Showing posts with label chance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chance. Show all posts

Monday 13 November 2017

Big Country - The Waterfront, Norwich, 11th November 2017

Line-up:

Big Country:
Simon Hough - vocals, guitar
Bruce Watson - guitar, backing vocals
Jamie Watson - guitar, backing vocals
Scott Whitley - bass, backing vocals
Mark Brzezicki - drums, backing vocals

Support:

Beautiful Mechanica:
Graham Sampson - vocals, guitar
Grace Bailey-Hinks - keyboard, vocals
Van Naarden - guitar

Venue:

The Waterfront
139-141 King St
Norwich
NR1 1QH

Tonight saw a welcome return for Review Elektro to Norwich's Waterfront venue, this time to enjoy the Celtic rockings of the original jock-rockers, Big Country. There was a good crowd, all in fine voice and the atmosphere was a joy be enveloped in.

Before the Country men took to the stage, the audience and this reviewer were treated to what was basically an excellent support act in the form of Beautiful Mechanica, a three-piece outfit comprising Graham Sampson on lead vocals and guitar, Grace Bailey-Hinks on keyboard and vocals and the excellent Van Naarden on lead guitar.

Their set was a very curious, but amazingly crafted batch of songs with a high electronica feel to them. Some very obvious influences were Gary Numan (particularly his current style), Cocteau Twins, John Foxx, Ultravox and a hint of Blue Nile here and there. Very 80's maybe when looking at the list, but what impressed me the most was that, yes, the mentioned influences were definitely there, but the cool reality was that this was no retro 80's throwback outfit. Their sound was tight, polished and above all, current. Presentation was excellent, performance was of a high standard and their sound was impressive. Graham and Grace shared vocal duties and the connection with the crowd was good, enjoying a very healthy and positive response from the gathered throng. It was good to see people popping over to the merchandise stand to buy bits and converse with the band members.

This is a trio I would like to one day soon see as a headline act, and they are certainly worthy of the attention of anyone reading this. A great start to what was a great evening.


And so to the headline act.

Big Country came in being in 1981, in the Scottish town of Dunfermline, Fife, hitting their commercial peak in the mid-1980's with a very distinctive and immediately recognisable guitar-based sound that invokes a strong Celtic feel through the a blend of Scottish folk music and classic/new wave pop/rock, an often anthemic panorama of melody strong guitar and harmonies. Of note was the way in which they gave their soaring guitar sounds the feel and impression of classic Celtic instruments such as the bagpipes. For a full bio, please do visit Big Country's biography page on their website HERE.

With no fuss or drama, just a simple dip of the lights, Bruce, Jamie, Mark, Scott and Simon made their way on to the stage and made it happen with the opening track "Restless Natives" (from the 1998 compilation album "Restless Natives and Rarities"), it was the perfect ignition to forth-coming set. No sooner had the last beat been hit and the last chord struck, than they were away with a definite crowd pleaser in the form of "Look Away" from 1986's "The Seer". The spirit of the late Stuart Adamson was alive and well, the vocals being in the very capable hands of Simon Hough, his booming voice so perfectly suited the Big Country way of doing things. Next up was two tracks from the epic 1984  release,"Steeltown",  the title track and "Just a Shadow". The 1988 album "Peace in Our Time" was
represented by the first of two tracks, a sterling rendition of "River of Hope" before they moved onto the first two tracks this evening from their classic debut "The Crossing", a fabulous version of "Lost Patrol" which had the crowd chanting at volume (your reviewer here definitely included!!!) and then one of my personal favourite BC songs, "The Storm", during which I struggled to remember that I was also there to take photos as well as listen and review!!!
"Ships", "King of Emotion" (second track from "Peace in Our Time") and "We're Not in Kansas" followed on before what I can only describe as the "greatest hits" section of the set. "One Great Thing" from "The Seer" preluded the biggest noises of the night, starting with "Chance" (from "The Crossing") with Simon Hough handing over vocal duties at various times to the audience (I was there, I sang whilst taking photos, you need to know this), and then it was time for "In A Big Country" with Mark Brzezicki in overdrive (okay, when isn't he!!!), again there was much audience participation as there was for "Wonderland" and then the last song of the set before the encore, the unashamedly anthemic "Fields of Fire" in which I think everyone became Scottish for the duration of the piece. Big Country left the stage but were soon back for a single song encore, a roof-raising song from "The Crossing" called "Harvest Home", a very clever choice to finish with its uplifting chorus, Bruce and Jamie giving guitar hero shapes, Simon's voice soaring and Mark on the edge of supernova, all in a pretty fabulous finish.

Okay, so that was a song by song break-down and it's pretty clear that I have suffered no shame in imparting my enthusiasm, but it's also necessary to look at the overall concert in terms of style, performance and presentation, three VERY important factors for me when viewing live music. It's impossibly difficult to ignore the fact that these men are seasoned, professional performers, seemingly always performing in some part of the country, definite masters of their own art and in no short measure of joy in what they do. I actually firmly believe that Bruce Watson has to be THE happiest, smiliest rock guitarist currently walking this planet, a man who you cannot in anyway say does not enjoy what he does, his repartee with the audience and the band quick-fire and funny. The father/son interplay between guitarists Bruce and his son Jamie Watson is a pleasure to behold, their timings impeccable and their stage craft without fault. Simon Hough is the voice and soul of this current line-up, embodying, as I said earlier in this piece, the spirit of Stuart Adamson without compromising his own style and approach to the music of Big Country. Bassist Scott Whitley was engaging throughout, providing a strong back-bone to the sound, equal to the original bass player Tony Butler, and the newest member of the current line-up (he joined in 2015), though you'd never know it. And of course, Mark Brzezicki - okay, what CAN you say about probably the best drummer on the planet - and the most laid back. Bruce Watson often describes him as the "engine room of Big Country". Warp engine I'd say.


The original band members are now just Bruce Watson and Mark Brzezicki, but let me assure you right here and now that this is no tribute act. Big Country are a fully functioning performing unit, delivery quality music with their own unique style, no shortage of performance and a superbly packaged presentation. If Big Country are playing a venue close to you, do yourself a huge favour and get to see them and experience a band from yesterday, revelling in the here and now, still sounding fresh and exciting.

I'd like to add a massive "thank you" to Sandra Watson and Rory Cowieson for sorting everything out - hugely appreciated :-)

Links:

Big Country