On any given Sunday...
Sari Schorr (with Andrew Robert Eustace, the Brian Rawson Band) - Oran Mor, Glasgow 13th May 2018
Sari Schorr (with Andrew Robert Eustace, the Brian Rawson Band) - Oran Mor, Glasgow 13th May 2018
Sunday evening blues/ rock club gigs are a gamble at the best of times but when you’re outside of the city centre, one major public transport service down (Glasgow’s Subway line stops early on a Sunday), have a venue curfew and a big ticket playing but a mile away (in this case Foreigner), that gamble becomes one where even the dice are loaded against you.
But having two local bands on the bill and a headliner who is one of the voices in blues rock certainly helps narrow the odds; hence a decent sized crowd for Sari Schorr and her new live line-up, ably supported by Andrew Robert Eustace and the Brian Rawson Band.
The latter are a well-known and well respected act around these here parts and further afield, but this is also a new start in many ways for Bran Rawson and his band.
Personnel changes over recent years have conspired to scupper any chance of a solid core within the group but with front man Peter Scallan and a fuller sound with the addition of keyboardist Alan Hearton the band hopefully now have stability, as well as the clear ability, to deliver classic covers (including an assured 'Sitting on Top of the World') and top-notch original material (such as the melodically charged 'Coming Back to You') alike.
All of which bodes well for the album expected later in the year.
Three bands and a curfew make for ultra-quick turn-a-rounds but even Andrew Robert Eustace was caught out with the speed of changeover; a still-not-fully-tuned guitar interrupted his own vocal introduction to first song 'Running Man,' leading to the quip "I’ve been involved in some fast changeovers but this is easily the quickest!"
The spacious and forlorn blues of 'Running Man' and the five numbers that followed were all lifted from Eustace’s solo album Stories, an album that unashamedly travels up and down the Mississippi Delta (with a sprinkle of Chicago blues clubs) for its inspiration.
But that’s where Andrew Robert Eustace’s gruff blues vocal and guitar playing heart lie, reinforced on the night through his four-piece band’s all electric take on the (semi-acoustic in the studio) material, the pacey brace of 'Crooked Old Dog' and 'Had Enough' being particularly notable.
Such was the impact made by Sari Schorr’s original UK and European touring band, The Engine Room, that discussions on whether the new line-up could match what had gone before was as hot a topic as just how good a singer is Sari Schorr and how would any new songs showcased stack up against those from acclaimed debut album Force Of Nature (no-one need worry, exceptional, and pretty damn well are the three respective answers).
Guitarist Ash Wilson (one of the ones to watch in British blues rock following his excellent 2017 solo debut Broken Machine), Mat Beable (bass), Bob Fridzema (keys) and sought after session and touring drummer Roy Martin may have all been dipping their toes in the waters with Sari Schorr back in January at the Half Moon in Putney (where the band were effectively still introducing themselves to each other) but are now fully immersed in those bluesy waters – and in some seriously synchronised style.
And while no-one would deny the high-energy dynamic between original guitarist Innes Sibun and Sari Schorr was a major factor behind The Engine Room's success, Ash Wilson is the perfect six-string foil to Schorr’s sharp 'n' sassy on stage persona – but Wilson also puts plenty of controlled attack into his own solos, which positively crackle with blues laden energy.
The other notable difference at Glasgow (and a couple of shows prior) was Bob Fridzema was not so much Missing In Action as Musically In Action with someone else – Joanne Shaw Taylor to be precise, due to an unforeseen schedule clash with Foreigner’s delayed tour of the UK (on which JST was supporting).
No-one need have worried there either; replacement Adrian Gautrey (none too shabby on a blues guitar himself with his own band) made the keyboard seat his own, shining particularly brightly on his full-bodied solo on 'Demolition Man.'
The sassy blues number was one of eight songs to feature from Force Of Nature, including Sari Schorr's vocally and musically powerful interpretation of the Lead Belly classic, 'Black Betty.'
But it wasn’t all about Force Of Nature, it was also about delivering a taster of what should be a forceful second album – set opener 'Revolution' pulsed and swaggered while 'Maybe I’m Foolin'' was an equally weighty blues rocking proposition; both songs also pointed to a 70s vibe’d classic rock meets blues direction for the album.
Sari Schorr was visibly tired off-stage (this has been a long tour with any time off the road usually spent in the studio working on the new album) but you wouldn’t have known it during the show.
Sari Schorr gives of herself one hundred percent each and every time, and at Glasgow was on song and on vocal point throughout, from the big voiced outros of 'Kiss Me' and the full-on rendition of Zeppelin’s 'Rock and Roll' to the contrasting, vocally and lyrically sincere gratitude song, 'Ordinary Life.'
Two other cover featured on the night, a rocked up version of 'Just Wanna Make Love To You' and a faithful to the Bad Company arrangement of 'Ready For Love.'
The latter is such a great fit for Sari Schorr that one can only hope it’s being considered for inclusion on the next album, or at least slotted in as a staple of the live sets for some time to come.
By set’s end the Oran Mor audience (in such blues raucous voice throughout you would have sworn the venue was packed to the gunnels) went home with nothing to complain about.
