Coming Up Blues Rock Roses
Erja Lyytinen – Nice N Sleazy, Glasgow, 7th April 2025
Erja Lyytinen – Nice N Sleazy, Glasgow, 7th April 2025
Award winning Finnish blues rock singer-guitarist Erja Lyytinen made a welcome return to the UK in April to tour in promotion of recently released new album Smell The Roses.
The tour included two dates in Scotland – Edinburgh and, as reviewed here, the following night’s performance in Glasgow at the basement club venue of Nice N Sleazy.
Stepping on to the Nice N Sleazy stage in the company of her bandmates Heikki Saarenkunnas (bass) and Jesse Lehto (drums), who were in the rhythmic groove througout the entire show, Erja Lyytinen received hearty and welcoming applause from an audience who had come out to support both Miss Lyytinen and live music (which, sadly, at club level, needs all the help it can get these days).
While most of the audience were clearly long-standing Erja Lyytinen fans, there was a 50-50 split between those who had the new album (which had been out for just over a week) and those still to hear/ or purchase it.
The latter was duly rectified post-gig at the merch desk, which saw good business for CD and Vinyl versions of what is Erja Lyytinen’s best, and heaviest, album to date.
The post-show queue for copies of the new album, with Erja happily signing and chatting to each and every enthused fan, was no doubt in part due to the set-list showcasing Smell The Roses, with every one of the album’s nine tracks featuring.
Nor does it hurt that the album carries an intentional 70s rock sound and a guitars-up-front mix, all perfect ingredients for a power trio live performance (kudos too for an excellent, full-bodied sound on the night; something that's not always easy to achieve in Basement Club venues).
Playing the Smell The Roses songs out of their album sequence also paid dividends – it helped keep the what's-coming-next interest up for those familiar with the album, coupled with the fact an album track sequence doesn’t always necessarily equate to the best set list balance.
The tour included two dates in Scotland – Edinburgh and, as reviewed here, the following night’s performance in Glasgow at the basement club venue of Nice N Sleazy.
Stepping on to the Nice N Sleazy stage in the company of her bandmates Heikki Saarenkunnas (bass) and Jesse Lehto (drums), who were in the rhythmic groove througout the entire show, Erja Lyytinen received hearty and welcoming applause from an audience who had come out to support both Miss Lyytinen and live music (which, sadly, at club level, needs all the help it can get these days).
While most of the audience were clearly long-standing Erja Lyytinen fans, there was a 50-50 split between those who had the new album (which had been out for just over a week) and those still to hear/ or purchase it.
The latter was duly rectified post-gig at the merch desk, which saw good business for CD and Vinyl versions of what is Erja Lyytinen’s best, and heaviest, album to date.
The post-show queue for copies of the new album, with Erja happily signing and chatting to each and every enthused fan, was no doubt in part due to the set-list showcasing Smell The Roses, with every one of the album’s nine tracks featuring.
Nor does it hurt that the album carries an intentional 70s rock sound and a guitars-up-front mix, all perfect ingredients for a power trio live performance (kudos too for an excellent, full-bodied sound on the night; something that's not always easy to achieve in Basement Club venues).
Playing the Smell The Roses songs out of their album sequence also paid dividends – it helped keep the what's-coming-next interest up for those familiar with the album, coupled with the fact an album track sequence doesn’t always necessarily equate to the best set list balance.
Kicking off with boisterous slide 'n' blues number 'Ball And Chain,' for example (which sits further down the album order), made for a perfect opener, bolstered by its heavy-pop appeal choruses and a quirky, Stylophone sounding slide solo that managed to emulate its studio counterpart.
Following number 'Wings To Fly' offered contrast through its downtempo opening stanzas (which carried an almost alt-Americana vibe) and heavier, drum-filled parts; the song then broke to a moodier, atmospheric section that allowed Erja Lyytinen’s voice and later solo to, much like the song’s title, fly.
(It should also be vocally noted that the Finnish songstress was in fine voice throughout the show, with particularly impressive highs).
'Going To Hell' then shape-shifted its way through progressively shaped instrumental passages and contemporary, heavy blues sequences before settling into the latter.
A true power trio song in the live environment, the band were fully in-sync for the reprise of the proggish and pacy instrumental section, which closed out the number emphatically, and impressively.
'Dragonfly,' influenced by Erja Lyytinen’s love of hiking and nature, offered further set list contrast.
Flitting from dreamier, downtempo verse sequences to heavier segments, Lyytinen’s melodically phrased mid-song solo reinforced just how good a guitarist she is.
After a short, punchy intro 'Abyss' (a sequel of sorts to Going To Hell') built slowly before rocking out on a short, Zeppelin-styled instrumental passage.
The progressive number then entered a lengthier, rhythmically brooding section that set up a repeated chorus part, followed by a heavyweight passage where Erja Lyytinen delivered some seriously impressive soloing.
An impacting and purposeful highlight of both the show, and the new album.
Following number 'Wings To Fly' offered contrast through its downtempo opening stanzas (which carried an almost alt-Americana vibe) and heavier, drum-filled parts; the song then broke to a moodier, atmospheric section that allowed Erja Lyytinen’s voice and later solo to, much like the song’s title, fly.
(It should also be vocally noted that the Finnish songstress was in fine voice throughout the show, with particularly impressive highs).
'Going To Hell' then shape-shifted its way through progressively shaped instrumental passages and contemporary, heavy blues sequences before settling into the latter.
