Album & Live Reviews
Album & Live Reviews
There was a remarkably big Monday evening crowd in at Bannerman’s and they had all turned up early to enjoy Absolva. Judging by the reception they were given, I assumed that the Manchester lads had built up a rapport and a following from previous appearances in Scotland’s capital, but it turned out that this was their first state visit in ten years. They have been frequent visitors to the Weegie side of the country though, and they’ll be back at The Garage on 30th March with Phil Campbell and his illegitimate male offspring. Always a hard-working band, they got straight down to business and immediately got the heads nodding with ‘Code Red’ and the Appleton brothers to the fore, as usual. Luke (the baldy one) leads on guitar and shared the vocal on the second number ‘Fire in the Sky’, while Chris (the top-knot one) stars on vocals and impressive facial expressions, which are worth a thousand words – not that he’s short of those either. After 13 years, five albums and a relentless gigging schedule, they are tight, loud and noisily enjoyable. They describe their music as “pure heavy metal” and that’s what they play – no more and certainly no less. Album number six is called ‘Justice’ and will be released on 7th May 2025 (available to pre-order). They previewed the excellent song ‘Find My Identity’ from it – it’s the one with the video that Ronnie Romero also sings on – and it could be their best yet. Why do Absolva have some wee shades of grey in their hair? Because they “Refuse to Dye”; or is it “Die”? That was the penultimate song of their set and they closed with ‘From Beyond the Light’ which facilitated one last bit of quality power-widdling dual guitar. Absolva didn’t have to work hard to get this crowd on their side, but they did anyway. They will always be welcome whenever they decide to return to the classy side of the country again. Chilean singer Ronnie Romero powered out of the blocks with a rousing ‘Stand Up and Shout’ which quickly established his classic rock credentials and highlighted the rich Dio-esque quality of his voice. Now based in Spain, Ronnie initially came to most folks’ attention when he was hand-picked as Blackmore’s singer for the Rainbow revival shows. He has subsequently enhanced his reputation with Schenker, various projects including Sunstorm, and a pair of covers albums in his own name. His 2023 “proper” solo album for Frontiers, ‘Too Many Lies, Too Many Masters’ was a significant step forward though and songs from that album anchored this set admirably. ‘I’ve Been Losing You’ was a melodic rock treat, with prominent keyboards from Fran Gil Torres, and ‘Chased by Shadows’ was another early highlight, featuring an Iommi-esque instrumental change-up. The bluesy ‘Crossroad’, also from “TML, TMM”, began with a short interpolation of Whitesnake’s ‘Love Ain’t No Stranger’ and Romero had a pretty reverential bash at emulating Lord Coverdale of Saltburn’s lonesome and lascivious tones, but Ronnie James Dio is definitely still the most obvious vocal comparison. Other highlights from the Old Testament of rock included vivid renditions of Rainbow’s ‘Stargazer’ and ‘Kill the King’ plus ‘Rainbow in the Dark’ which closed the main set. A three-song Deep Purple encore included ‘The Battle Rages On’, ‘Child in Time’ and ‘Burn’. They were good and well-received but the other songs that stuck in my head the most were ‘Castaway on the Moon’ and ‘Vengeance’ from ‘Too Many Lies, Too Many Masters’ and I really do think this is the way forward for Ronnie Romero. A smattering of RJD vocal covers will always be welcome - and why wouldn’t he do these when he’s so good at it - but I will look forward to future solo releases and hearing some more quality original material infiltrating the set, in due course.
Photos by Alex Sun
Often, an artist’s look tells you something about how they might sound. Not so for virtuoso guitarist AfroDiziac, whose snazzy threads and impressive hair suggest he might be a purveyor of retro, psychedelic sounds. But in reality, new single ‘Shine’ has more in common with grunge, favouring the soft loud soft dynamics that Nirvana made into an art form. It’s an art that remains effective, the vulnerability of AfroDiziac’s vocal as the track begins in contrast with the wallop of drums and aggressive distorted guitar that follows. The chorus benefits from a familiar lyric, almost identical to the well-known “this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine”, albeit delivered with more snarling defiance than I recall from when it featured in school assemblies! AfroDiziac’s vocal performance is as passionate and engaging as his guitar playing, which is pleasingly powerful without being unnecessarily flashy. There’s a wonderful moment where the noise drops away, leaving the throb of bass exposed before the track builds back to a crescendo, ultimately taking us back to where we started, giving the track a pleasing, cyclical quality. The wait for debut album ‘Vanity Affair’ continues, but on the strength of ‘Shine’, there is much to look forward to. A powerful track with an even more powerful message; a reminder of the strength it takes to defy expectations and to allow your true self to ‘Shine’. Listen to the single from Friday 7th March.
