FabricationsHQ - Putting the Words to the Music
  • Muirsical Thoughts, Muirsical News Last update: April 13th
  • Latest Articles (links)
  • Joe Bonamassa - Austin City Limits, Live Stream
  • Todd Rundgren - Clearly Human Virtual Tour, "Pittsburgh"
  • Reach - The Promise Of a LIfe
  • Lyle Workman (March 2021)
  • Robert Berry (March 2021)
  • Writing the Wrongs... 2020 in Review
  • Featured Album Reviews
    • Jane Getter Premonition - Anomalia
    • Mason Hill - Against The Wall
    • Lyle Workman - Uncommon Measures
    • Robert Berry - 3.2 : Third Impression
    • Lifesigns - Altitude
    • Jason Bieler and The Baron Von Bielski Orchestra - Songs For The Apocalypse
    • 2020 Featured Album Reviews >
      • McCartney III
      • Gary Barlow - Music Played By Humans
      • Storm Warning - Different Horizons
      • Reb Beach - A View From The Inside
      • Lykantropi - Tales To Be Told
      • King King - Maverick
      • Jakko M Jakszyk - Secrets & Lies
      • Blue Öyster Cult - The Symbol Remains
      • Fish - Weltschmerz
      • Dyble Longdon - Between A Breath And A Breath
      • Jim Kirkpatrick - Ballad of a Prodigal Son
      • Abel Ganz - The Life of the Honey Bee & Other Moments of Clarity
      • Toby and the Whole Truth - Ignorance is Bliss (25th Anniversary Edition)
      • Everyday Heroes - A Tale of Sin & Sorrow
      • Skintrade - The Show Must Go On
      • Robert Jon & The Wreck - Last Light on the Highway
      • Pat Metheny - From This Place
      • Anchor Lane - Casino
    • 2019 Featured Album Reviews >
      • Fat-Suit - Waifs & Strays
      • Wayward Sons - The Truth Ain't What it Used to Be
      • Flying Colors - Third Degree
      • Steve Hackett - Genesis Revisited Band & Orchestra: Live
      • Burnt Out Wreck - This is Hell
      • Runrig - The Last Dance
      • Scarlet Rebels - Show Your Colours
      • The Blind Lemon Gators - Gatorville
      • Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars
      • Sweet Oblivion Feat. Geoff Tate
      • Rebecca Downes - More Sinner Than Saint
      • Stray - Mudanzas
      • Snarky Puppy - Immigrance
      • Aaron Buchanan And The Cult Classics - The Man With Stars On His Knees
    • 2018 Featured Album Reviews >
      • Simon Thacker's Svara-Kanti - Trikala
      • Jason Becker - Triumphant Hearts
      • Duncan Chisholm - Sandwood
      • Jawbone - Jawbone
      • Steve Perry - Traces
      • Sari Schorr - Never Say Never
      • Joe Bonamassa - Redemption
      • Ben Poole - Anytime You Need Me
      • Hawkwind - Road To Utopia
      • Rainbreakers - Face To Face
      • Frequency Drift - Letters to Maro
      • JCM - Heroes
      • Dana Fuchs - Love Lives On
      • Joe Bonamassa - British Blues Explosion Live
      • W.E.T. - Earthrage
      • The King Lot - A World Without Evil
  • Monthly Album Reviews...
    • 2021 Reviews
    • 2020 Reviews
    • 2019 Reviews
    • 2018 Reviews
  • Selected 2020 Gig Reviews...
    • Jared James Nichols - Garage G2, Glasgow
    • Oscar Cordoba Band - Blue Arrow, Glasgow
    • Rebecca Downes Band - The Ice Box, Glasgow
    • Ben Poole Trio - Room 2, Glasgow
    • Sensational Alex Harvey Experience - DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • The Aristocrats - Liquid Rooms, Edinburgh
    • Fat Suit - Drygate, Glasgow
    • Francis Dunnery's It Bites - St Lukes, Glasgow