Well, they may have had a complaint or two if they realised three bands and a curfew meant Sari Schorr’s set was cut short by a couple of songs including Ash Wilson’s moment in the spotlight (the groovin' shuffle 'Peace & Love' from Broken Machine).
But, given the quality of performance and differently styled blues on display from all three bands, curfew or no curfew, I’ll take what was offered – on any given Sunday.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
But having two local bands on the bill and a headliner who is one of the voices in blues rock certainly helps narrow the odds; hence a decent sized crowd for Sari Schorr and her new live line-up, ably supported by Andrew Robert Eustace and the Brian Rawson Band.
The latter are a well-known and well respected act around these here parts and further afield, but this is also a new start in many ways for Bran Rawson and his band.
Personnel changes over recent years have conspired to scupper any chance of a solid core within the group but with front man Peter Scallan and a fuller sound with the addition of keyboardist Alan Hearton the band hopefully now have stability, as well as the clear ability, to deliver classic covers (including an assured 'Sitting on Top of the World') and top-notch original material (such as the melodically charged 'Coming Back to You') alike.
All of which bodes well for the album expected later in the year.
Three bands and a curfew make for ultra-quick turn-a-rounds but even Andrew Robert Eustace was caught out with the speed of changeover; a still-not-fully-tuned guitar interrupted his own vocal introduction to first song 'Running Man,' leading to the quip "I’ve been involved in some fast changeovers but this is easily the quickest!"
The spacious and forlorn blues of 'Running Man' and the five numbers that followed were all lifted from Eustace’s solo album Stories, an album that unashamedly travels up and down the Mississippi Delta (with a sprinkle of Chicago blues clubs) for its inspiration.
But that’s where Andrew Robert Eustace’s gruff blues vocal and guitar playing heart lie, reinforced on the night through his four-piece band’s all electric take on the (semi-acoustic in the studio) material, the pacey brace of 'Crooked Old Dog' and 'Had Enough' being particularly notable.
Such was the impact made by Sari Schorr’s original UK and European touring band, The Engine Room, that discussions on whether the new line-up could match what had gone before was as hot a topic as just how good a singer is Sari Schorr and how would any new songs showcased stack up against those from acclaimed debut album Force Of Nature (no-one need worry, exceptional, and pretty damn well are the three respective answers).
Guitarist Ash Wilson (one of the ones to watch in British blues rock following his excellent 2017 solo debut Broken Machine), Mat Beable (bass), Bob Fridzema (keys) and sought after session and touring drummer Roy Martin may have all been dipping their toes in the waters with Sari Schorr back in January at the Half Moon in Putney (where the band were effectively still introducing themselves to each other) but are now fully immersed in those bluesy waters – and in some seriously synchronised style.
And while no-one would deny the high-energy dynamic between original guitarist Innes Sibun and Sari Schorr was a major factor behind The Engine Room's success, Ash Wilson is the perfect six-string foil to Schorr’s sharp 'n' sassy on stage persona – but Wilson also puts plenty of controlled attack into his own solos, which positively crackle with blues laden energy.
The other notable difference at Glasgow (and a couple of shows prior) was Bob Fridzema was not so much Missing In Action as Musically In Action with someone else – Joanne Shaw Taylor to be precise, due to an unforeseen schedule clash with Foreigner’s delayed tour of the UK (on which JST was supporting).
No-one need have worried there either; replacement Adrian Gautrey (none too shabby on a blues guitar himself with his own band) made the keyboard seat his own, shining particularly brightly on his full-bodied solo on 'Demolition Man.'
The sassy blues number was one of eight songs to feature from Force Of Nature, including Sari Schorr's vocally and musically powerful interpretation of the Lead Belly classic, 'Black Betty.'
But it wasn’t all about Force Of Nature, it was also about delivering a taster of what should be a forceful second album – set opener 'Revolution' pulsed and swaggered while 'Maybe I’m Foolin'' was an equally weighty blues rocking proposition; both songs also pointed to a 70s vibe’d classic rock meets blues direction for the album.
Sari Schorr was visibly tired off-stage (this has been a long tour with any time off the road usually spent in the studio working on the new album) but you wouldn’t have known it during the show.
Sari Schorr gives of herself one hundred percent each and every time, and at Glasgow was on song and on vocal point throughout, from the big voiced outros of 'Kiss Me' and the full-on rendition of Zeppelin’s 'Rock and Roll' to the contrasting, vocally and lyrically sincere gratitude song, 'Ordinary Life.'
Two other cover featured on the night, a rocked up version of 'Just Wanna Make Love To You' and a faithful to the Bad Company arrangement of 'Ready For Love.'
The latter is such a great fit for Sari Schorr that one can only hope it’s being considered for inclusion on the next album, or at least slotted in as a staple of the live sets for some time to come.
By set’s end the Oran Mor audience (in such blues raucous voice throughout you would have sworn the venue was packed to the gunnels) went home with nothing to complain about.
Well, they may have had a complaint or two if they realised three bands and a curfew meant Sari Schorr’s set was cut short by a couple of songs including Ash Wilson’s moment in the spotlight (the groovin' shuffle 'Peace & Love' from Broken Machine).
But, given the quality of performance and differently styled blues on display from all three bands, curfew or no curfew, I’ll take what was offered – on any given Sunday.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