As much as I love the power chords, driving bass and thumping drumbeats associated with Rockfiend’s usual genres of choice (rock, hard rock and metal), I also have a longstanding love of country music. As the syrupy-sweet judges on reality TV shows such as X Factor like to say: “it’s my guilty pleasure”! Country music is something that has been ingrained in my musical soul since childhood, when the first music I was exposed to was my dad’s Glen Campbell, John Denver and Bobby Goldsboro records. Perhaps being Scottish is a factor too, with many people believing that Ulster-Scots immigrants influenced early country music in the United States. Think back to the school gym hall and the awkward and much hated social dancing classes that every 7–14-year-old in Scotland had to suffer on a yearly basis and you’ll realise that the accordion music blasting from the cassette player isn’t a million miles away from traditional country music. Anyone for a “Dashing White Sergeant”? With country artists regularly selling out venues up and down the UK in the last decade and the venues getting bigger with each subsequent tour, country is fast becoming the new rock n roll! Kentucky-born singer Carly Pearce is one artist keen to capitalise on the UK’s love of the genre and has played in Glasgow previously, at Oran Mor in 2022 and as part of the Country 2 Country (C2C) lineup last year. Returning to the city on a cold February evening as part of her Hummingbird European/UK Tour, Pearce sold out the 2500 capacity O2 Academy. Despite suffering from flu-like symptoms for a few days, the determined singer refused to even consider cancelling the remaining concerts on the tour, doping up on medication and taking lots of rest in her hotel to ensure she was up to the task. Texas-based singer and guitarist Wade Bowen has been supporting Pearce throughout the European and UK run of shows, arriving onstage resplendent in a white Stetson and accompanied by another guitarist and a bassist. It was a wonderfully simple support slot, with no loud electric guitars or even a drumbeat, giving the audience an opportunity to enjoy his music in its starkest, most honest state. With a set made up of songs from throughout his career, including latest album Flyin, Bowen seemed to enjoy the enthusiasm of the Glasgow audience, even if he was somewhat bemused by some hard to understand, guttural Scots voices shouting encouragement to him! From opener ‘Rainin’ on Me’ and ‘Mary Jane’ (a song about his wife… who I’m sure he said was actually called Shelby?) to ‘Saturday Night’ and set closer ‘Fell in Love on Whiskey’, Bowen ably displayed his country music chops. Of course, there was a classic country moment in ‘Til It Does’, with the entertainingly memorable lyric “it don’t happen… ‘til it does’). True that!! It was an enjoyable performance of pure Texan-inspired country music by a consummate professional who undoubtedly won some new fans in Glasgow. With the sold-out crowd packed into the venue, there wasn’t much room to move. Wide-brimmed cowboy hats whacked my face as their wearers walked past and I’m pretty sure a woman with a particularly vicious heel on her cowgirl boot almost pierced my very non-country-like Vans! Include the over exuberant guy behind who constantly shouted “Yee-Haw” at the top of his voice near to my ear for no apparent reason (it was funny the first time and maybe even the second… but tiresome for the whole performance after that!) and the stage was set for a great country music show. As Pearce’s band took to the stage and started the show, quickly followed by the star of the show’s arrival, the crowd bopped and rocked to catchy opener ‘Rock Paper Scissors’ from the Hummingbird album, followed by the wonderful ‘Next Girl’ and ‘Country Made Me Do It’. There was no hint of vocal issues in