Blue Nation – Live – G2 Glasgow

Review By Darren McIntyre

Blue Nation are a powerhouse 3 – piece melodic blues / rock band from Birmingham, England who I must admit have not been on my radar – until now. The boys have graced the stage @ F1 British Grand Prix, not once but twice, they have joined greats such as Dirty Thrills, Steve Conte, Skid Row, Brian Downey, Laurence Jones and many more, the boys have many accolades including The Introducing Stage @ The Great British Rock & Blues Festival, top 5 @ UK Blues Awards Emerging Act Of The Year 2023, 2024. The boys are on tour right now in support of their phenomenal album Ordinary People & tonight they stop off in Glasgow @ G2, please ready yourself to have the place rocked to it’s very foundation. The place is filling up nicely on this boiling hot Friday as the boys stroll on stage and launch into –

Hand Me Down – A cool dark full on bassline drops in as the rhythm section brings the groove to let this sultry blues rocker come to life as the place instantly gets in around these boys. Neil lets rip with his gravelly toned vocals that just set this place alight and bring the swagger, attitude and depth as this foot stomping rock n roller grabs your attention as the boys settle into their stride with ease, the slick, gritty guitar picks are flowing nicely through the track as cymbal taps fill the air as we rock out to these boys as they get the crowd fist pumping and hollering at the top of their voices. The groove is just infectious as we really take these boys to our hearts as they chat with the crowd and thank us for coming tonight to support 3 Brummies who just want to rock, we stroll into –

Gimme Some Time – A cool bass kick gets this grooving rocker on the move as snare drum punches fill the air as the boys give us what we came for tonight. The soaring, blues soaked vocals are just awesome as they wrap themselves around this power packed beast that lets a killer bassline drive the juggernaut right through Glasgow tonight as a sizzling, crisp solo erupts and sends the place into a furious fist pumping, foot stomping rage as the boys just rock out. The rhythm section is controlling the beat as the thundering cymbal crashes rain down on us as Nick just cuts loose and gives it to us big time, the place is really loving these guys as Neil belts out although we are Brummies I was born in Glasgow- Clydebank I mean which draws a huge cheer, more on that later as we slide into –

Ordinary People – A killer guitar riff opens the track as the punchy rhythm section provides the groove as we get ready to rock out with these likeable chaps as they deliver a no nonsense set that is just ticking all the boxes. The oozing vocals really let this track break free as we are really letting these boys kick ass in Glasgow tonight as the punchy, funk laden groove grabs our attention as the guys really take us to somewhere new with this gutsy, balls out set that is just awesome, the place is really warming to these boys as they give us a real soulful, melodic power drenched kick ass show that tells us that these boys are destined for bigger things and what better way to showcase that than right here in Glasgow tonight, we are ripping through the set as we get hit right in the face with this banger –

Time Is A Thief – A sultry mellow vocal breaks the silence as Neil leans in and hits us with a real powerful tone that gives this track a real edgy feel as we get right in about the boys. Snare drum taps flow effortlessly through the venue as a real nice, dark, delicious bassline wraps itself around this monster track as we tap our feet to the infectious groove that is coming at us right now, the guitar riffs are heavy, have depth and add something special to this set as we are really feeling the emotion oozing from the boys tonight. The trio look like they are really enjoying themselves tonight as there is plenty of banter coming from the crowd tonight which is really fun to see as my pal Big Duncan is giving it large with the boys and it is going down a treat, we roll into –

Run Straight Ahead – We take the tempo down a tad as this soulful rocker track kicks in the doors and really socks it to us as we feel the psychedelic tone wander freely through the track. Neil’s mellow vocals really give the track some feeling as the rhythm section brings a pounding snare drum beat that wraps itself around this groover track as the sultry, dark bassline brings the low end to this toe tapping beast, we are really getting into this band as they are hitting us with banger after banger that just puts a smile on your face for sure. The tunes are rich in tone with pounding beats that are solidified with a rasping power drenched vocal that lets the boys really express themselves, up next –

Let Me Down Slowly – A nice mellow guitar lick opens the track as Neil leans in with his awesome soulful vocals to really open the track up as the cool bassline drops killer tones to get us on our way. The cymbal taps add depth to the arrangement as the place falls silent as the boys deliver a nice, dark, emotion filled number that just grabs our attention, the snare drum rolls come through as the track builds momentum as the boys gear up to really sock it to us. The crisp guitar licks that are oozing from the stage really elevate the track as a pounding snare drum kick comes through as Neil’s soaring vocals shatter the air as this crunching monster really erupts and shows the versatility of this incredible 3 – piece as they really surprise this swelling Glasgow crowd, awesome number that leads onto –

Once In My Life – Neil chats with the crowd and asks us if we are a crowd that joins in and Duncan bellows out Aye your in Glasgow and we know how to party which brings a huge cheer. The fast paced rocker track lets Neil bring his cool, melodic vocals that let the track breathe as the soaring, dark, full on bassline drops epic tones that just let the track open and soar as we really feel the groove coming from the stage tonight. The rhythm section is really pumping as Nick aka Animal, aka John Bonham really gives the skins a beating and it is just awesome to watch, the place is now bouncing as we have really taken these boys to our hearts as they have given us something special tonight, up next comes –

Strangers – Neil chats with the crowd as someone shouts out ooh my favourite but no-one cheers and Neil says no luck anyway here we go with a cool punchy rocker track. The rhythm section is commanding the room with it’s punchy snare drum beats as the cymbal crashes fill the air as the slick, clean guitar riffs fill every corner of the venue tonight as we punch the air with real joy, the full on bassline is dropping epic funk grooves that just wrap themselves around this killer track that is again showing the diversity of the boys as we near the end of this phenomenal set that has just put smiles on lots of faces tonight. The growling guitar licks are working well with Neil’s killer vocals as the boys dig deep and really give it to us, we roll into –

Echoes – A nice soulful, sweet guitar pick gets this emotion filled number off the ground as the track builds and builds as the tempo changes pace and off we go. The boys really bring the heat with this one as the rhythm section pounds away from the back of the room as we feel the energy pouring from the stage as the track grabs our attention as the boys drop the hammer on this epic track, the place is swaying with ease as the boys deliver a killer track that just oozes class with it’s crisp guitar licks that have a killer bassline that just pours towards us as the boys give it laldy with this crowd favourite that just captures the boys in their element as we think back to a real killer set that leads us onto the last track of the evening –

Down By The River – A cool guitar lick leads the way as this mellow rockin track lets itself be known to us tonight as a dark, delicious bassline drops in and gets the track moving. The rhythm section chimes in and we have a funky arrangement that is wrapped in soulful bluesy vocals that just flow effortlessly through the venue as the boys up the tempo and let this groover leave it’s mark, the gritty guitar riffs work well with the punchy snare drum beats as Neil asks us to sing back to him with ‘down by the river’ which we duly reply as a cool bass kick lets the tone shimmy through Glasgow tonight. The gig has been something special for me as it’s my first time getting these boys on my radar and I will be following them closely.

Blue Nation –

Neil Murdoch – Vocals / Guitar

Luke Weston – Bass / Backing Vocals

Nick Sharman – Drums

Setlist –

Hand Me Down

Gimme Some Time

Ordinary People

Time Is A Thief

Run Straight Ahead

Let Me Down Slowly

Once In A Lifetime