A true power trio song in the live environment, the band were fully in-sync for the reprise of the proggish and pacy instrumental section, which closed out the number emphatically, and impressively.
'Dragonfly,' influenced by Erja Lyytinen’s love of hiking and nature, offered further set list contrast.
Flitting from dreamier, downtempo verse sequences to heavier segments, Lyytinen’s melodically phrased mid-song solo reinforced just how good a guitarist she is.
After a short, punchy intro 'Abyss' (a sequel of sorts to Going To Hell') built slowly before rocking out on a short, Zeppelin-styled instrumental passage.
The progressive number then entered a lengthier, rhythmically brooding section that set up a repeated chorus part, followed by a heavyweight passage where Erja Lyytinen delivered some seriously impressive soloing.
An impacting and purposeful highlight of both the show, and the new album.
'Smell The Roses,' which opens the album, worked well as a short and sharp mid-set rocker, balancing creatively between its punky verses and big, melodic choruses (and another tasty solo from Erja Lyytinen).
The impact of the rearranged order of the Smell The Roses songs was never more apparent than following the title track with the album’s final number, 'Empty Hours.'
Sparse and darkly atmospheric, 'Empty Hours,' with its minor tuning and simple beat rhythm, made for an intriguing, and deftly executed, highlight of the show.
The swaying groove and swampy slide work of 'Stoney Creek' lyrically told, as Erja Lyytinen explained, "of a hiking trip gone wrong."
Another with interesting tuning, the results were a sound as intriguing as the song’s mysterious lyric.
Final Smell The Roses song, 'The Ring,' was, as the title alludes to, a big boxing punch boogie of a number, one that featured judicious use of Erja Lyytinen’s redoubtable slide skills and a nifty, foot-tapping breakdown. Simple, maybe, but highly effective.
With Smell The Roses fully addressed, the set closed out on a brace of fan favourites.
'You Talk Dirty,' whose origins go back to Erja Lyytinen’s 2002 debut album Attention! (and given a makeover 20 years later for Waiting For The Daylight), started as a fun stomp-blues before breaking into, and climaxing on, an extended psychedelic rock-jam with slide, bass and drums in overdrive (and some more great vocal highs from Lyytinen).
'You Talk Dirty' would have made for a great, set ending finish, but 'Wedding Day,' from 2019’s Another World, was a twelve-minute-plus, boogie on down Sauchiehall Street showstopper.
A pedal down banger that featured an Erja Lyytinen slide guitar solo showcase, 'Wedding Day' managed to out-ZZ the Top dawgs of Texas blues boogie as it barnstormed its way towards show’s end.
A national musical treasure in her homeland and a perennial hit on the European blues rock circuit, there’s still that annoying niggle from those in the know that Erja Lyytinen should be doing much bigger business in the UK, where she loves to play.
Given her outstanding live performances however, and the equally outstanding quality of the new album, the larger contingent of UK blues rock fans may now, finally, Wake Up and… well, you know.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Photo credits: Ian Potter / LightPress Media & Design Ltd (https://www.lightpress.co.uk/)
FabricationsHQ’s review of Smell The Roses:
https://www.fabricationshq.com/erja-lyytinen---smell-the-roses.html
The impact of the rearranged order of the Smell The Roses songs was never more apparent than following the title track with the album’s final number, 'Empty Hours.'
Sparse and darkly atmospheric, 'Empty Hours,' with its minor tuning and simple beat rhythm, made for an intriguing, and deftly executed, highlight of the show.
The swaying groove and swampy slide work of 'Stoney Creek' lyrically told, as Erja Lyytinen explained, "of a hiking trip gone wrong."
Another with interesting tuning, the results were a sound as intriguing as the song’s mysterious lyric.
Final Smell The Roses song, 'The Ring,' was, as the title alludes to, a big boxing punch boogie of a number, one that featured judicious use of Erja Lyytinen’s redoubtable slide skills and a nifty, foot-tapping breakdown. Simple, maybe, but highly effective.
With Smell The Roses fully addressed, the set closed out on a brace of fan favourites.
'You Talk Dirty,' whose origins go back to Erja Lyytinen’s 2002 debut album Attention! (and given a makeover 20 years later for Waiting For The Daylight), started as a fun stomp-blues before breaking into, and climaxing on, an extended psychedelic rock-jam with slide, bass and drums in overdrive (and some more great vocal highs from Lyytinen).
'You Talk Dirty' would have made for a great, set ending finish, but 'Wedding Day,' from 2019’s Another World, was a twelve-minute-plus, boogie on down Sauchiehall Street showstopper.
A pedal down banger that featured an Erja Lyytinen slide guitar solo showcase, 'Wedding Day' managed to out-ZZ the Top dawgs of Texas blues boogie as it barnstormed its way towards show’s end.
A national musical treasure in her homeland and a perennial hit on the European blues rock circuit, there’s still that annoying niggle from those in the know that Erja Lyytinen should be doing much bigger business in the UK, where she loves to play.
Given her outstanding live performances however, and the equally outstanding quality of the new album, the larger contingent of UK blues rock fans may now, finally, Wake Up and… well, you know.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Photo credits: Ian Potter / LightPress Media & Design Ltd (https://www.lightpress.co.uk/)
FabricationsHQ’s review of Smell The Roses:
https://www.fabricationshq.com/erja-lyytinen---smell-the-roses.html