Pearce’s voice, with the medication doing the trick to ward off the flu-symptoms that had plagued her for a few days. Her band, consisting of guitar, bass, drums and a talented fiddler (is that what you call it?) who also played keyboards, was on fire and it was possibly the best sound that I’ve heard at the O2 Academy for a long time. Next was a triple-whammy of songs from latest album Hummingbird, with ‘Truck on Fire’, ‘My Place’ and a quite stunning rendition of tearful ballad ‘We Don’t Fight Anymore’. On the recorded version, Pearce is joined by country superstar Chris Stapleton and I was unsure how the song would sound solo. But kudos to Pearce’s guitarist, who ably filled in for Stapleton, which is no mean feat! ‘Every Little Thing’ from the 2017 album of the same name and the classic country sound of ‘Still Blue’ led to Wade Bowen returning to the stage to duet on a foot-stomping, barn-storming cover of ‘Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man’, the kind of country song that makes me happy as it evokes images of golden fields, haybales and blue skies. Basically, the complete opposite of the weather and sights outside in Glasgow! Pearce, who wasn’t even distracted by a slipping right knee-high boot and who seemed to be loving the vibe of the Glasgow crowd, lovingly connected with a child in the upstairs balcony; a beautiful moment to be cherished whilst “Yee-Haw” guy continued to fight for attention in the near silence. I sincerely hope his throat was as sore as my ears the next morning… but I digress! Pearce was in a more introspective mood for the next two songs, the plaintive ‘29’ in which she spoke of the embarrassment she felt at marrying and divorcing at… well… the age of 29, whilst her voice truly soared in ‘Things I Didn’t Chase’. It was a truly beautiful performance and you could’ve heard a pin drop as her faultless voice soared through the venue. One woman near to me was quite understandably moved to tears, even if what I assume was her part looked a tad confused next to her, considering the lyrical content! It was a special connection between Pearce and the audience. Pearce thanked her band for quickly learning the songs in a new, lower key to allow for her flu-symptoms, showing that the talent behind the main event is just as vital in any genre of music. ‘No Rain’, a brand new song that was originally written for a new album but is instead going to be the perfect bookend of the Hummingbird album in a soon-to-released deluxe version, impressed whilst the bar room feel of ‘Hide the Wine’ (played as Mrs Griffiths supped a white wine next to me!). Pearce ended the main set with ‘I Hope You’re Happy Now’, a brilliant mid-tempo ballad-like romp that first introduced me to her music, with her guitarist once again ably filling in on vocals for Lee Brice’s voice, who plays on the original performance. An encore (of sorts) of ‘Oklahoma’ and ‘What He Didn’t Do’, with the band continuing to play as Pearce took her bow and left the stage (I love that about country concerts!) to end a perfect night of country music. Carly Pearce is a true talent. Her faultless voice and undeniable songwriting skills have a knack of burrowing into the souls of her audience. Why? Because she sings about real life and things people can relate to. Breakups, heartbreak, shame, alcohol, trucks and good fun. It’s what country music should be like and it was a privilege to witness such a special performance. When Pearce returns to Glasgow, I wouldn’t be surprised if the venue is bigger once again, with her fanbase sure to continue growing as her music continues to be exposed on UK radio. It’s what she deserves. “Yee-Haw” indeed! Carly Pearce continues the Hummingbird Tour in North America from March through to May. Hummingbird Deluxe Edition is due for release on 14th March.
