The Commoners + Madison Galloway @ KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton, 23rd July 2024.

4 August 2024

Reviewed by Paul H Birch, Photos by Martin Tierney

Onstage there’s a trio. From what I can see the drummer has a reconstituted hippy look about him, he hits his kit hard to lead them in. To his right is a tall blond keyboard player, mainly organ with his left hand often mimicking bass lines. Up front, is a young dark-haired lass with a glimmering top covering her slight frame down from which each bare arm run amulets and bangles. The important part is the hands they lead to, and they’re playing guitar to a number called ‘Freedom’ that veers between rowdy rock-outs and broken chorded counterpoints. Madison Galloway is her name, and she hails from Canada, just like tonight’s headline act.

Most of her set will be from her album, that she tell us is “on sale at the merchandise stand,” a point several will take of note of later as they go up to talk to her and buy CDs. Right now, we’re watching and listening to a lively performer, who works the stage and sings with a wide-ranging voice over music that dips between a kind of countrified soul, some lopsided sultry blues and much rootsy rocking. It’s accessibly pleasing, and her record’s probably worth giving a proper listen to because she’s amiable and amusing when reciting tales of how she came to write her various songs. Those with better voices than me get to sing along with recent single, ‘Devil In Her Eye’, a swamped-up boogie revenge-tailed blues that gets extended live, breaking up the tempo as she solos away on guitar, with room for her sidemen to extemporise too.

As I look about, I’m one of the few people here not sticking my phone in the air to capture moments from the show. I’d rather experience it in the here and now. That at one point, alongside the photographers in the pit, there’s a really large number of not-so-young blokes up front taking photos of this pretty woman is mildly disturbing. Still, if most of us go away acknowledging she’s got musical talent as well as looks, her journey over here will have been worth it.

Galloway ends her set with a cover of The Black Crowes’ ‘She Talks To Angels’ and here her voice shines, emotive, wide-ranging with power behind it, the music moving from gentle folk to easy-funked blues rock by the time it reaches its climax.

The eagle-eyed may have seen Chris Medhurst flittering here and there about the venue earlier, and possibly a few others from the band. Once The Commoners hit the stage, there’s no missing their front man – He’s in your face, but in a good way; expressive in that classic rock singer way, a lot of hand gesticulating, some Jagger-like writhing with a transatlantic spin, and for this tour he’s prone to crouching down a few times (an implied psychological near-foetal vulnerability that finds him regaling empowered in song when he rises perhaps). Either damn way he’s still one of the great vocal discoveries of recent years, so it’s just a damn shame that like Galloway earlier it takes a while for the sound guy to feed his voice over the band sound rather than in it.

“What’s going on, Wolverhampton? This is a rock ‘n roll venue so let’s get straight to it!” he calls out as they set the pace for some tight grooved rock and roll.

Two tours over here, once headlining clubs, the other supporting Samantha Fish & Jess Dayton, singles from their 2002 album Find A Better Way getting strong rock radio airplay the signs are good. That they’re scheduled for larger venues seems in little doubt, but whereas the previous tours appeared joyous career plan campaigns, here they’re taking chances, or perhaps further attesting that it’s the music that counts for them, not perceived accolades. To this end, they start their set with new Restless album track ‘Shake You Off’ rather than something tried and tested, likewise there’ll be a more than healthy delivery of other new numbers, plus two covers, only cherry picking established fan favourites.

‘Shake You Off’ proves to be raw but slippery rock, like The Faces with a hard-on. Deadpan faced Ross Citrullo slowly glides round the stage, guitar slung low save when he’s soloing where he holds it at 90 degrees pointing to the sky. Across stage, Ben Spiller sports the best coiffured long hair in the band, his fingers dancing neatly across his bass while dipping his head towards the mic for harmonies. Between them Medhurst pulls the mic from its stand, giving one hell of a performance from the off, sweat dripping down his face to prove it. Drummer Adam Cannon and keyboard player Miles Evans-Branagh’s instruments might keep them static but the music’s moving from the get-go.

Diving straight in with another new one, Medhurst points a questioning accusing finger out at the crowd in ‘Who Are You?’, veering between Black Crowes southern soul and Stones mainline rock. “This is our first time in Wolverhampton,” notes Spiller as Medhurst arms himself with an electric guitar and they gear up for an early highlight with yet another new number in ‘Devil Teasin’ Me’.

Citrullo’s slide guitar rears like a stallion over the rhythm sections thunderous undertow before it begins to race along, still in lengthy intro before the familiar strains of the single let rip, Medhurst’s vocals scorched in emotional pain, soothed only by the band harmonies. Heavy on melody while stirring that southern rock hotpot and bringing the gospel on board too, quite how a bunch of guys from Canada do this so convincingly I leave for others to work out. As their singer delivers one last anguished scream, Cannon calls everyone to attention with a hefty drum roll and they collectively power chord home.

