MEN Manchester, 24 June 2009

With no less than two major music festivals happening over the next few days, there was only one performance that I really needed to see. It was this one. As an eclectic music fan for more years than I can remember, and a reviewer/photographer of hundreds of concerts, I have witnessed most of the best. But one major gap in my gig history needed to be filled - a blues performance by at least one of the true American legends. I can’t explain why it hasn’t taken place already, perhaps it’s because opportunities have been scarce or that I just did not appreciate the importance and wonder of the genre. In more recent years I’ve noted that so much music is influenced by the blues, and that in more recent times its influence has spread like wildfire to every other genre of music, and in the process has added meaning and deep emotion. My interest in the genre was aroused by Moby’s PLAY album, released in 1999, and which extensively sampled American Negro indigenous music recorded and collated by Alan Lomax and his father.

So when the opportunity arose to cover this concert at Manchester’s majestic MEN Arena I jumped. Along with B.B. King was another blues great, John Mayall, so in a single night I get to cover the best from the USA and the UK - it really doesn’t get much better…

I arrived late and so the usually crowded concourse (that divides the arena from Victoria rail station) was empty save for a couple of souvenir programme sellers and photographers. On entering the arena the bars were also empty and you could have heard a pin drop. Now the reason I mention this is because it’s usual for patrons to hang around, chat and drink waiting for the feature act to appear. After being accompanied down through the bowels of the arena to the front of the stage I looked back and reckoned that the 15,000 capacity auditorium was about two-thirds full (it was a sold-out show). That’s approaching 8,000-10,000 blues fans, at least double the amount that had attended the Katie Melua show there which I witnessed in 2008. Therein lay the answer: these are blues fans desperate to see the best at every opportunity and who would not hang around drinking while John Mayall was on stage.

Mayall looked a lonely figure as he stood on the cavernous stage surrounded by motionless instruments. He’s now in his mid 70s but looked slim, fit and distinctly cool with his flowing grey locks. Sadly I was only allowed two songs to photograph and listen to this British Blues legend. But it was enough to understand why he had been picked to support the great King.

I was struck by his vocal quality and the relaxed way he performed from the very first note in front of this large crowd. Playing the first song with just his harmonica for instrumental support (how’s that for confidence…) the man oozed passion and love for his music. Then the band joined him for ‘Oh Pretty Woman’ (A.C. Williams) his joy at of playing with a great (new) band couldn’t be more obvious. After a brief spell Mayall moved over to his keyboards and one could see the interaction between him and his guitarist while the guys behind him couldn’t stop smiling. Loved it! And that was it as photographers were ushered out to spend another hour-plus waiting on the concourse for the King to appear.

In fact it turned out to be a bit longer…