While still more known to some for establishing and fronting the Dogs D’amour (and who’ve continued with a different line-up as Tyla’s Dogs D’amour in recent years), Tyla’s much longer career as a solo artist has afforded him more flexibility in sound while retaining his trademark heart on sleeve lyrics and street poetry. Normally very prolific in output, which has at times almost reached “another week, another album” level, the latest solo album from Tyla has taken longer to see the light than planned due to a couple of factors. Having started life as the ‘Blue Blood, Black Heart’ album, Tyla found himself abandoning much of what he had written, going in a different musical direction and renaming the album ‘Gilding the Lily’ after rummaging through his equipment in search of another piece of kit and finding an old brown leather bag which contained two effects pedals which he hadn’t used in years – a tremolo and an octavidor. This led to some re-acquainting and experimenting, his creating a very different sound and was the first factor. The second was bouncing some song ideas off his, also Edinburgh-based, producer, Jamie Turnbull who Tyla was aware played the guitar, but had no idea just how well until Jamie was encouraged to let loose and laid down some guitar on top of Tyla’s rough demos. Run these happy discoveries together and the result is what I think will become known as Tyla’s “guitar album”, what Tyla believes is his “best album” and one which he has been wanting to make for years … and in places very different to how you may have heard him before. The album opener, ‘Baptism By Fire’, starts with just a descending bass line and almost instantly launches into the full-band played raucous chorus. This has the effect of feeling like you’re walking through town on a dark, depressing, cold and wet winter’s night and suddenly a door opens basking you in light and sound … opening into the lock-in to end all lock-ins with the band in full swing playing some mean glam-tinged bar room boogie with guitar soaring above, punters of all ages dancing on the bar and tables, being warmly hauled in and handed the first of many very large drams. Gauntlet and statement of intent laid down, then. The 70’s feel is ratcheted up to the max on ‘Cadillac Man’ which struts and blasts out of the speakers - again with that very prominent guitar working its magic above and throughout the song, as the satin-sounding female backing vocals weave and sprinkle their glittery magic over the song. Never mind their Weetabix, Tyla and his friends just might have been binge watching Sounds of the Seventies for weeks while mainlining double espresso before being let loose on recording this. Possibly not surprising given Tyla’s love of Be Bop Deluxe and Mott the Hoople when growing up. On the subject of his musical friends, Tyla is accompanied by his long-term partner in crime Simon Hanson (Squeeze) on drums, Tyla plays bass in addition to singing and guitar, and they’re joined by Jamie Turnbull on guitar, Mark Stanway (ex-Magnum) on keyboards, Rik Evans on strings and Mark’s wife Mo Birch on backing vocals (on Cadillac Man). The playing from all is top notch throughout, as is the mixing and production. As a 17-track double album on vinyl or 18 tracks on CD, there is so much new music here to absorb and process that I’ll probably still be doing so in some months’ time. However, I’ll try to provide a flavour of what is contained within. ‘Glory Days’ starts with and is driven along by Tyla half-singing over a rhythmically strummed acoustic guitar which feels almost Dylan-esque before going off in more Spanish-influenced directions augmented by mournful violin and electric guitar dancing around the song, closely followed by the under-stated ‘Gilding the Lily’ and then the scuzzy and big guitar riffs of the brooding “Gunfight” … and, yep, I did just say “scuzzy” guitar which is not normally associated with Tyla, but is also wonderfully dirty sounding in places. ‘Killerstown’ does what Tyla does so well, subtly and effortlessly as a songwriter – and provides what sounds, at first, like a simple strum- and sing-along, with a memorable if a little melancholic melody and chorus, but scrape the surface, listen to the lyrics and you’ll find something darker beneath. For those of his fans who love a Tyla ballad (all of us), ‘Don’t Ever Stop Lovin’ Me’ hits the spot. At 63, Tyla’s voice has changed over the years and he’s grown from having vocals which he didn’t rate himself into having a voice with which he is now comfortable and this shows. The vocals are as strong as I’ve heard them, both raw and tender and his vocals and lyrics are complemented by what has to be said is some fairly epic guitar-playing in which the touch and feel might draw a tear or at least a lump in the throat. Who needs over-produced power ballads and multi-octave histrionics when you’ve got this? Or if you want to take this down to an even simpler level, ‘I Really Love You’ pulls off the lyrical feat of consisting of just one line, “I really love you’ repeated throughout the song (and occasionally a second if you want to be pedantic and include the shorter “I love you”) … maybe more of how you might develop the melody for a song while jamming and riffing a single repeat phrase, but very effective and different as a song in it’s own right. Sandwiching ‘I Really Love You’ are ‘Mickey Roses’ and ‘Human After All’ which are two of the most atmospheric songs on the album, mainly as