Along For The Blues Rocking Ride
Walter Trout (with Alastair Greene) – Oran Mor, Glasgow, 14th May 2023
Walter Trout (with Alastair Greene) – Oran Mor, Glasgow, 14th May 2023
The 72 years young Walter Trout has always played with unfettered joy and blues enthused passion, to the point where he’s on the borderline between six-string control and guitar solo abandon.
That’s been even more pronounced since his 11th hour reprieve from death when a successful liver transplant saw him – after a difficult but determined effort to recover full mental and physical capacity (including having to relearn how to speak, walk and play guitar) – return to the life he loves.
Each show has become both a celebration of the reborn Walter Trout (who sees his near death recovery as now nine years (to the month) of bonus life) and his extensive, decades long blues rock repertoire (now 30 albums strong including current album Ride).
All the more pleasing then that a vociferous and energy-reciprocating Oran Mor crowd came out in sell-out numbers (on a Sunday night no less, not the easiest sell) to see Walter Trout in action alongside his long-time bass player Johnny Griparic with keyboardist Richard T Bear and drummer Jacob Renlov.
That’s been even more pronounced since his 11th hour reprieve from death when a successful liver transplant saw him – after a difficult but determined effort to recover full mental and physical capacity (including having to relearn how to speak, walk and play guitar) – return to the life he loves.
Each show has become both a celebration of the reborn Walter Trout (who sees his near death recovery as now nine years (to the month) of bonus life) and his extensive, decades long blues rock repertoire (now 30 albums strong including current album Ride).
All the more pleasing then that a vociferous and energy-reciprocating Oran Mor crowd came out in sell-out numbers (on a Sunday night no less, not the easiest sell) to see Walter Trout in action alongside his long-time bass player Johnny Griparic with keyboardist Richard T Bear and drummer Jacob Renlov.
Prior to Walter Trout giving it raucous roll and blues licks large, the Californian born, now Austin, Texas based Alastair Greene, delivered a 30 minute solo set.
While many may have preferred Alastair Greene to have been in full band company, a solo electric performance, complete with pedal-triggered looped guitar backing, worked as the perfect warm-up, especially as Greene, much like Walter Trout, can be quick with the comedic quip – "I moved to Austin because what that town really needs is another blues guitar player" was one such, but his best was renaming his song 'Drunk Again' (a barroom blues (natch) styled shuffle) to 'Pissed Again,' in honour of the British three-sheets-to-the-wind meaning of the word.
Opening with a rendition of 'Walkin' Blues' was a smart, get the audience on side early move, while the grittier and slightly ZZ 'Living Today,' from last studio album The New World Blues, was a self-penned highlight.
Indeed as Greene made mention, the latter song’s lyrical theme ("the world’s gone crazy, the whole world’s gone mad!") is more relevant now than it was when first released back in 2020.
That Walter Trout’s set was going to be a full-on, full-fun celebration of his career was evident from the get-go with, first, 'I Can Tell' (Richard T Bear in full blues organ cry while Johnny Griparic & Jacob Renlov supplied the tight rhythmic pocket for Trout to spray an uncountable number of notes over) followed by the slower, blues hollerin' 'Walkin' in the Rain' (both deeper cuts pulled from Trout’s 90s catalogue).
The pulsating and brooding 'Wanna Dance' kept the energy high before the tempo was dropped for 'Say Goodbye to the Blues,' originally written as a tribute to the great Stevie Ray Vaughan but dedicated on this tour to the late and legendary B.B. King.
The latter, which featured Walter Trout’s most impassioned solo of the night, was preceded by Trout’s anecdote of meeting the great man back when he was only 14.
That meeting firmly shaped the young Walter Trout’s musical future.
There then followed a quartet of Ride numbers featuring another part of Team Trout, Andrew Elt, on second guitar and backing vocals.
The infectious Allman Brothers meets melodic rock & roll title track (lyrically recalling a young Walter Trout’s dream of hitting the tracks to get away from a distressing childhood) was as stone cold winner, as was the mid-tempo weight and bluesy vibe of 'Ghosts' (complete with spooky "woo-ooh-oooh!" introduction from Trout and audience).
