Thursday 24th September ‘26
Review by Gary Roebuck Photos By Callum Roebuck
“King King Deliver A Sovereign Night”
“Blues rock to the fore” from this Anglo/Scottish band.
Closing any tour it’s difficult to pick a venue and city but to end the current run in “Auld Reekie” is testament to these guys popularity in Scotland as La Belle got ready to host.
Having been around since 2008 these guys have just came onto my radar and boy what I’ve been missing.
Opening up to the night we get ‘Highway to Hell” the epic anthem as an intro as the guys enter the stage we should have known what would follow by the lyrics.
Singer and guitarist Alan kilted and wearing customary black teeshirt with Zander on bass wearing a legendary Thin Lizzy teeshirt, Jon on drums and finally last but not least Jonny on keyboards.
With tracks throughout tonight taken from each album released and some new unheard tracks this was a mixed bag of gems.
“Moving away Day” a new track opens a monster night in front of this eagerly awaited “Scottish” night and in front of a sizeable audience of appreciative fans and having spoken with a few this was their 4th if not 5th time some had seen the guys.
“Fire in my Soul” from the last album released “Maverick” in 2020 follows this and gets rapturous applause at the end as Alan wishes a good evening, welcomes everyone on the last night of the tour before heading into Europe leg of the tour thanks everyone for the support.
“Cried out for Love” one of a couple of singles released last year is played out as Alan states he has carried out most of the tour with pneumonia let’s get this night over opens crashing drums,guitar and keyboard ablaze the melody midsong is absolutely amazing with the dancing stage lights among the band Jon on drums is delivering a masterclass with backing from Zander on bass delivering the rhythm another instrumental shows the class of this singer/guitarist what energy to conclude a tour whilst poorly what a response from the audience.
“Waking Up” from the “Reaching for the Light “ album from 2015 has Alan telling us he is looking forward to bed is alluded to before he says tonight will deliver some new songs and KK classics in the set, we get audience clapping and a keyboard intro from Jonny before Alan launches another vocal assault on our ears 20 minutes in there is no let up within La Belle such is the energy coming out from the stage this is one of those songs rising up slowing down it’s all there as the audience return the clapping request – I love the difference that a keyboard brings to a bands sound “waking up rising up” is something we should all address in this current climate.
“A long history of Love” and get this from the album “Standing in the Shadows”released 13 years ago shows the boys back catalogue and is dedicated to the boys in the band is brought in with a bit of banter between the boys melody again is to the fore before soaring vocals rise in what effort this must be taking to keep up the vocal another heart touching lyric is delivered as we have a slower vibe than earlier tunes but never the less no less well received but another enthralling instrument shows the boys class with the applause ringing out at front of the stage I’ll allude again Jonny on the keyboards Zander on bass take stage with a searing searching bone chilling effect with Jon,s drums crashing behind just absolutely WOW – Alan on guitar his strings were bleeding I could feel the energy as the volume slowed and mellowed before the drums took us up another level you just have to enjoy the emotional lyrics being delivered before cymbals closed to the appreciation from the audience.
“Strong” another new track from the new album to be released, Alan alludes to his mum with a happy 75th birthday opens with a stronger beat before more heartfelt lyrics beat around our ears, drums as I’ve alluded to the melody and dual vocals from both Alan and Zander are a joy as the audience are asked for another clapping support before the volume ramps up again with drums and keyboard again to the fore with the guitar and bass not surrendering an ounce of energy the crowd swaying at the front to this energetic beat another masterclass instrumental has been delivered midsong with an astonishing pulsing through your veins bass line, there will be no more sadness or sorrow with these guys in your life to make you stronger I’m loving this set as the bass line drops.
“Too Late” follows this being an early track as the lights drop off Alan alludes to the new album – patiently some not so waiting for some new music gets a good laugh before a piano intro kicks the guys in with a mellower vocal to begin before the vocals soar again it’s never ‘too late or too long” to get these guys into your playlist soaring guitar solos, drums extraordinary with keyboards as I said giving an added dimension and Zander on bass doing what bass players do before Jonny closes on keys.