they don’t sound as though they were just written to simple and conventional songwriting structure of verse, chorus (repeat), bridge, verse with guitar riffs and solos to fit. Instead, the guitar work seems to play more off the vocals and create its own sound and emotions which weave around the song and really complement the vocal without over-shadowing them. ‘It’s a Shame’ also starts with a simple chorus with melancholic sing-along melody, which feels both familiar and new, and will strike a chord with anyone who has ever lost or is losing someone close. ‘In Plain Sight’, ‘Religion Kills’ and ‘Special Ones’ lyrically reflect the more serious and heavier nature of much of the songwriting on this album which has been written at a time when it feels like the world is going to hell in a hand basket and just when you thought things couldn’t get more extreme, they do. The slow, bluesy and again atmospheric ‘Do Anything’ (available on CD only) leads into ‘River of Death’ or what I admit, for me, was a case of “you had me at 16 seconds” … courtesy of a plucked bass intro for the first 15 seconds followed by a whistled melody and emotional guitar break then kicking in simultaneously. This is the type of moment that if it was on a crappy TV alleged musical talent show, the judges’ heads would explode with excitement. But, seriously, I swear my stomach drops each time I hear this – a masterclass in how to build a song. The big guitars return on ‘Written in Heavy Blood’ before we reach the end with Tyla and his acoustic guitar providing the short (1 minute +), but emotional musical outro of ‘Love Will Find You’. As would be expected, the ‘Gilding the Lily’ artwork has also been created originally by Tyla. Okay, this was a LONG review. I hadn’t planned to do a track-by-track review – never a good idea when faced with 18 songs. I mean, is anyone still reading this? But, the quality of material packed into this album is of such a level that it is hard to convey in a shorter review which would barely have scraped the surface. Tyla’s upcoming book, ‘More Cocktails & Dog Tales’, devotes a whole chapter to ‘Gilding the Lily’ and it’s clear that Tyla believes this is his best album to date. While, as fans, we have our own favourite Dogs’ or solo albums and songs, having listened to this album on repeat it’s not hard to see why he believes this. Artists shouldn’t really be expected to make albums this good so late in their career, but, against any expectations, he has and it could surprise many. As for his book, if you’ve seen Tyla playing solo (or even with Tyla’s Dogs D’amour) in recent years, you’ll be aware that the gigs are almost now as much about the banter and stories as they are the music. His latest book takes us from the Dogs’ early and chaotic days of “smoke, sniff, drink, swallow ‘n’ repeat”, while in the studio and on tour, through his solo career in music and as an artist to the present day and back again – all interwoven around his personal life and told in Tyla’s conversational style which is not unlike sitting down and having a pint with an old mate. As it says on the book, “fascinating, unfiltered, frank, moving and very, very funny”. As someone who reads more music memoirs than is healthy, I can only say buy this book … probably the most candid rock memoir you’ll ever read. ‘Gilding the Lily’ will be released on 14 March 2025 on King Outlaw records, and distributed via Cargo Records (or is available directly from www.tylasarttavern.com (where ‘More Cocktails & Dog Tales’ can also be pre-ordered). Glass raised. GMcA
This 4th studio album from Perfect Plan might just be the one that takes them to the very top of a long list of brilliant Scandi-AOR bands. That list may have H.E.A.T. and Eclipse at its summit just now but ‘Heart of a Lion’ also combines all the elements of the melodic rock holy trinity; great songs, stellar voice and a big production, and the result will be hard to beat this year. That voice belongs to Kent Hilli and he comes on with all of the panache and finesse of Jimi Jamison, coupled with the power of a young Lou Gramm. The title track is one of a number of tub-thumping, chest-beating powerplays that includes ‘Too Tough’ and ‘We Are Heroes’, the latter of which has an undertone of ‘Boys of Summer’ in its initial keyboard and guitar instrumentation. The triumphant chorus includes the repeated refrain “we are, we are, we are, we are the heroes”. I couldn’t remember where I had heard similar word repetition before and, after racking my wee brain for a bit, it turned out to be ‘Whisper to a Scream’ by The Icicle Words from 1984. The songs don’t sound similar at all, it was just that bit of the lyric, but it’s very good. I won’t go through all of the tracks, but there are no weaknesses and some of the tunes will be on heavy rotation in my house for a while. My particular favourites are ‘Turn Up Your Radio’, two Whitesnakey ones; ‘All Night’ and the femme-fatale cautionary tale of ‘Lady Mysterious’ (“She’s a ball-breaker”), and the immaculate chorus of ‘One Touch’, which also features a classic AOR “brief pause and go again in a different key” moment. Having seen Perfect Plan play live at Lion Rock in Spain last November, I can confirm that they are also a very good live band. A UK tour seems long overdue and that, in conjunction with this album, would boost their profile no end. We can only hope, but in the meantime, you won’t regret giving this album a try if you enjoy quality melodic rock. Enjoy.
