Alban Arena
Avid rock fans braved the snow and cold to come to the Alban Arena in St Albans to see the brilliant Classic Rock Show. Tonight was the first gig of their current tour and was a great success with an appreciative audience who were a little slow to warm up. This must have been because of the weather as there was nothing cool about the performances given by this talented bunch of musicians who took to the stage to perform their new show which featured iconic songs from the ten best selling rock albums, featuring tracks by Led Zeppelin, Elton John, Pink Floyd and Bruce Springsteen to name a few.
The show opened with a track from Fleetwood Mac's Rumours album, The Chain, which having been know to millions of racing fans as the theme for F1, really did kick start the first half of this evenings show. With full rock belt versions of You Shook Me All Night Long and Bat Out Of Hell it is easy to see why The Classic Rock Show has been so popular. The show made great use of the Arenas newly installed sound and lighting system by having the album covers from each of the tracks projected onto a screen, helping the audience relive those classic rock days. The lighting laser effects used were really at their best during the Pink Floyd numbers; this is hardly surprising as talented guitarist and musical director for the band, Damian Darlington has worked with the legendary Australian Pink Floyd Show and was recently touring with Brit Floyd around Europe. This is a man who certainly knows his (green) onions. His guitar solo during an excellent version of Comfortably Numb was a highlight of the evening and closed the first half.
The second half concentrated on other tracks from the 70s classic rock period and started with Hotel California. After the interval the audience started to really get into the feel of the music, and the band responded accordingly. The second half also featured popular classic tracks likeLong Train Running,The Logical Song, Mr Bluesky and a soulful version of Dire Straits' Romeo and Juliet. These versatile musicians met the diverse vocal demands needed during the show by taking turns to perform songs, as required. This proved to be highly effective and gave a theatricality to the 'show' making it more than just a tribute act.
By the time the raunchy vocals of Andy Gibson and Carl Sentence ushered in the end of the evening with performances of With A Little Help From My Friendsand a stonking version of Freebird. At this point the once tepid audience were on their feet giving the Classic Rock Show a standing ovation and begging for more! After a customary hiatus, the band took to the stage again and finished with The Who's anthemic Won't Get Fooled Again.
For rock fans or just people who love good music, The Classic Rock show is an enjoyable and fun evening. It's also a great chance to hear these timeless tunes played live by a great band and in a big venue – just how they should be!