A wee bit of help is this part of the night is written about Big brother Stevie and not hanging about with us reprobates which gets a round of applause due to his dropping away “ You stopped the Rain” oh oh oh,s open to a clapping singing audience drum beat before the song gets going how the boys can drop the energy midsong to rise again is an effort not many can pull off vocally but these guys it’s effortless as the lights pulse on and off again with another helping on drums Jon he is up there with the best such ease front and centre Alan has kept us in the palm of his hand tonight as oh, oh oh,s ring round La Belle again from the audience just magic what a feeling this must be giving the guys – the tight fit is easy to hear is easy to see is easy to feel tonight as the guys close this UK adventure again another astonishing solo from Alan is backed by the boys – goosebumps again and another foot tapper the musicianship is astonishing a closer and what a response from the audience probably the loudest of the night.
“Rush Hour” going back to the “Maverick” album Jonny again opens with Jon,s cymbals to a darkened room as Alan opens quietly on guitar another foot stomper dual vocals throughout from the boys has been exceptional I’ve loved it every bit of tonight these guys have a new found fan as “Rush Hour” belts out never will I hear the words ‘Rush Hour’ and feel fear as “woah oh oh woah oh ohs” ring out as far back as the very rear of the audience without a drop what a tune.
Alan is finding it difficult to do twirls in a “skirt” ie kilt “Never lose your Faith” – real life gets in the road but we do our very best well done guys another one that opens with a bone crushing guitar another song that did not fail to deliver tonight as the guys continue in the same vein as an hour ago Jonny on keys has delivered a different dimension to what I’ve been used to – don’t lose your faith and please don’t lose your faith in these guys is the question I ask closes the penultimate tune takes us to the last of the set.
“I will not Fall” the guys close the set as they began keys and drums crashing around what a beat with the audience clapping in, “the boys won’t fall” on this outing tonight another ace jaw dropping instrumental from the guys had been an enthralling part of tonight the musicianship shining through as the drums and keys rise again no one will “steal their crown” and certainly not on this show what a set closer there have been goosebumps moments aplenty what a way to close the set dancing lights, crashing drums, keys, deep bass soaring searching guitar just wow another one of those gig ending moments that has you foot tapping head swaying what an ending to 70 minutes as the guys leave the stage the audience have enjoyed this epic night from the “Kings of blues rock”!!!
Encore –
“When my winter Comes” Alan returns a song written by him for a manager who spent most of his life in Manchester is all I’ll allude to with Jonny on piano carrying the night on you just have to listen to these lyrics to believe no guitar no bass no drums just raw emotional lyrics to leave you in awe – when “my winter comes’ I’ll certainly draw on these lyrics – thanks for the memories.
“Stranger to Love” closes the set ,- the guys return as keys open darkened stage kind words and supporting music in Scotland thanks for joining us it’s been a joy playing for you let’s keep music alive Alan alludes before a slower start but the same melody and vocal before the keys and soaring vocals and backing rise again emotionally from the boys another slow down on guitar Alan shows us another dimension to his guitar playing before a darkened stage the lowest guitar you will ever hear(possibly never hear) 😂 gets a laugh before we rise to applaud the guys, Alan again thanks very much everybody and a crashing drums,bass,keys and guitar close this epic night with a full audience clapping us out this is one band you don’t want to miss seeing in the future, I for one can’t believe I’ve never caught these guys before.
“King King” delivered tonight and on this outing their crown is far from slipping.
Thanks to “Shock City” for giving me my first opportunity writing for them and thanks to “Alan” for the passing time at the end of the set for a brief chat.
One new fan here – let,s see how many more we can add to the “King King” mantle on the back of this tour.
Until the next time – Adios Gazza ✌️
Jace Media Music.
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