Photos by Jai Dee Photography
“There’s not any great, new rock music out there”. That’s a phrase I often hear parroted at gigs, music festivals, in the workplace, in pub toilets etc. It’s a phrase usually said by people who can’t see past the band or music genre that was in the mainstream when they were young and who will often be found paying extortionate amounts of money to see ‘legacy’ bands in big-shed arena package tours. Now, there’s nothing wrong with a so-called ‘legacy’ bands. I’ve seen Whitesnake live on 14 occasions and still love seeing shows and listening to music by the rock greats such as Guns N’ Roses, Led Zeppelin, Metallica… the list goes on. But the simple fact is that the future of rock music can’t be found in the artists of the past. Music fans must look to the present day, where young bands are starting out in schools, garages, youth clubs, local gala days and pubs and clubs up and down the country, just like the musical greats did many decades ago. Everyone started somewhere. One such band taking their first steps into music is Ayrshire five-piece Angel Eyes. Consisting of Evie Strawhorn (vocals), Callum Todd (lead guitar), Caleb Muir (rhythm guitar), Aaron Hewitt (bass) and Marissa Milligan (drums), they originally formed as a Junior School Rock Band at Robert Burns Academy in Cumnock, playing covers at school concerts. However, by late 2024, they felt a creative nagging to spread their musical wings and write some of their own original music, using equipment found in the school music department to record their own song. Their first single, ‘Constellations’ is the fruit of that labour. There’s no gentle handshake or polite curtsy as Angel Eyes introduce themselves to the musical public. They burst through the speakers with a crash, bang, wallop and a very 90s Californian rock sound of grungy power chords, symbol crashes and a catchy chord progression. Think prime-era Wheatus with the attitude of early Green Day and maybe even a sprinkling of The Offspring. It took me right back to when I had an abundance of blonde hair and a waistline! Pre-wife. Pre-kids. Ah… those were the days! As the verse kicks in, the track remains very Cali-Punk but when Evie Strawhorn’s voice merges with the riffs of Caleb Muir’s rhythm guitar and the almost mournful wailing of Callum Todd’s lead guitar, there’s also a very Oasis-style, Brit Pop vibe to it. Marissa Milligan’s drums and Aaron Hewitt’s bass drive the track towards the chorus, with Milligan’s power reminding me of another female powerhouse drummer, Kid Rock’s Stefanie Eulinberg (watch the intro to ‘Bawitdaba’ from Woodstock ’99 and you’ll get the general gist). The chorus itself turns ‘Constellations’ into a delightful, feel-good, mid-tempo rocker with flawless, soaring vocals by Strawhorn. Todd’s searing guitar solo in the bridge is played with just enough energy and feel to ensure it’s not overwrought, whilst the sing-along chorus returns to take the song to its conclusion. When listening to ‘Constellations’, it’s worth remembering a few things. The members of Angel Eyes are 14/15 years old and this is their first effort at writing an original song, recorded and self-produced in the music department of a school in deepest, darkest Ayrshire. When you take cognisance of those facts, this is an excellent debut song that transports the listener back to the heyday of 1990s rock. Elements of Californian punk, Brit Pop, UK indie rock and American alt. rock are all blended in a big musical pot to create a song that could be the lovechild of modern-day Chrissie Hynd and Monster-era Michael Stipe (listen to The Pretender’s latest album and the sound of REM’s Monster to understand where I’m going with this strange analogy!). Ultimately, if you lived in the 1990s and listened to the radio, you’ll hear in ‘Constellations’ what the nostalgic part of your brain wants you to hear… and that’s the ‘time and place’ beauty of the music created by Angel Eyes. Whoever said there’s no great, new rock music out there anymore hasn’t bothered looking. Angel Eyes are starting out on a journey where they and young bands like them are the future of rock music… and it’s every true rock music fan’s duty to help support and nurture them. Angel Eyes plan to release an EP later in the year and on this kind of form, it’s one not to be missed. Look out for them playing live and support local music by buying the gig tickets, streaming the songs on the usual digital platforms (‘Constellations’ is available now!) and following the band on their social media platforms, even leaving a positive, encouraging comment or two!