Delightful and genuinely heartfelt contrast then came by way of ballad 'Follow You Back Home,' with Andrew Elt now on acoustic guitar and well-blended harmony vocals alongside Johnny Griparic (kudos here to yet another member of the Walter Trout touring entourage, Phil, who did a sterling job on the out-front sound.
It was also his birthday, leading to a full-voiced "Happy Birthday" sing-song from the Oran Mor crowd).
While many may have preferred Alastair Greene to have been in full band company, a solo electric performance, complete with pedal-triggered looped guitar backing, worked as the perfect warm-up, especially as Greene, much like Walter Trout, can be quick with the comedic quip – "I moved to Austin because what that town really needs is another blues guitar player" was one such, but his best was renaming his song 'Drunk Again' (a barroom blues (natch) styled shuffle) to 'Pissed Again,' in honour of the British three-sheets-to-the-wind meaning of the word.
Opening with a rendition of 'Walkin' Blues' was a smart, get the audience on side early move, while the grittier and slightly ZZ 'Living Today,' from last studio album The New World Blues, was a self-penned highlight.
Indeed as Greene made mention, the latter song’s lyrical theme ("the world’s gone crazy, the whole world’s gone mad!") is more relevant now than it was when first released back in 2020.
That Walter Trout’s set was going to be a full-on, full-fun celebration of his career was evident from the get-go with, first, 'I Can Tell' (Richard T Bear in full blues organ cry while Johnny Griparic & Jacob Renlov supplied the tight rhythmic pocket for Trout to spray an uncountable number of notes over) followed by the slower, blues hollerin' 'Walkin' in the Rain' (both deeper cuts pulled from Trout’s 90s catalogue).
The pulsating and brooding 'Wanna Dance' kept the energy high before the tempo was dropped for 'Say Goodbye to the Blues,' originally written as a tribute to the great Stevie Ray Vaughan but dedicated on this tour to the late and legendary B.B. King.
The latter, which featured Walter Trout’s most impassioned solo of the night, was preceded by Trout’s anecdote of meeting the great man back when he was only 14.
That meeting firmly shaped the young Walter Trout’s musical future.
There then followed a quartet of Ride numbers featuring another part of Team Trout, Andrew Elt, on second guitar and backing vocals.
The infectious Allman Brothers meets melodic rock & roll title track (lyrically recalling a young Walter Trout’s dream of hitting the tracks to get away from a distressing childhood) was as stone cold winner, as was the mid-tempo weight and bluesy vibe of 'Ghosts' (complete with spooky "woo-ooh-oooh!" introduction from Trout and audience).
Delightful and genuinely heartfelt contrast then came by way of ballad 'Follow You Back Home,' with Andrew Elt now on acoustic guitar and well-blended harmony vocals alongside Johnny Griparic (kudos here to yet another member of the Walter Trout touring entourage, Phil, who did a sterling job on the out-front sound.
It was also his birthday, leading to a full-voiced "Happy Birthday" sing-song from the Oran Mor crowd).
Messrs Trout & Greene In This Together
'I Worry (Too Much)' was the what-the-hell-is-going-on-in-the-world Yin to Alastair Greene’s earlier stay positive Yang of 'Living Today,' with Walter Trout in semi-narrative vocal mode while the band hit a purposeful, funky groove.
Nor was it lost on anyone that the line "I worry ‘bout my liver, how long it’s gonna last?" was an honest and personal declaration to live each day as it comes, and to the full.
Alastair Greene returned to the stage for the blues swaying 'We're All In This Together' from the 2017 album of the same name, with Messrs Trout & Greene exchanging tasty call and answer, then dovetailing, six-string licks.
The guitar play also helped to show those unfamiliar with Greene (or disappointed his low-key solo set didn’t allow him to get out of second gear) that he certainly knows what he’s doing with a Gibson in his hands.
Prior to Greene’s arrival on stage Walter Trout’s intro to the song made mention of some of the stellar players who guested on the WAITT album, which led to the dark humour moment of the evening...
