Live in 2023: Genesis Visible Touch at The Savoy Theatre, Tonyrefail on Sunday 7th May 2023

This was about the 7th time I've seen Genesis Visible Touch and they get better every time. Now a well oiled machine,

 the band

Chris O'Connell on Vocals & Drums      Martin Gordon - Bass, Guitar,  Pedals & Vocals   Tony Turrell - Keyboards     Stuart Norman - Guitars, Bass & Vocals    Russ Wilson - Drums & Percussion

chose the valleys for their Welsh date of the tour, so we head for The Savoy Theatre in Tonyrefail for the first time. From the outside it seems like it's had better days but this was contrasted by the inside which proved a small, lovely seated venue which could hold about 200, I reckon. The very epitome of these Valleys villages social halls. The welcome was excellent and the people running it worked hard to give a very professional show. They also had a raffle to help renovate the outside of the hall and I gave my support without hesitation. I wish them well, the venue deserves to be supported and renovated.

This tour, the band are celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the 'Shapes' album, so we got most of the album throughout the night.

GVT kicked off with Dodo/Lurker from the Abacab album and we were on our way.

The band have now got these songs down to a T and they were technically superb all evening.

I've not seen a better Genesis tribute band out there and I can tell you honestly I've seen quite a few.

The key to their success is their front man - Chris O'Connell is the perfect Phil. But he has his own personality and he shines throughout the show. And if you didn't know, Chris is also part of the Phil Collins tribute show - And Finally Phil Collins.

And Finally.. Phil Collins

so he has quite a bit of experience of Phil's music. But more importantly he is working on his own album which I'm looking forward to hearing - here is his first single from that project

Cornered

We then get treated to a lively version of Abacab and That's All before the band really hit their stride with the spooky epic Home By The Sea parts 1 & 2, which sees Chris take to the second drumkit on the stage and shows what an accomplished drummer he is. The special thing about this band is that they tend to concentrate of post Trick Of The Tail material when most Genesis tribute bands tend to concentrate on the older material. Which was good news for the three energetic young ladies sat next to me who had little idea of the older music. Although I can guarantee you they had a great evening!

What was also great to see is the joy and banter between the band members - very unlike the real Genesis but warmly received in this circumstance. Lots of smiles from band and the audience tonight in this show.

ABACAB

Illegal Alien comes up next followed by a track from 'Shapes' which was neve performed live - Silver Rainbow,

Silver Rainbow

Another rarely heard live song - It's Going To Get Better - was up next and we were almost at the end of Part 1, which had just flown by.

The end of Part 1 came which a fabulous version of the big hit from the 'Shapes' album - MAMA which saw Chris giving it the full Phil!

MAMA

After a short break it was Part 2 and this kicked off with two Trick Of The Tail songs- Squonk and the fabulous Ripples which saw Martin strap on his double neck a la Mr Rutherford. A couple for us oldies - not the three young ladies.

Ripples

By now the audience were ready for a standing song and the band give them a beauty with Turn it On Again and Invisible Touch - the audience now up on their feet.

Invisible Touch

Throwing It All Away gave the audience a breather before the equally lovely Follow You Follow Me got the audience singing in fine voice as only the Welsh can. Another fabulous moment in a fabulous night.

Throwing It All Away

Follow You Follow Me

Almost there. We return again to A Trick Of The Tail for an explosive Squonk and then Chris takes to the drumkit for the incredible Los Endos. Which unless you have heard the song that didn't make the TRICK album - It's Yourself - may not make perfect sense,

It's Yourself/Los Endos

After a tremendous standing ovation the band come back for one encore. It was 1 O'clock and it was time for lunch as the band say goodbye with I Know What I Like with Chris recreating Phil's acrobatic tambourine routine perfectly.

So, the end to a perfect evening of music. Genesis Visible Touch, the best I've seen them play. Hopefully they'll make Tonyrefail Savoy a regular Welsh stop an any forthcoming tours. The audience had come from all over South Wales to the venue. They had a great night!