SPOILER ALERT: CONTAINS SET LIST DETAILS Fish is a big cult. He has a very devout following who have immersed themselves in his scriptures for a long time and this is where they often used to gather as a Company for fan conventions and special shows. Back in 2006, attendees received a laminated lanyard. Tonight, the second and final night of a two-night home town farewell, they only got a high-viz wrist band, but that granted access to a very special show indeed; one that will live long in the memory, even after the character of “Fish” has been killed off. It was an intimate gig in front of 700 family members, local fans, Fish on Friday devotees and loyal Fish-heads that had travelled from near and far to be here. Those who attended both nights were amply rewarded with two completely different set lists, each rammed with classic tunes, quality musicianship and deep-cut surprises. Only one song was repeated and it was the one that most characterises the shared bond between this performer and his audience. ‘Credo’ was an instant kick-starter, with full-throated engagement and syncopated hand-claps from the congregation from the outset, although the “to me; to you” vocal call-back choreography always makes me chuckle. Despite communal lyrical protestations to the contrary, you could tell it meant the world to those in attendance just to be there. Next it was ‘Big Wedge’ and ‘Long Cold Day’. None of the opening three songs needed any introduction to these people and they didn’t get one. When he did speak, the big man seemed jovial and relaxed, pointing out that he was 66-years-old and drinking water. Aye, but you were spotted in The Plough at the back of seven fella! The Corn Exchange is a lovely old listed-building dating back to 1854 but it’s been updated, and from the marked-out badminton court where I was standing, it looked and sounded brilliant. We’re in Haddington, a lovely Royal Burgh on the banks of the River Tyne, because that is where Fish has lived and worked since around 1988. Not for much longer though, as we all know that he and his wife Simone are casting away to the Outer Hebrides. That’s what nearly 50 years in the music business, and even longer supporting Hibs, can drive a man to do. The studio in Haddington is where Fish and his musical co-conspirators have written most of his songs. As he pointed out when introducing ‘A Feast of Consequences’, it seems like most of those songs have been about lost love, broken hearts and failed relationships. He asked for a show of hands from those who had been through a divorce and there were quite a lot, including the guy in front of me holding up both hands and looking for a third. Fish can’t play all of the songs in his back catalogue, but he did confess that he had carefully created the set lists for this tour based on the ones he really wanted to sing one last time rather than those that we might like to hear. Fair enough I suppose; they’re his songs and he’s earned the right, but you can’t help wondering if that attitude is also a part of the reason why he’s had so many break-ups? If he ever writes that auto-biography, maybe we’ll find out. ‘Cliché’, from ‘Vigil’ is apparently his one attempt at writing a genuine love song, but according to him, between leaving the studio and the album being released, the object of his affection started an affair with someone else. I guess you never stop needing that mother’s kiss on a broken heart and a warm wet circle but that’s a song for another day, although that day will probably never come. Before that, he presented ‘Goldfish & Clowns’; a delightful deep-cut from ‘Sunsets on Empire’, but judging by the howls, there were only a couple of werewolves in attendance. The song was a delight throughout and the band’s performance was enthralling, with Elisabeth Troy Antwi really adding depth on backing vocals and tunic. Many aspects of the Fish and Derek’s soul, psyche and personality have been laid bare for our entertainment over the years. With and without the face-paint and mask, he’s been on display as a lover, a loser, a poet and a seanachaidh, a grouch, a comedian, a warm and jovial raconteur, an impassioned proclaimer, a man with a unique and compelling way with the words and story-telling, and an all-round big-time rock god. He displays the “Grumpy Ayatollah of Prog” side when scowling at those wielding camera phones but there was also an amusing anecdote about a BT engineer and a cracker about his book-keeper, and he knows his people; addressing some directly and making sure that a fan who felt temporarily unwell was taken care of. It was very warm in there and happily the chap recovered to enjoy the rest of the show from the back of the hall. The absolute unicorn in the set, and an unexpected delight, came when the big man announced that he was pulling one “out of the grave”. That turned out to be ‘Incubus’ from ‘Fugazi’ – a tortured tale from the emotionally fraught bed-sit days that must have excavated deeply-buried feelings in some, judging by the sight of grown men weeping silently as the pseudo-Shakespearean porno tragedy