Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Greatness for many abound when they hear the signature chord of a song that grants them a superpower of memory, of instant recall and evoking of clarity, the weekends spent in a pub of choice and deciding between friends the ultimate juke box serenade in which the change scraped together would be exchanged for songs that broke and mended hearts, that pushed the sense of exploration from the mind and soul and taught the multitude what it meant to sit in the same company, relish the same ideals of taste, and become in the end, a better person for understanding just exactly how Meat Loaf and The Eagles, how Fleetwood Mac and Heart can exist in the same genre and be rightly glorified for their presence on Earth.

That classic rock feel, infectious, emotionally irresistible, slams down from the juke box and directly into the heart; and as the impeccable members of The Classic Rock Show attest at every show, the naysays who insist that the genre is dead…truly have no idea what they are talking about.

A sort of homecoming, a chance to renew the pact with the faithful of Liverpool as the Philharmonic Hall once more played genial and loving host to a band that has taken the memory of a good weekend singing songs and playing air guitar to the masses and the denim heroes alike whilst wishing life was just a series of concerts designed to inflame the passions and the soul in equal measure.

An evening where the first song of the night dramatically set the mood and tone for what was to come across the two sets; and as by subliminal introduction, Thin Lizzy’s The Boys Are Back In Town was given its due reverence, and the immediacy of the song was greeted by the sight of the dancing muscles and the small music nods from every row that could be seen from the vantage point of the stage.

With unforgettable hits and memorable moments from the ageless days of Rock’s abiding hold on the audience, such as The Who’s stomper Who Are You, the sensual cool of Alannah Myles’ Black Velvet, the heart pounding sincerity of Romeo and Juliet, All Night Long, Welcome To The Jungle, Alone, Hell’s Bells, and the glorious guitar that captured the essence of Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb, what was evident is that the group of musicians put everything into the experience, of providing a night for the lovers and dedicated enthusiasts which dispels the gloom of winter and adds a pulse of spring which in turn foreshadows the heat of the steamy night of summer to come.

An excellent night of classic rock, music for the upbeat and carefree dynamic heart.

Ian D. Hall