Federal Charm at The Epstein Theatre, Liverpool. October 2015. Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

British Rock and Blues is in arguably the healthiest state that it has had the pleasure to be in for many years. The renaissance of the genres has perhaps come at the expense of the U.K.’s prime export of Heavy Metal and in many cases the once dominant pop scene and culture but for The Blues none of that matters; rude health it seems does come at a cost somewhere else upon the many lines.

For Federal Charm the divide between heavier rock and Blues is a small distinction, one that in this day and age should not matter but one that is fuelled and set roaring to go, the frenetic pace of the live arena infused with the magnetism employed with generous capacity by the four musicians and the near hypnotism of each grinding note stretched out with care and attention and burst by the pin prick of the groove’s reality, showering the audience who made their way to the Epstein Theatre with the grace of the captivated and the Blues/Rock driven.

The band had only played in Liverpool once before but as support to Joanne Shaw Taylor, the early October dying light on the streets outside was given the spark of energy that is demanded of any group or artist coming back to the city and the music was enough for many in the seated crowd to find their way to the merchandise table afterwards and speak highly of what they had heard.

Playing support to a legend is hard enough, when that music icon, a heroine to many is Joanne Shaw Taylor, the only thing to do is go with the flow and as The Epstein Theatre nestled in the thought of the awaited charisma, Federal Charm made the most of the spotlight and true to their name charmed the socks of the chosen and made the night even more special that perhaps it might have been envisaged.

With a mixture of songs from their previous album and their new recording, Across The Divide directing the set-lists appeal, Federal Charm did more than enough to be asked back by the city’s Rock and Blues fans. With songs such as Guess What, the superb Hercules, Reconsider, Silhouette and Reaction all jostling for attention like slavers of succulent prize winning dishes at a food festival, the music was good natured, bursting with energy and never once out of place; for Federal Charm this was about more than giving the audience a good place in which to start their evening, this was the truth of Rock and Blues bundled together with care and delivered in one lightning manoeuvre. This was cool and the magnetic lure wrapped up in a single performance.

It seems a shame to only ever play Liverpool a couple of times but this surely will not be the last that the city by the Mersey savours the law of Federal Charm.

Ian D. Hall