Having rattled off a veritable who’s who of names including John Mayall, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Sonny Landreth, Joe Bonamassa, Warren Haynes, Eric Gales and Edgar Winter, one audience member shouted the inquiring "Johnny Winter?"
To which Trout replied, deadpan, "No, he didn’t turn up… 'cos he’s dead." (it’s no coincidence that Gallows humour and Glasgow humour sound so similar).
With Andrew Elt back in six-string tow the set concluded with an absolutely raucous rendition of 'Playin' Hideaway' (complete with the biggest and loudest "woah-oh-oh!" accompaniments the Oran Mor has likely ever heard) and Walter Trout’s purposeful cover of Floyd Lee’s 'Red Sun.'
As a finale, the loudly demanded encore opened with an impromptu 'Scotland the Brave' before kicking in to a 100mph romp through 'Bullfrog Blues,' with Walter Trout in six string overdrive.
Walter Trout is a showman with a charisma that burns so bright it’s a wonder any stage lights are needed.
Many of the seemingly off-the-cuff quips come from the Dave Lee Roth School of Ad-libs (i.e. you’ll hear ‘em at every show) but that’s all part of the show, and the cheeky Trout charm.
Many a rose-tinted Trout lover or reviewer will also tell you "Walter has never played better" but the re-learned rock and roll reality is he can only ever play as well as he had pre-liver transplant (which may well be the case; he can certainly still put feel into a slow blues or blister his fingers on the topmost frets).
A more accurate statement would be to make the point that he has never performed better, courtesy of a new lease of life and joyful effervescence that makes him, still, one of the must see acts on the circuit.
500 Scottish blues rock fans will testify to that.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Photo Credit: Willie Mackenzie
Nor was it lost on anyone that the line "I worry ‘bout my liver, how long it’s gonna last?" was an honest and personal declaration to live each day as it comes, and to the full.
Alastair Greene returned to the stage for the blues swaying 'We're All In This Together' from the 2017 album of the same name, with Messrs Trout & Greene exchanging tasty call and answer, then dovetailing, six-string licks.
The guitar play also helped to show those unfamiliar with Greene (or disappointed his low-key solo set didn’t allow him to get out of second gear) that he certainly knows what he’s doing with a Gibson in his hands.
Prior to Greene’s arrival on stage Walter Trout’s intro to the song made mention of some of the stellar players who guested on the WAITT album, which led to the dark humour moment of the evening...
Having rattled off a veritable who’s who of names including John Mayall, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Sonny Landreth, Joe Bonamassa, Warren Haynes, Eric Gales and Edgar Winter, one audience member shouted the inquiring "Johnny Winter?"
To which Trout replied, deadpan, "No, he didn’t turn up… 'cos he’s dead." (it’s no coincidence that Gallows humour and Glasgow humour sound so similar).
With Andrew Elt back in six-string tow the set concluded with an absolutely raucous rendition of 'Playin' Hideaway' (complete with the biggest and loudest "woah-oh-oh!" accompaniments the Oran Mor has likely ever heard) and Walter Trout’s purposeful cover of Floyd Lee’s 'Red Sun.'
As a finale, the loudly demanded encore opened with an impromptu 'Scotland the Brave' before kicking in to a 100mph romp through 'Bullfrog Blues,' with Walter Trout in six string overdrive.
Walter Trout is a showman with a charisma that burns so bright it’s a wonder any stage lights are needed.
Many of the seemingly off-the-cuff quips come from the Dave Lee Roth School of Ad-libs (i.e. you’ll hear ‘em at every show) but that’s all part of the show, and the cheeky Trout charm.
Many a rose-tinted Trout lover or reviewer will also tell you "Walter has never played better" but the re-learned rock and roll reality is he can only ever play as well as he had pre-liver transplant (which may well be the case; he can certainly still put feel into a slow blues or blister his fingers on the topmost frets).
A more accurate statement would be to make the point that he has never performed better, courtesy of a new lease of life and joyful effervescence that makes him, still, one of the must see acts on the circuit.
500 Scottish blues rock fans will testify to that.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Photo Credit: Willie Mackenzie