All photos copyright ©️ Nick Baker 2023

Twitter - @genesis_vt

click for the Official Genesis Visible Touch Website

Live In 2023: Ian McNabb at Acapela Studios, Pentyrch on 30th April 2023

Ian McNabb returned to Acapela to give us a full evening of Icicle Works and solo songs on a Sunday Bank Holiday weekend. The last time Ian was at The Chapel his mother had just passed away. How he got through that show I'll never know. Anybody who follows Ian on his social media knows exactly how close he was to his mum. He got through I think just through pure professionalism, probably. 

Tonight we had a different Ian, often known for his acerbic between song banter, Ian cut the chat right down and seemed on a mission of include as many songs as he possibly could. And with an immense canon of work to chose from, where do you start?

So, he pulled his beautiful white Gretsch 12 string from the rack and off we go with Great Dreams Of Heaven. I love how prolific Ian is. He reminds me of another 80s Icon, Mr Michael Leslie Peters (aka The World's Greatest Living Welshman) of The Alarm in his non stop creativity. 

The Acapela is perfect for the acoustic treatment of his back catalogue and the 12 string gives the added depth to the more dense of the recorded works on show tonight.

Great Dreams Of Heaven

Next up we have the title track from his Merseybeast album and also the title of the first volume of his very entertaining autobiography. Apparently he's currently working on part 2.

we have the third opening track of an album in a row nest with the mighty Fire Inside My Soul from the excellent Head Like A Rock album which led to the first singalong slice of audience participation,

Ian then slowed the pace down for the first Icicle Works song of the evening - Little Girl Lost. At this point I'd like to thank Ian for posting tonight's set list as these days it looks as if he puts up a list of songs and choses what he likes once he's on stage. Makes it much easier for your friendly neighbourhood music blogger who has to try and juggle camera duties with writing down set lists as they occur.

As Ian's career has progressed it seems as if he's struck a a rich seam of songwriting gold. 2021 gave us the stunning Utopia album and it's here we got to next with the seemingly ever relevant Deserter.

Deserter

On Ian's last visit I really loved the songs he played at the piano and was hoping for a bit more tonight but I was to be disappointed as he kept the keyboard songs to two! 

The first up came next, the lovely Making Silver Sing from the 2019 album Our Future In Space. I do wish he would play more keyboard songs - Ian, next time, just think about it.

Makin' Silver Sing

Out Of Season sees Ian return to his guitars and then we're into the final song of Part 1, another Icicle works song, When it all Comes Down, an epic driving song which should have been a massive hit back in 1985 and now prompts another great audience singalong. A fabulous way to end part 1, even shorn of it's twinkling production. It's great to hear these songs in their acoustic incarnation - exactly how they must have been written.

When It All Comes Down

After a short break it's back to the songs and to the latest album, the cheekily titled Nabby Road and a highlight from that album, Film Noir Star

We head back to 1985 for a stripped back but just as upbeat Icicle Works song, All The Daughters (of our father's house), minus the horns, of course. 

Another slow graceful ballad comes next as Ian turns to his album 2005's before All Of This for the opening track to that album, There Oughta Be A Law.

Then it's time for another uptempo Icicle Works song, 1988's High Time.

High Time

It's solo Ian next with the rocker, you Must Be Prepared To Dream followed quickly by The Icicle Works song Who Do You Want For Your Love another killer chorus made for a bit of audience participation.

With the set coming to a close, Ian decides to turn the volume down and give us Camaraderie for the excellent Merseybeast album from 1996.

Ian has left me waiting until almost the end of the show for another keyboard song, staying with Merseybeast he gives us the beautifully plaintive Little Bit of Magic. A truly beautiful performance. Ian, if you happen to read this, give us more bloody piano songs, especially at Acapela!

We arrive at the last two songs of the evening in what seems like the blink of an eye. And seeing as the tour celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the release of The Icicle Works song, the anthemic Love Is A Wonderful Colour it seems apt we finish with that but not before another crowd singalong to another Icicle Works classic, Evangeline.

Love Is A Wonderful Colour

The obvious standing ovation ensued and thus ended the show. Acapela is the perfect venue for Ian to showcase his songs in an acoustic setting and although it's a tasty drive down from Liverpool to Cardiff, I know, I've done it, I hope Ian feels the love in the room and decides to visit us on a regular basis. There's seemingly no end to his creativity and It's a privilege to hear these songs in their acoustic form. Ian, you'll always be welcome in The Chapel. And I can't wait for New Brighton Rock & the Fleetwood Mac album!!

