Photograph by Ian D. Hall
Originally published by L.S. Media. March 16th 2012.
- L.S. Media Rating *****
A great and astounding gig can sometimes be defined by what happens at its end rather than during the whole. If an audience as passionate as the people of Liverpool can be with some of their own home grown talent, can sing with great heart and outdo a Birmingham crowd, normally more adept at taking on the task given to them by one of the heavyweights of 21st Century Metal, then you know that Black Stone Cherry truly and utterly demolished any preconceptions that Liverpool doesn’t do the genre.
It was the Kentucky foursome’s debut visit to Liverpool and with no shadow of doubt left the stage at the end of an incredible evening, sweating, looking as if they had played for hours but with the courage of their conviction to play in the city vindicated and with broad smiles on both the members of the band and the incredible audience that packed their way into the o2 Academy.
From the start of what became a tremendous evening of music for all the Metal fans and interested onlookers, guitarist and lead vocalist Chris Robertson, rhythm guitarist Ben Wells, bass guitar player John Lawhon and extraordinary drum player John Fred Young, played with two overriding aims, to play loud and play magnificently. With the track Change from the last studio album Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea being the most opportune opener, these superb musicians succeeded totally in their target within five minutes of coming on stage to outstanding and heartfelt applause.
With three albums under the group’s belt, there was going to have to be a lot of tracks played to satisfy even the most demanding of fans. Anybody in the crowd with one eye ready for disappointment needn’t have worried or fret as Black Stone Cherry played a selection of tracks from each of the highly rated albums including the incredible Blind Man, Soul Creek, In My Blood and the excellent White Trash Millionaire.
There was a bizarre but completely riveting moment where the band, which is so highly rated as one of the forerunners of 21st century Metal, slowed the evening down for a while and gave an acoustic segment which sounded beyond outstanding but is something that is not done in this form of music’s wide circles. Whatever the reason, it has to be said that it worked very well.
Black Stone Cherry has to be considered as one of the finest and soul enriching bands to come out of America in a long while, engaging, playful with their fans, whilst all the while retaining the balance between going over the top and staying respectful to the music.
An Incredible night.