  • Selected 2019 Gig Reviews...
    • WinterStorm Rock Weekender IV - Troon
    • Hawkwind - 02 Academy, Glasgow
    • Opeth - SWG3 Galvanizers, Glasgow
    • Félix Rabin - Nice 'N' Sleazy Glasgow
    • Anchor Lane - G2, Glasgow
    • Stray - Backstage at the Green, Kinross
    • Danny Bryant - Backstage at the Green, Kinross
    • Talon - Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow
    • Lifesigns - Smiles of Musical Travel
    • A Whole Lotta Rock 3 - featuring Rattlesnake Tattoo, Prestwick
    • Chantel McGregor - Hard Rock Cafe Glasgow
    • Pete Way Band - Customs House Hotel, Greenock
    • Raintown and Katee Kross - Village Theatre, East Kilbride
    • Danny Vaughn - DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • NR Rocks 2019 - DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • Arran Rock 'N' Blues Fest 2019
    • Cheap Trick - 02 Academy, Glasgow
    • The Blind Lemon Gators - Tolboth, Stirling
    • Midnight Oil - 02 Brixton Academy, London
    • Ana Popovic - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • Joe Bonamassa - SEC Armadillo, Glasgow
    • Eden's Curse - The Garage G2, Glasgow
    • Félix Rabin - Nice N Sleazy, Glasgow
    • Her Way to Hell - DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • The Quireboys and FM - The Garage, Glasgow
    • Erja Lyytinen - Backstage at the Green, Kinross
    • Wille & The Bandits - Hug & Pint, Glasgow
    • Sari Schorr - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • Frankie Miller's Full House - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • A Whole Lotta Rock 2 featuring Brian Downey's Alive and Dangerous, Prestwick
    • John Verity Band - Borders Blues Club, Innerleithen
    • King King (with Sari Schorr) - 02 Academy, Glasgow
    • Burnt Out Wreck (with Scarlet Rebels) - Hard Rock Cafe, Glasgow
    • Buckcherry / Hoobastank / Adelita's Way - SWG3 Glasgow
  • Muirsical Conversations...
    • Dan Reed (February 2021)
    • Steve Hackett (January 2021)
    • John Verity (September 2020)
    • Steve Hackett (July 2020)
    • Gary Moat (March 2020)
    • Steve Hackett (October 2019)
    • Rebecca Downes (May 2019)
    • Ben Poole & Wayne Proctor (January 2019)
    • Dan Reed (November 2018)
    • Del Bromham (October 2018)
    • Brian Downey (September 2018)
    • Raintown - Paul Bain & Claire McArthur Bain (May 2018)
    • Hamilton Loomis (December 2017)
    • Alan Nimmo (October 2017)
    • Erja Lyytinen (September 2017)
    • Suzi Quatro (September 2017)
    • Biff Byford (August 2017)
    • Dan Patlansky (June 2017)
    • Graham Bonnet (May 2017)
    • Simon Thacker (April 2017)
    • Sari Schorr (March 2017)
    • Stevie Nimmo (February 2017)
    • Dan Reed (February 2017)
    • Adam Norsworthy (January 2017)
    • Colin James (December 2016)
    • John Lees (October 2016)
    • Sari Schorr (August 2016)
    • Mike Vernon (August 2016)
    • Wayne Proctor (July 2016)
    • Laurence Jones (April 2016)
    • Chantel McGregor (March 2016)
    • John Young (January 2016)
    • Michael Schenker (November 2015)
    • Martin Barre (October 2015)
    • Chris Norman (September 2015)
    • Joanne Shaw Taylor (August 2015)
    • Fee Waybill (July 2015)
    • Ian Anderson (June 2015)
    • John Lodge (June 2015)
    • John Lawton (May 2015)
    • Steve Hackett (May 2015)