With fat bottomed bass, soul-tapping drums and glissando echoed guitar we get the soul rocked ‘Body And Soul’ that gets progressively psych-tinged and it’s then followed by the cleaner sounding ‘Too Soon To Know You’ that’s both emotional and quiet beautiful in its structure. When we actually get to the album title track ‘Restless’ itself, Cannon counts out to six to lead them in though it doesn’t feel a complicated rhythm. Medhurst plays acoustic while Citrullo pulls out haunting notes and the band deliver harmonies in the manner of Crosby, Still & Nash. The scenario continues with another slow number and what will be the last tune from Restless tonight. I look around to see if this somewhat more laidback rather extended musical detour has sent anyone off to the bar, but it seems not, and seeing it’s another beauty in ‘See You Again’ that’s in everyone’s favour.

It’s hard to make out at first but soon becomes clear that it’s Cannon’s voice heard from between a mist forming around his drumkit, as he explains ‘See You Again’ is about his late father, his passing taking place while they were crucially on their first tour over here. Strumming acoustic Medhurst sings solo, while having retreated back either side of Cannon’s kit, heads bowed in respect, Citrullo and Spiller stand silent before latterly moving forward as the ensemble joins in, acting as emotional catharsis and delivered with euphoric hope, receiving much applause.

Having just dipped back in their catalogue for the first time tonight they proceed to do so again with ‘Deadlines’. Miles Evans-Branagh’s leads us in, electric piano effecting a jazz boogie solo, Citrullo joining in, the song itself taking more of a hard rock attack than on record. One foot raised on either a monitor or some part of the stag pit, Medhurst leans into the crowd singing, then with a pummelling crack of sound from the drums and an almighty “Oh, Baby” the music twists and turns, their mild penchant for semi-psychedelic sounds rearing its head once more before rocking back into conclusion. Back in rock mood, ‘The Way I Am’ follows, mic in hand Medhurst telling it’s a song about reflection “about feeling you’re not enough”. Again, extended, and heavy on dramatic chord runs over rhythmic pounding between shuffling riffs. At one point it takes on a short jazz rock feel but that’s possibly the tightness with which they pivot through the changes. Medhurst kneeling at certain points as he sings “When I fall down on my knees” before jumping up and dancing about.

The racing rock of ‘Gone Without Warning’ follows to be followed by the first of two relatively obscure British cover tunes. The first is Beatles number, ‘Yer Blues’ – Not a number I’ve ever particularly cared for, being basically what it reads on the tin. Starting slow, going for more predictable 12 bar rocking later, its best moments are an organ solo followed by a dirty laugh (presumably from Medhurst but I can’t be sure), and then near the end where they rock out in earnest. Overall, they play it well, but I’d rather hear another of their own tunes.

Saying this, they then go for the home run, with a couple of high energy show stoppers. Medhurst back on electric too. First we get ‘Fill My Cup’, shifting between its heavy riff and more mellow reflective verses, there’s much audience participation as it enters its Zeppelin-fashioned chorus, Citrullo touching on both Page and Beck nuances in his extended soloing creating a kaleidoscopic soundscape – A minor point, but something I found interesting, noticing it only halfway through their set, on the third finger of his left hand Citrullo wears a ring from which extends some kind of bar and I’m assuming it’s this he twists round to play bottleneck. It concludes with the guitarist and Spiller standing next to each other smiling as Medhurst jumps up and down, and then it’s the main event’s final number, ‘Find A Better Way’ – Citrullo changes to a more obvious Les Paul guitar, Medhurst his own unique small electric, just as the set began they channel The Faces, by way of more direct influences such as The Black Crowes and Humble Pie, but they take all those chops and make them their own. Upbeat, powerful, organ piping joyously, this set of rockers has been a great way to end the show.

Save; after leaving the stage they return for a single encore, and that other cover. It’s Dave Mason’s ‘Feelin’ Alright’, originally appearing on Traffic’s debut album, and much covered by other acts, albeit probably not as well known to UK listeners.

“No one has shown us as much love as England – It’s truly humbling,” Medhurst expresses before beginning the number, “Thank you, very much!”

Evans-Branagh brings the band in with a jazzy shuffle, soon they’re all grooving on this funky classic, keyboards and guitar trading licks with some unexpected grunge moments from Citrullo. If you closed your eyes, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine yourself over at one of those Stateside Fillmore clubs back in the day when rock was young. Except, as Medhurst begins to introduce the band amid solos; you’re brought back to the reality of how young this bunch of Canadians are by comparison to those times. This was a cover that worked, and while one might argue the set choice and order, it’s hard to argue that tonight wasn’t another highlight in what’s been a great year for live music here in the Midlands. Plus, as the lights go up, and they wave out to the crowd, Medhurst declaring: “We’ll be back!” it feels good, knowing that doesn’t have to end.

Set List: