The progressive blues bus now arriving…
Chantel McGregor (with The Audiorayz) - Hard Rock Cafe, Glasgow, 28th August 2019
Chantel McGregor (with The Audiorayz) - Hard Rock Cafe, Glasgow, 28th August 2019
In recent conversation with FabricationsHQ Chantel McGregor, the wee West Yorkshire lass with a huge sound, equally big talent and exemplary rock guitar skills, compared her (music) life of late to waiting for that bus that never seems to come, then arrives with another two of three right behind it.
The humorous remark was based on the fact it’s been four years since her excellent sophomore release Lose Control but now, having previously had other familial priorities to deal with, Miss McGregor has a hot of the CD press(ings) live album, started work on an acoustic album, was gearing up for the recording of the long awaited follow-up to Lose Control and embarking on a lengthy UK tour that included another appearance at the Hard Rock Cafe in Glasgow.
Before the return of Chantel McGregor and band to the HRC stage local group The Audiorayz delivered a forty-five minute set that covered just about every bass (keyboard run, drum fill and guitar lick) Paul McElroy, Mikey Grant, Alan Parker and front man Iain Forbes, respectively, have in their repertoire.
The humorous remark was based on the fact it’s been four years since her excellent sophomore release Lose Control but now, having previously had other familial priorities to deal with, Miss McGregor has a hot of the CD press(ings) live album, started work on an acoustic album, was gearing up for the recording of the long awaited follow-up to Lose Control and embarking on a lengthy UK tour that included another appearance at the Hard Rock Cafe in Glasgow.
Before the return of Chantel McGregor and band to the HRC stage local group The Audiorayz delivered a forty-five minute set that covered just about every bass (keyboard run, drum fill and guitar lick) Paul McElroy, Mikey Grant, Alan Parker and front man Iain Forbes, respectively, have in their repertoire.
Iain Forbes, a man who knows what he's doing with a guitar in his hands - or behind his back.
Mixing but not necessarily matching from what is a varied set selection (opening with a smooth 'The Thrill is Gone' before driving in to a thick sounding, guitar and keys in unison 'Kashmir' immediately highlighted the pattern would be there was no pattern) The Audiorayz presented both covers and originals.
The latter selection came from the band’s 2016 self-titled debut album, with quirky hard pop rocker 'Vanity' and ballad 'My Old Friend' being particular highlights.
The reason for such variation of song choice/ styles are that the band are a genuinely accomplished two-for-one.
They can play the covers-function band role superbly well or stand tall as an excellent, all-original rock band, primarily because they are all very good musicians, led by one of the best Scottish guitarists currently playing the circuit.
Nor is Iain Forbes shy about showing hi six-string credentials.
The aforementioned 'Vanity' allows for "who’s it really about?" banter between the band members but you can’t help but feel Forbes plays that card as well as he plays his instrument of choice – when he plays the guitar behind his head during 'Voodoo Chile' he does it not so much for visual effect but because he actually can play the guitar behind his head.
Such six-string showmanship is tempered by the purer, melodic tones played in tribute to Gary Moore on set closer 'Still Got The Blues.'
The latter selection came from the band’s 2016 self-titled debut album, with quirky hard pop rocker 'Vanity' and ballad 'My Old Friend' being particular highlights.
The reason for such variation of song choice/ styles are that the band are a genuinely accomplished two-for-one.
They can play the covers-function band role superbly well or stand tall as an excellent, all-original rock band, primarily because they are all very good musicians, led by one of the best Scottish guitarists currently playing the circuit.
Nor is Iain Forbes shy about showing hi six-string credentials.
The aforementioned 'Vanity' allows for "who’s it really about?" banter between the band members but you can’t help but feel Forbes plays that card as well as he plays his instrument of choice – when he plays the guitar behind his head during 'Voodoo Chile' he does it not so much for visual effect but because he actually can play the guitar behind his head.
Such six-string showmanship is tempered by the purer, melodic tones played in tribute to Gary Moore on set closer 'Still Got The Blues.'
