MAGNUM - A PASSAGE IN TIME: A TRIBUTE TO TONY - O2 Forum Kentish Town Tuesday 21st January 2025

I’m in London (Kentish Town, to be precise), and there’s a notable sense of excitement emanating from the bustling pubs that surround the venue, filled with fans swapping stories and comparing t-shirts, wondering what songs are going to make the setlist. It’s more of the same as we enter the O2 Forum, a significantly larger venue than the originally planned Islington Assembly Hall. We know it’s a show of two halves, no support, and that we’re likely to hear some songs that haven’t been played live for many years. 

The lights darken and it’s a hooded figure in black that first graces the stage, lights thrown against a reflective mask, providing a suitably dramatic prelude to ‘How Far Jerusalem’. Could there be a more perfect opener? It’s a distillation of all that makes Magnum so wonderful; grandiose, epic and yet somehow accessible. Bob Catley is, as ever, impossible to look away from, his arms in a constant dance, waving us through every note. And he sounds great, or at least he does when I can hear him over the man behind me bellowing every word in my ear! But it’s to be expected, the atmosphere is celebratory rather than sombre, a chance to rejoice in the magic Clarkin has left for us.

It’s certainly an adjustment to see an unfamiliar face stage left. But guitarist Brendon Riley is not entirely new to the Magnum family, having served as Clarkin’s guitar tech for many years. Perhaps that’s why his integration with the group seems so effortless, and why, despite looking a little ill at ease at times, he proves to be the perfect man for this daunting job. He seems to relax as the evening progresses, possibly helped by the warmth of the crowd who appreciate his respectful take on Tony’s guitar parts. He plays it straight, no unnecessary embellishments, and we love him all the more for it.  

It’s fantastic to hear ‘Lost on the Road to Eternity’, a song that has rightfully earned its place as something of a live anthem. I’m surprised to find that it’s the lone representation of anything released in the last ten years. I’m probably in the minority but I’d welcome a little more of the band’s recent output, particularly from ‘Here Comes the Rain’, an album that seems destined to be confined to the studio. But general consensus is that this is the set list of dreams. Admittedly, it’s hard to imagine anyone being unhappy to hear ‘Wild Swan’, ‘Just Like an Arrow’ or ‘Vigilante’.   

There are some surprises along the way, ‘The Tall Ships’ providing the first, a change of pace with the band seated, Catley and bassist Dennis Ward singing in beautiful harmony, backed up by an audience who are loving this opportunity to sing along. ‘Need a Lot of Love’ also finds a place in the set for the first time in many years and is met with absolute rapture, Rick Benton's swathes of keyboard bathing the number in real elegance.  

It would be almost sacrilegious, of course, if the band didn’t play ‘Les Morts Dansant’, surely one of Clarkin’s finest compositions. It’s a beautiful moment to witness the phone torches light up the venue and to hear the song brought to a crescendo by Lee Morris’ thunderous drumming. And just when I think my goosebumps are about to subside, the band deliver ‘Don’t Wake the Lion’, a song that has to be heard to be believed, initially restrained and gentle, it transforms into something altogether different as it reaches its dramatic peak. 

The second half of the evening flies past in a rush of wonderful familiarity; ‘Soldier of the Line’, ‘On a Storyteller’s Night’ and ‘Kingdom of Madness’ keeping us in Magnum heaven. When it comes to encores, a majestic rendition of ‘The Spirit’ is dedicated to Tony Clarkin and ‘When the World Comes Down’ closes the show, a song that feels even more poignant under the circumstances. It's incredibly moving to be part of an audience who are so invested, throwing their all into every 'woah'. 

For many, it’s an emotional evening, the absence of Tony keenly felt, and surely even more so by his former band mates. Add to that the creeping realisation that this might be our final opportunity to hear these songs live and it’s no surprise that some tears are shed. But there’s a glimmer of hope in Catley’s words that he’ll “see us again sometime, somewhere”. It certainly seems that Magnum are happy to be back on the stage, delighted by the warmth and enthusiasm rightfully shown by the audience tonight. Tony Clarkin would surely be very proud.  

SETLIST

How Far Jerusalem

Lost on the Road to Eternity

Wild Swan

When We Were Younger

The Tall Ships

The Flood

Les Morts Dansant

Don’t Wake the Lion

Soldier of the Line

Just Like an Arrow

Need a Lot of Love

On a Storyteller’s Night

All England’s Eyes

Vigilante

Kingdom of Madness

The Spirit

When The World Comes Down