The boys are back in town, and it’s alright now. King King came to the Queen’s Hall and rocked
an enthusiastic crowd that needed no invitation to have a good time in their company.
Any concerns about the state of Alan Nimmo’s voice, after
his recuperation from a throat operation caused the cancellation of numerous dates,
can be set aside. He treads carefully on
a couple of lines in set opener ‘Lose Control’, easing himself in, but that
doesn’t last long. He may be under
doctor’s orders to take it easy, but that doesn’t compromise his vocal
performance here.
Alan Nimmo - kilt-swinging blues-soul-funk-rock brother |
The set list mirrors the recent live album, with the
omission of ‘Crazy’, and the audience lap it up, asses getting shook on the
funky R&B of the Fabulous Thunderbirds’ ‘Wait On Time’, and lungs getting a
workout during the singalong on ‘Rush Hour’.
It’s not just about audience participation though. Alan Nimmo’s guitar solo on ‘Long History Of
Love’ may essentially be the same as on the last tour, but tonight it’s a
spellbinding, gut-wrenching affair, giving you the feeling that it’s coming
from somewhere deep down inside. I
reckon that sense of commitment, of a determination to invest the music with
meaning, is a key part of their appeal.
They’re as tight as a duck’s proverbial of course, which
helps. Drummer Wayne Proctor plays a key
part in this, although he goes about his business so unobtrusively he may not
get the attention he deserves. He
doesn’t just hold things together, he punches things home, giving the twists
and turns of their arrangements maximum impact.
Their material also makes them stand out from the herd. Calling King King a blues-rock band is
simplistic. Their roots may be in the
blues, and Alan Nimmo may love classic rockers, but their sound has more facets
to it than that. ‘More Than I Can Take’,
for example, is a rock song fashioned out of funk with added corners and
sharp edges. And Nimmo’s ear for a
melody and warm voice naturally lead down soulful avenues, to a crossroads
where the likes of Deacon Blue and Paul Carrack collide with hard rock. Welcome to King King, your neighbourhood
blues-soul-funk-rock stars.
Mind you, the blues and rock elements are still important,
and ‘Stranger To Love’ captures
their essence beautifully. It’s full of passion and dynamics, with a
blistering guitar solo that shifts down into ear-straining quiet notes, during
which chatterers at the back of the hall are swiftly encouraged to shut up by
their neighbours.
Wayne Proctor - bringing the big beat |
All that’s left after that is the kilt-swinging funk of
encore ‘Let Love In’, a cue for more dancing and one last bout of audience
singing. There are doubtless newcomers
in the hall, but it’s clear that not many of this crowd are casual spectators –
they know every word, follow every note.
Sometimes Alan Nimmo looks around the hall, and I sense he’s drinking it
in, checking that all these punters really are there for them. He’d better get used to it – King King are on
the verge of something big.
Support band Broken Witt Rebels don’t have King King’s
maturity, but they’ve got no shortage of youthful energy. As they launch into the anthemic opener ‘Low’
singer Danny Core’s sandpaper voice grabs you warmly by the throat, and as a
front man he isn’t backward in coming forward.
They may lack subtlety at times, but beneath the bombast they throw some
neat flourishes into their arrangements, and ‘Guns’ in particular demonstrates
that they can produce a good hook. It’s
all very Kings Of Leon, and they undoubtedly have an audience, evidenced by the
air punching and shouts of ‘Up the Rebels!’ in some quarters. The hipster haircuts and facial hair bemuse
me, but then I’m an old git, and I’m sure the little girls will understand.
Can't disagree with your comments regards KK but thought BWR were absolutely grim. I note your use of the word "bombast" - sums up the whole of their set for me. I will be avoiding them in future. Snaid
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