Given that Lose Control songs have been the staple of Chantel McGregor’s live set these last four years (usually accompanied by one or two covers and her ever evolving, progressive fusion blues instrumental 'April') there were no real surprises in store for the Hard Rock Cafe crowd, but there were a couple of notable change-ups.
Firstly, the usual one-two opening salvo of big and bruising 'Take the Power' and the riffier 'Killing Time' were even more high-energy than usual (if they were "amps up" last time around they were "amps to 11" in their 2019 guise).
Those songs, and others such as short and sharp 'Lose Control' and grungier blues of 'Your Fever,' were given the full Southern Gothic inspired bhuna from McGregor, bassist Colin Sutton (whose sinewy four-string style is the perfect foil to McGregor’s rapier six-string work) and drummer Thom Gardner.
Messrs Sutton & Gardner also make for a tight and very flexible rhythm section – but then they have to, given Miss McGregor’s penchant for semi-improvised excursions such as on the aforementioned 'April' and what has become a true highlight of the set, 'Inconsolable.'
The latter starts in similar acoustic fashion to the Jonatha Brooke’s original but develops in to an extended, lets-see-where-we-can-take-it work-out that features some scintillating, in the zone six-string play from Chantel McGregor (the Jeff Buckley inspired 'Eternal Dream' has a similarly lost in the guitar flow shape about it).
The other change-a-round was the acoustic reworking of 'Caught Out' from debut album Like No Other and, similarly, an acoustic restyling for Lose Control's acoustic & strings number, 'Anaesthetize.'
Both are likely to feature on the forthcoming acoustic album.
There was also a welcome Like No Other showing for the swampy blues affected 'I’m No Good For You' before the mid-tempo groove of 'Freefallin’' and progressively framed, slow build number 'Walk On Land' closed out another stand-out show from an artist who continues to be herself and refuses conform (too prog for blues, too rock for prog). That should be applauded as loudly as her performances.
Right, when’s the next Chantel Bus due?
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Chantel McGregor's live album Bury'd Alive, is out now https://www.chantelmcgregor.com/store
Click here for FabricationsHQ's Q&A conversation with Chantel McGregor
Photo credits: Ronnie McGhie (Chantel McGregor); Darren McGarvin Photograpy (Iain Forbes)
Firstly, the usual one-two opening salvo of big and bruising 'Take the Power' and the riffier 'Killing Time' were even more high-energy than usual (if they were "amps up" last time around they were "amps to 11" in their 2019 guise).
Those songs, and others such as short and sharp 'Lose Control' and grungier blues of 'Your Fever,' were given the full Southern Gothic inspired bhuna from McGregor, bassist Colin Sutton (whose sinewy four-string style is the perfect foil to McGregor’s rapier six-string work) and drummer Thom Gardner.
Messrs Sutton & Gardner also make for a tight and very flexible rhythm section – but then they have to, given Miss McGregor’s penchant for semi-improvised excursions such as on the aforementioned 'April' and what has become a true highlight of the set, 'Inconsolable.'
The latter starts in similar acoustic fashion to the Jonatha Brooke’s original but develops in to an extended, lets-see-where-we-can-take-it work-out that features some scintillating, in the zone six-string play from Chantel McGregor (the Jeff Buckley inspired 'Eternal Dream' has a similarly lost in the guitar flow shape about it).
The other change-a-round was the acoustic reworking of 'Caught Out' from debut album Like No Other and, similarly, an acoustic restyling for Lose Control's acoustic & strings number, 'Anaesthetize.'
Both are likely to feature on the forthcoming acoustic album.
There was also a welcome Like No Other showing for the swampy blues affected 'I’m No Good For You' before the mid-tempo groove of 'Freefallin’' and progressively framed, slow build number 'Walk On Land' closed out another stand-out show from an artist who continues to be herself and refuses conform (too prog for blues, too rock for prog). That should be applauded as loudly as her performances.
Right, when’s the next Chantel Bus due?
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Chantel McGregor's live album Bury'd Alive, is out now https://www.chantelmcgregor.com/store
Click here for FabricationsHQ's Q&A conversation with Chantel McGregor
Photo credits: Ronnie McGhie (Chantel McGregor); Darren McGarvin Photograpy (Iain Forbes)