Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

Jared James Nichols, a name to which let the tongue enjoy the sensation of longing, of powerful beginnings and the concept in the mind of just what is to come over the period of time infront of us, for in Mr. Nichols lays the future and he is great company.

Opening the inaugural Stone Free Festival at the o2 Arena might have been daunting for a seasoned performer, any artist worth their salt would have palpitations, let alone the growing gnaw of sense of history rummaging through their bone. yet as Jared James Nichols stood astride on the Indigo stage, as he poured the wound up energy of a rattlesnake being cornered by several members of the mongoose family, the lithe and limber man poured every drop available, every portion he had to spare into making sure that the festival was going to be remembered for the joy it had up its enormous sleeve.

The man behind the growing legend is unruffled by the attention, coming up on to the stage he strode like a giant in waiting and that is exactly what he is, a beast of a man, a slayer of the Blues rock riff and one to whom eyes naturally turn too and the other senses feel gratification just to be able to have been witness to the beginning.

The Indigo might well be the lesser appreciated stages inside the o2 but it certainly packs a punch when it is aided in the right direction by the fundamental and the cool. It was in the cool divine that Jared James Nichols stalked the night, the notes and songs he played living in the memory banks as a welcome guest all evening and with the songs Don’t You Try, Crazy, Old Glory, Playing For Keeps and Mississippi Queen getting in on the action, this was set of honour, of substantial musical wealth being driven straight into the weekend’s subconscious.

Life will always throw up pleasure, some never seek it out, some are too afraid of what the feeling will bring but in watching Jared James Nichols on the Indigo Stage at Stone Free Festival, those with adventure in their hearts will thank whichever deity or spirit that guides them that they made the effort to catch the man as the early dawn faded and the notes of Old Glory stirred the heart.

Ian D. Hall