Corn Market Blues

Concert Review

King King & Devlin Blue - 3rd May 2014

 

Kettering Corn Market Hall Kicking off Corn Market Blues’ hotly anticipated first gig is Lincoln three piece, Devlin Blue. A well placed support act they take to the stage with all the confidence of a band ten years on the road. It didn’t take long to hear why with opening track ‘Change’ showcasing their dirty blues rock. This sound was not to be expected from a band of such young lads.

Lead singer and bassist Sam Varlow grabs you and surprises you with gravely, sultry voice which lends it’s self perfectly to Dave Devlin’s swaggering guitar licks.Keeping your attention and your toes tapping, ‘Drive Myself Insane’ has a more traditional Hillbilly blues sound with hints of Sea Sick Steve.

A song that makes you wish more young bands had the talent and notion to write and play songs like this.Drummer Callum Turk, leads the band into the encore track, a brave version of Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Voodoo Chile’ and they don’t disappoint. The classic rock song is done justice with effortless guitar work and vocals that make the hairs on the back of your next stand up. Devlin Blue are the band you need, the band making music we simply don’t hear enough of. Brave and should certainly be boastful.

 

King King take to the stage with a surge of enthusiasm from the crowd. Before a note has even been played the band are already in full command of the crowd. Lead singer and guitarist Alan Nimmo has all the presence that any one being could possibly muster as he shimmies his way up and down the guitar neck on opening track ‘More Than I can Take’.

One of the most endearing and attractive features of King King is the Hammond organ played by Bob Fridzema, offering all the warmth and depth on ‘Wait on Time’ that you would expect to find on a Procol Harum track.Surging forward, Alan’s inimitable bluesy voice belts out ‘Don’t You Get The Feeling’. This track provides the perfect juxtaposition to their next, ‘Long History of Love’. The waltzy, rhythmic song will no doubt quickly become a classic of epic proportions.

Alan pours his heart and soul into the guitar solo, whilst drummer Wayne Proctor holds the whole performance together with his constant and steady control.Next they shake things up with ‘Heart Without a Soul’ a jazz funk number.

Lindsay Coulson’s brooding bass line is the centrepiece of this track and the crowd love it. Alan goes on to introduce ‘Coming Home’ by explaining to the enraptured audience that they are the replacements of the friends and family that they have left behind in pursuit of their dreams. A drive time classic in the making and you can’t help but feel that this song means a lot to them.

The big licks and stomping noise of ‘Take My Hand’ is a beauty of a track that teases you all the way to the climax, a pounding chant before the guitar rips off.

Frankie Millar classic ‘Jealousy’ is perfectly honoured with flawless vocals and ‘Can’t Keep From Trying’ provides a real party feel. An infectious beat that is sure to make you want to move.‘All My Life’ keeps the crowd involved with a clap and sing a long that you know the room’s been waiting for. With as much funk as a Sly and the Family Stone hit, this song will put a smile on your face.

Commanding silence, Alan explains that their next track was introduced to him by his mum and is the inspiration and reason to make his own music. Eric Clapton’s ‘Old Love’ is beautifully replicated as the atmosphere becomes tense you almost feel as though they’re playing to you alone in your front room.‘Let Love In’ is the final track. It’s a feel good tune full of joy and charisma, much like themselves. King King are the type of band that play every gig as though it’s their first and potentially their last and believe me that is a gig worth seeing.

All I can say is thank God for his mum and Eric Clapton.

 

by Leigh Rafferty