It's not long before I find myself back at The Water Rats. This is a show I've been looking forward to for months - two US artists I really like - playing a double headline UK tour. Interestingly both are 'Country Rock' artists, and are both sharing the same backing band for the whole tour. In these post-lockdown Brexit times this is probably a financial necessity for financial and logistical reasons. Ryan normally tours over here with his own UK based backing band, and Warner does the same with his own UK based band, but for this tour there are both being backed by the Warner E. Hodges Band - who are pretty shit hot!
This is a sold out show and the Water Rats is absolutely rammed. For reasons that escape me (writing this 8 months later) I struggled to get to the gig in time and although I arrived in time to hear my favourite Ryan Hamilton song 'Smarter' I was pretty much stuck at the back of the very full room - consequently taking pictures was virtually impossible.
However, I found this a very entertaining show as always from Ryan with his excellent songwriting, natural repartee and banter with the audience, great and interesting storytelling, and of course a great backing band!
After a shortish intermission three of the same musicians return to the stage - this time with Warner E Hodges. If the guitarist on the left looks familiar - it's
Ben Marsden who also played on the recent tour with
Grand Theft Audio as well as playing with The Spangles and previously the Main Grains.
This is a band that is
always terrific! Tonight is no exception. This is Country Rock - with the emphasis
very much on the
ROCK. Although the setlist (actually there
isn't a 'setlist' as Warner just makes it up as he goes along) is mostly original material from Warner's solo albums there are a handful of covers thrown in - not as 'crowd pleasers' but just because they are
fun to play. Sadly no 'War Pigs' again in spite of it being requested from the crowd., but as now Warner's UK band has 2 recent albums to promote there is a lot to get in.
No laid back 'Americana' crap going on here in spite of the 'Country Rock' label - this is a high-power rock 'n' roll show! Popular UK resident and bassist
Jason Knight is
very much in his element as he has every opportunity to rock out at every show on the band's current tour!
There isn't much in the way of 'country' in the set, although much of Warner's own material leans in a more country rock direction - but much of his stuff is pretty rock 'n' roll. There is the more country style of John Denver's 'Country Roads' which is virtually always in the set, but this is a more distinctly rockin' version than other bands play! Much of tonight's material is loud and fast - some people might be surprised to find out that although Warner may
look like a country musician, his favourite band is actually AC/DC! In fact among the few covers tonight two are them are AC/DC songs
And what a way to end the show!
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