unfolded. For a few, “nursing an erection” may now be harder to achieve, but the images still remain. It was an absolute triumph and a show-stopper, deserving of its fierce and prolonged ovation. At the end, Fish simply said “that was fun” and it looked like he meant it. Yes, Fish – it was fun. Maybe he could have gone “grave-digging” just a wee bit more over the years, but it’s nearly too late now. Fair enough, it was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away and he’s not been in that band for decades, but folks still love that stuff – really, really love it, in fact. I’m sure Fish does understand the power of nostalgia and fond remembrances; after all, he has individually named the sheep on his island after a football team from season 1972/73. On this Road to the Isles Tour, Fish has generally placed one of his longer “suites” at the core of the set. The previous night it had been ‘The High Wood’ from ‘A Feast of Consequences’. Tonight, it was the 6-part ‘Plague of Ghosts’ from ‘Raingods with Zippos’ which he “Fishsplained” had been over-looked in some parts, but he wanted to play it because “its really important”. He didn’t say who it was important to, or perhaps who it should be important to, but I think it was understood. Fish seems to have always had a tendency towards the morose, and like a prog rock-Morrissey, this piece was apparently inspired by the book ‘Girlfriend in a Coma’. It is musically complex but stunning, and meanders through the phases, most noticeably a dramatic and captivating Attenborough-esque spoken word segment that is ostensibly about chocolate frogs, but of course, there is so much more to it than that. It was great performance art. Sometimes, there is a thin line between symbolic and bollocks, but he danced along it with all the skill of a nimble jester. The guitar work by Robin Boult was outstanding and the denouement was perfect, with each band member departing the stage individually after being introduced. Once bass-playing collaborator Steve Vantsis and drummer Gavin Griffiths had left, the benevolent cult leader was the last to go – rhythmically dad-dancing slowly off the stage and then back on again for the reprise. Bravo. After a short break, ‘A Gentleman’s Excuse Me’ is a very welcome inclusion. He might not do conventional love stories and he’s no Taylor Swift, but when Fish writes from the heart - broken or otherwise - he does it with a palpable emotional heft that is deeply meaningful and inspires relatable feelings. This poignant rendition by just Fish and Mickey Simmonds really hit the spot in front of the familiar video images on the screen. There were two songs from ‘Weltschmerz’ played on the first night but none on Day Two. Fish looked like he was actually enjoying himself and he didn’t even seem that world-weary at all. What followed was “The Top of the Pops Suite”. ‘Kayleigh’ is the housewives’ favourite and a recognisable thing of beauty, but it doesn’t cut quite as deeply. ‘Lavender’ too. As an artist, you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t when it comes to playing “the hits”. If you don’t, the people you meet in Tesco think you’re a dick. But in this of all crowds, you just know that nobody is here because they first saw that band on Top of the Pops or heard ‘Kayleigh’ on Peter Kay’s ‘Car Share’. Most of them probably desperately crave a serving of cold-case classics from his Marillion song-book one more time, but possibly not these ones as a first choice. They might have preferred to hear ‘Three Boats Down from the Candy’ instead, but they’ve learned to know better than to shout that out, so they just sing “gie’s a bun” instead, but it still feels like you’re losing on the swings and losing on the roundabouts. That’s what tribute bands are for, I guess? It was ever thus though, and folks knew in advance that they would be feasting on whatever tough-love crumbs the glorious leader shares with them and they are delicious morsels after all. Not least, ‘Heart of Lothian’. We are in East Lothian but, as well as Fish, there are also a few other natives of neighbouring Mid Lothian in the house, not least the Dalkeith boys from his school days who were there at the start and at gigs like The Nite Club in Edinburgh back in the days before the big, bad guy from Beowulf got cancelled. After another very short break, the end is upon us. The penultimate song is a shake of the tartan tablets and a thingummy-jig on ‘Internal Exile’, which comes laced with the taste of political posturing. Other flavours of Kool-Aid are available. And then with the house lights on, it’s time for one last barn-dance in Haddington and a final coming together of ‘The Company’. He also played it the previous night but there is no other way to say goodbye to this particular audience. They didn’t want to leave and there were awkward old-guy hugs and lumpy throats around the hall, but it was all over. By any standard, this was an outstanding show and for some, it was a life-enhancing experience. Biggus Dickus has left the building and the town of Haddington. He won’t be a forgotten son.