    • Manny Charlton (April 2015)
    • Ben Poole (April 2015)
    • Alan Nimmo (February 2015)
    • Popa Chubby (December 2014)
    • Paul Young (July 2014)
    • Bernie Shaw (June 2014)
    • Lee Kerslake (December 2013)
    • Pat Travers (September 2013)
    • Steve Hunter (August 2013)
    • Joy Dunlop (March 2013)
    • Gwyn Ashton (Dec. 2012)
    • Greg Lake (October 2012)
    • Ned Evett (August 2012)
    • Steven Lindsay (July 2012)
    • Dave Cureton (June 2012)
    • Jon Anderson (May 2012)
    • Jeremey Frederick Hunsicker (March 2012)
    • Amy Schugar (Feb. 2012)
    • Robert Fleischman (November 2011)
    • Ivan Drever (Sep. 2011)
    • Michael Sadler (June 2011)
    • James Evans (April 2011)
    • Alyn Cosker (Nov. 2010)
    • Scott Higham (Nov. 2010)
    • Kevin Chalfant (Oct. 2010)
    • Francis Dunnery (Sep. 2010)
    • Duncan Chisholm (Aug 2010)
    • Barbara Rubin (July 2010)
    • Alan Reed (June 2010)
  • FabricationsHQ Q&As With...
    • Jason Bieler (February 2021)
    • Félix Rabin (February 2020)
    • Chantel McGregor (August 2019)
    • Greig Taylor (July 2019)
    • Adam Norsworthy (June 2019)
    • Erja Lyytinen (March 2019)
  • Muirsical Articles...
    • 2019AB?
    • The Fool Guitar - The Fool Story
    • Alex Harvey - Framed in Words. And pictures
    • Home of a Ramblin' Band (Allman Brothers Band Big House Museum)
    • Journey - That Time Forgot
    • KISS - Elder Statesmen, Elder Statement?
    • Phil Lynott - Remembering Pt. 3
    • Freddie Mercury - The Days of His Life
    • Gary Moore - Last Exit
    • Mott - Without any of the Hoople-la
    • Muirsical Six of the Best
    • Music Town: A Decade of the Darvel Music Festival
    • Pat Travers - The Forgotten Power Trio
    • Playing Tribute
    • Gerry Rafferty - Humblebum to Multi-Million Seller
    • Cliff Richard - The Rock and Roll Juvenile
    • Slade - Thanks For the Memories
    • The Sweet - A Cut Above the Rest
    • Talon - On Eagles Wings
    • Wild Horses - Thoroughbreds or also-rans?
  • A Personal Journey: Definitive Edition (eBook)
  • Steve Perry (vocalist): One in a Million (eBook)
  • A Writer's Muirsings...
    • A Writer's Muirsings: Introduction
    • Superbowl XLVII MVP: Beyoncé (February 2013)
    • Michael Jackson: The Alternative Verdict (Nov 2011)
    • True Colours (November 2010)
    • It's a New Language, Old Bean (October 2010)
    • Finger Pointing (July 2010)
    • Suffer the Little Children (April 2010)
    • Hey 'Banker', can you spare a dime? (February 2010)
    • Earlier Muirsings... >
      • Muirsical Christmas #1's (December 09)
      • 3-D, or not 3-D, Avatar? (December 09)
      • Pains, Planes and Automobiles (November 09)
  • A Man of Letters...
    • A Man of Letters (Introduction)
    • Letter to Danbury Mint #1
    • Letter to Danbury Mint #2
    • Letter to The Catholic League
    • Letter to SKY #1
    • Letter to SKY #2
    • Letter to SKY #3
    • Letter to Leeds City Council Parking Services
  • Author Bio & Site Info
  • Contact FabricationsHQ
Smiles better...
King King (with Bad Touch) – 02 ABC, Glasgow, 5th May 2017
Picture
One year ago Alan Nimmo was concerned that, having decided to book the main hall of Glasgow’s 02 ABC and record for what became part of King King’s rather excellent Live CD-DVD set, the turn-out wouldn’t merit either decision.

