Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

Rain may fall, it is inevitable as a hose pipe ban as soon as the Sun comes out of its Spring shell or a whitewash in the media when it comes to glorifying the achievements of any town or city anywhere outside of London, especially when it the capital-centric bogyman city of Liverpool; the slight tinge of jealousy that always emanates from the so called corridors of power and the decision makers who somehow determine what is the in thing to chase. Rain may fall but Rain, even after a quarter of a century, can still taste sweet in the British Winter and Rain is always worth chanting for.

Rain, never forgotten locally but for some inexplicable reason never truly scaling the heights to which they should have attained; conspiracy theorists may have an argument about such things but it the end it is how you come back that may well define you and in celebration of the brand new release from the band, Ten Belters & A Slow One, one of the newest venues in the city, Hanger 34, played host to the group and the night was such that expectation went hand in hand with delighted heart, buoyed up by a huge turnout and with music that never once wavered in its delivery or electric endeavour.

Rain, Ned Murphy, Colin Clarke, Adam Lewis and Vinny Jamieson, stripped back the years, the thoughts of age dismissed, the shackles of Time put gently away and in its place came a set of joy, of anger, of wonderful bitter harvest and a smile that lit up a room beyond the entrance, that outshone the streetlamps of the Baltic Triangle; this is why music remains so important in a world dominated by the aggressive stance of rampant indifference, it is memory, it is the touch of times fashioned out of adversity and one that never relinquishes its hold over you. Rain is the softest emotion and it is the hardest hitting scream and Rain is what makes these islands so unique.

The huge and jubilant crowd were treated to a set that included songs such Coco Tokyo, It Ain’t Easy, the super Two Faced, Somebody’s Hero, the brilliant Lucifer’s Son, She’s On Fire, Soul Vibration and Lemonstone Desired, all were treated like the returning soldiers of old, heroes with stories to impart over a camp fire and with ale to sup with a distant look in the eye.

A tremendous return, much needed and much anticipated, Rain has never sounded so sweet, so passionate as it hits the Liverpool streets.

Ian D. Hall