Black Country Communion & Michael Schenker Group Live

LLandudno Arena, 23 July 2011.

It’s a pleasantly warm and breezy evening in the Welsh seaside town of Llandudno, with the sea gently rolling in against a blue sky directly opposite the Llandudno Arena venue. From the venue’s front one looks out onto a stony shoreline flanked by the famous Great and Little Ormes and more distant sea wind farms that dot this coastline. While the young and old of Llandudno stroll quietly along the shoreline, the venue is readying itself for a rocky music onslaught of the brilliant and classic kind. Black Country Communion made up of some of rock’s greatest exponents and are headlining this gig after releasing the band’s blazing second album (which I and many others feel is much stronger than the first good debut released a year ago).

Backed by a history which includes playing with Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Dream Theatre and Foreigner, this promises to be one of those nights that will stay cemented in one’s memory. Along for the ride is support act The Michael Schenker Group, a band I am aware of but have never heard. For me then, the known and unknown, but a strong feeling that this show could be the my favourite rock show of the year…

The Michael Schenker Group

Michael Schenker: Lead Guitar
Herman Rarebell: Drums
Pete Way: Bass
Michael Voss: Vocals
Elliott “Dean” Rubinson: Bass
Wayne Findlay: Keyboards/Guitar

The show isn’t a sellout but a snaking queue outside the venue indicates that it will be a close run thing. At 7:35pm Schenker, Rarebell, Rubinson (Mr ‘Dean’ Guitar) and Findlay wander onto the stage behind an epic instrumental intro and then shoulder arms for ‘Howler’. At this stage there is no vocalist and not knowing the band thought I was in for forty minutes of this glorious, explosive instrumental rock. But then came ‘Armed And Ready’ which signalled the entry of Michael Voss with a classic rock voice that reverberated through the venue. This was Quality!

I began to wonder just how good BCC would be live if the support band was this great… Schenker’s lead guitar work was extraordinary and while he played a more static physical game his fellow guitarists and vocalist made sure that this was no calm affair. Voss was also blessed with the crowd announcement and cheer leader roles which he carried out with the ease and skill of a time-served veteran. As the show progressed the crowd went from warm to red hot with each song receiving the acclaim it deserved.

My favourite song of the night was ‘Rock Bottom’ with its extended guitar riffs and drumming passages, and the audience’s enthusiastic participation. But then came ‘Doctor Doctor’ which ultimately brought the house down and with it a mental note to seek out the band’s latest album.

SETLIST:

Intro, Howler, Armed And Ready, Love Drive, Another Piece Of Meat, Hurricane, Hanging On, Rock Bottom, Doctor Doctor.

More Tour Dates:

JUL 26 2011 Leeds O2 Academy (w/ Black Country Communion)
JUL 27 2011 Newcastle O2 Academy (w/ Black Country Communion)
JUL 29 2011 Glasgow O2 Academy Glasgow (w/ Black Country Communion)
JUL 30 2011 Manchester Academy (w/ Black Country Communion)
JUL 31 2011 Picturedome Holmefirth UK
AUG 03 2011 Blues Sotta Le Stelle L’Aquila ITA
AUG 05 2011 Rock City Roma ITA
AUG 06 2011 Baloma Bikers Cercemaggiore (CB) ITA