He needn’t have worried – King King came within a hundred or so tickets of selling out the 1300 capacity hall.

One year on Alan Nimmo was once again concerned that a return to the same hall might result in such a low turnout that a club venue may have been a safer bet; the reason being Paul Rodgers was also in town, on the opening night of his heavily publicised Free Spirit tour.

He needn’t have worried (again) 
– while there was a drop off in numbers, unquestionably because Mr Rodgers was delivering a Best of Free set just a mile and a half away, it was still a packed hall that saw King King deliver yet another exemplary performance.

The reasons for such an outstanding show (from an admittedly outstanding band) were threefold.

First Alan Nimmo, delighted that King King would be playing to another huge Glasgow crowd and having visibly relaxed as soon as he walked on to the stage (with an even bigger smile on his face than last year), was even more delighted that both his mother (after a bout of unwellness) and his daughter were in attendance.
The results were a crowd size and familial ties that lifted the band musically and Alan Nimmo emotionally.

Secondly, after the successful operation to fix Alan Nimmo’s vocal and throat issues of 2016, his singing is not just better but stronger than before; a clean bill of vocal health, a more disciplined vocal technique and a band that continue to grow in stature made for one helluva show.

Finally and more importantly, with no recording pressures and no vocal worries (the one noticeable glitch in the otherwise faultless 2016 performance) the band could play fully relaxed and with a confident swagger.

And that they did, from blues rocking raunch and roll opener 'Lose Control' and the groovin' shuffle of The Fabulous Thunderbirds 'Wait on Time' to the Weegie chorus that accompanied 'Rush Hour' and on through to the band’s powerful, slow blues-rock tour de force, 'Stranger to Love.'

Picture
​But it’s not just about the quality of the songs.

For the entire set bassist Lindsay Coulson and drummer Wayne Proctor were in the groove and showcasing yet again why they are the rhythm section in British blues rock; Coulson underpins a number such as the fully funkified 'All Your Life' with melodic purpose while Proctor gets so deep inside the pocket of his groove (with little percussive nuances that give each verse the subtlest of rhythmic shifts) it’s remarkable he doesn't have to be hauled back out after each song.

Bob Fridzema continues to bring goose bumps with his soulful and vibrato-filled Hammond playing ('Long History of Love' never fails to impress, Fridzema’s solo bringing one of the loudest cheers of the night) and has long since established himself as the perfect foil to Alan Nimmo’s six-string work.

As regards the kilted front man, this was the most unfettered I've seen and heard him; his solo on 'You Stopped the Rain' (written for big brother Stevie Nimmo), was one long fretboard run of joyous expression.

The set itself, while retaining the backbone of songs mentioned above, has had a makeover for this tour.
Two notable and well received changes were the band’s fine cover of 'Heavy Load' (as recorded for second album Standing in the Shadows and ironically the one classic Free number not being performed just down the road) and new song 'She Don’t Gimme No Loving.'

A corkin’ little rock number, the new tune both echoed to the sound of Thunder (who probably can’t believe they didn’t write it first) and pointed to the direction of what will be album number four (the new album will be a more rock orientated release; no playing it safe same-again-please from these boys).
Picture
​While King King reinforced why they are leading the British blues rock pack, Special Guests Bad Touch reinforced why they are one of the bands to watch.

The Norfolk based quintet, led by the charismatic (and colourful shirts) of front man Stevie Westwood, opened their set to a crowd much the same size as the one that witnessed their Glasgow 02 ABC2 performance back in March; here however the low number issues were courtesy of the dreaded phrase "event curfew" and a ridiculously early start.

But by the end of their set the band who deliver high-quality southern influenced blues rock had a healthy sized crowd fully behind them, many of whom were clearly familiar with latest release Truth Be Told.

​The band’s excellent second album also made up the bulk of the forty-five minute set, with on the night highlights including great performances of 'Mountain' (a heavy rock blues for the planet), the lighter, take a load off number 'Take Your Time' and the seriously infectious rock and roll of '99%.'

I don’t doubt Paul Rodgers, still in fabulous voice and who I have seen on a number of on-top-form occasions, delivered a fantastic Free set with A Little Bit of Love and a whole lot of panache.

But on the night, given the circumstances, the tangible emotion and the sheer joy of performance, Glasgow’s 02 ABC was Smiles Better.

Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ


​
Photo Credits: Stuart Westwood (Alan Nimmo, King King); Laurence Harvey (Stevie Westwood)

Website and text contents © FabricationsHQ and Ross Muir
All Rights Reserved