touring round Europe pretty much non-stop. He doesn’t need to tell us they’re probably eating crap and sleeping when they can on a bus. Aware that norovirus is currently doing the rounds in the Midlands, I hope we’ve not given the drummer something he could well do without.
Returning, the trio try to perform collectively again, and do so with a rush of exuberant power, Nichols singing with a young Ozzy Osborne like menace, strains of ‘Voodoo Chile’ give way fluidly to the blues, there’s a clutch of harmonics let loose, a shower of licks then backing their way into Hendrix territory. Hammering away throwing shapes between constant spotlight changes they make an impressive noise but it seemingly proves too much, Nichols asking us to “Give it up for Ryan!” he’s once more left alone on stage. “I’m gonna play a tune on my own if that’s alright” then asking someone to check on his drummer. “I want to give you a big sweaty hug – Thanks for coming out on a Sunday evening!” if there’s despair or disappoint that things aren’t running to plan, it’s not shown in the reaction of his fans here tonight. Indeed, they become the rhythm section, clapping along to new song ‘Now Or Never’, the tune changes from something that begins with dainty pirouettes on guitar before boogieing out and adding a little country later on, despite which again it’s his vocals that hold my attention.
“You know, I wasn’t prepared to be a one-man band tonight!” he jokes with the crowd as he segues into ‘Nails In The Coffin’. Practically a rock ‘n roll murder ballad it takes in psychedelia, heavy gospel, and as he roams the stage some squealing blues solos. “We’ve time for one more!” he tells us, and in all honesty; we’ve not been short-changed despite the events that have happened tonight. While Weaver returns, it’s once more The Soul Revival who come to the rescue, their drummer (who I now see properly for the first time) joining them. They deliver a full-on power strut, I don’t catch the tune’s title but Nichols is screaming down the mike; it’s raw, ragged, and they give it their all. Nichols thanks everybody once more and asks them to join him in a beer once he get off stage.
It’s been an interesting, and entertaining evening. Some face-melting riffs, strong vocals, mishaps made good by true community spirit, with only the rain outside there to try and dampen our souls.
