Massive Wagons - Thirteen Stars

Here I am Back in my favourite venue to witness Massive Wagons first show of the year. When the gig was announced it sold out in just three days which goes further to prove that even in areas off the beaten track fan support follows this most excellent of homegrown bands.

As the lights dim Cumbrian four piece Thirteen Stars kick off proceedings, no strangers to much bigger stages but they work this crowd perfectly with a mix of old and new.
Front man Hoss could win over any crowd with his charm and whit, but the crowd take no persuading with the bands mix of southern/bluesy rock.
Using their time wisely they played through a familiar set littered with standouts from their back catalogue, my picks are ‘Daddy’s Girl’ with a most eloquent intro from Hoss, ‘Tired of Waiting’, ‘Mint Jelly’ and ‘Razors Edge’.
They squeezed in a newbie too with ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’, no doubt a little social commentary on the state of play currently within our country which was very well received.
Standout of the set had to be ‘Only a Soldier’ which happened to be their final song, gradually building to a monstrous solo with the band wringing every ounce of emotion from their instruments, outstanding I’d say and I’m sure if it was anyone’s first experience of the band they left with a very good impression.
Hoss, Jax, Andy and Steve...great job.

What to say about Massive Wagons, a band always destined to take the next step and do that they have.
I’ve been watching the band for a number of years, since ‘Fire It Up’
came out for actual fact.
We often talk about bands who deserve to be playing larger venues and have the success of their piers but in fact the Wagons have persevered and now with four albums under their belt including the very successful ‘Full Nelson’ release we could well be looking at the next big thing, something we’ve known for a while.
No messing as they take the stage with the Noddy Holder/Slade intro and launch straight into ‘Back to The Stack’, I think the expression is go in full pelt with each bandmember firing on all cylinders, Baz throwing his mic stand around and the temperature hits the red even with a door at the back of the stage open to the elements.
‘Billy Balloon Head’ follows, and it already feels like we’re celebrating our musical roots, there is nothing new or groundbreaking about the music they peddle, it’s much more about grabbing all the good bits of British Rock over the last fifty years and giving the crowds what has been lacking for far too long.
‘Red Dress’ takes us back to the ‘Fight the System’ album and were in singalong territory again.
It’s a set full of memorable songs and the first that I’d label as epic is ‘The Day We Fell’, delivered in such a commanding manner by Baz and as he spits out the spoken lyric’s mid song, I feel like I’m back watching Maiden on the Powerslave tour just without the props.

Everyone has a favourite song on any given evening and for me it had to be ‘Nails’, as the front man growls “when you’re down on your luck and no one gives a fuck” the whole place is behind him and right here you have several hundred backing vocalists, heavy as you like and proving a real winner.
Baz takes a rare moment to address the crowd before the band play Northern Boy, saying that in one review he was likened to a swearing northern binman…perhaps they only got the binman bit wrong but he is a hell of a frontman and I’m sure Alex, Adam, Stevie and Adam wouldn’t have anyone else to represent them up front, the man never stops and comes across as the most enthusiastic crowd member you’ve ever encountered.
‘In it Together’ is a newbie and again hints at the current state of the country, all I can say is if we spent more time celebrating the good then we would be in a better place and for the record this hits the spot.
All set for the final furlong and with ‘China Plates’ the band throw a cynical spin on social media, and no we don’t wat to see you in your pants!
‘Tokyo’ written and recorded for ‘Welcome to the World’ is as anthemic as you’d expect and the whole place is fully engaged with Carnforth’s very best.
One final roll of the dice before we shuffle away home and what finer set closer could there be, ‘Fee Fi Fo Fum’ is a full-on heads down rocker, I smell no blood but instead the continuing rise to the summit for this band.
There are so many bands out there that deserve the next step, in Massive Wagons I see a band that are fully engaged in taking the next stride to stardom.
You will see them all over the country this year including out in Europe with Thunder, as I write this they have just been announced as support To Lynyrd Skynyrd and Status Quo playing some of the biggest Arena’s this summer, they are going places and we will enjoy the ride with them.

SF