All photos copyright ©️ Nick Baker 2023

Click for the Ian McNabb Official Website

 

Live in 2023: Wrong Jovi live at Acapela Studios, Pentyrch, on Saturday 22nd April 2023

I've been a lucky boy this week - I've been able to see 3 excellent tribute bands at the top of their game. First up at Acapela was Spandau Too then on Friday night it was Cloudbusting in Neath and last night it was back to Acapela for Wrong Jovi.

I have also been lucky enough to have seen the original Bon Jovi 3 times over the years so it was a journey into the past I was looking forward to. Bon Jovi have released some of the greatest anthems in Rock so I was sitting there happy and waiting for the oncoming nostalgia fest.  What did surprise me was the number of ladies compared to gents in the audience. It was probably 70-30% to the ladies. Perhaps those Bon Jovi love ballads have worked their magic over the years but more of that later,

You Give Love a Bad Name

Part 1 kicked off with the high octane You Give Love A Bad Name and Born To Be My Baby - the crowd were up for it from note one. Then all of sudden one of the keyboards goes down. Now these things happen in live music and it's how you deal with it that counts. So, the band then launch into Lay Your Hands On Me - which is mainly guitar based, to a great cheer from the crowd. For the rest of Part 1 we were on one keyboard but that didn't matter one jot. The only song we lost was Runaway, which was a shame for Natalie sat next to us as it was her favourite Bon Jovi song. Saying that, they didn't play my favourite Bon Jovi song either - Who Says You Can't Go Home, that's the deal we're given Natalie, if you're reading this!!

For the next song we turned to solo Jon Bon as we were treated to a storming version of Blaze Of Glory - by now the crowd upstairs and downstairs were on their feet and the Ladies were dancing!!

Blaze Of Glory

When I've seen Bon Jovi over the years they always had a female following but not to the same extent as tonight's audience would imply. Is this because over the years they've released some excellent ballads and love songs? Well, the next three songs brought the Ladies down to the dancefloor in front of the stage. The danced and sang their hearts out to These Days, In These Arms and Bed Of Roses.

In These Arms

Bed Of Roses

Part 1 came to a rocking close with another Bon Jovi rocker - Have A Nice Day.

Have A Nice Day

After a short break we're ready for Part 2 and Natalie and her friends have joined the now throng of Ladies (and a few brave Gents) in front of the stage as the band launch into another excellent version of Lay Your Hands On Me.

Lay Your Hands On Me

I have to say that by this point I can see that the band are really up for it and with the second keyboard back in action, to a great cheer, the intensity has certainly risen a few degrees.

Another excellent singalong came next as the band played Someday I'll Be Saturday Night - my second favourite Bon Jovi song.

Someday I'll Be Saturday Night

I'll be there For You, Bad Medicine & This Ain't A Love song kept the train moving on and the tempo up before an amazing standing ovation brought the band back for encore one. As 'Richie' strapped on his acoustic double neck for the now famous introduction to Wanted Dead Or Alive.

Next came the biggest song of the night - and by God it's another ballad - Always. The crowd and the band sang their hearts out and there were definitely several ladies with tears in their eyes to this one. A real emotional highlight.

ALWAYS

The final encore were two of Bon Jovi's biggest songs - the mighty Keep The Faith and to finish, what else but Living On A Prayer

Keep The Faith

It always happens - the songs I wanted never turned up!! I was in the NEC Birmingham when Bon Jovi filmed the live sections of the Sleep When I'm Dead video. I can see myself in the audience, so that song holds a special place in my heart. Maybe next time!

So Wrong Jovi's first gig at Acapela came to an end and proved a mighty triumph. So many people had a fantastic night with another fabulous tribute act. I really take my Stetson off to these guys for working so hard to bring audiences a memorable experience and a chance to revisit and recall past memories and former glories. It's bands like this that are keeping these songs alive. 

All photos copyright ©️ Nick Baker 2023

Twitter - @WrongJovi

Click to access the Official Wrong Jovi Website