Great night at The Boom Boom last night. Extra special when you are halfway home from a gig and some one one has taken the time to post this review: Words by Nigel Forster........ Tonight we hit Manchester The Ruby Lounge first Manchester headline, good forward sales and we are chomping at the bit. Virgil and the Accelerators - The Boom Boom My recent one line review of Virgil and the Accelerators new album began; ‘They’ve only gone and blown the bloody doors off!’ Well my one line review of the band’s stunning gig at The Boom Boom will have to say; ‘They’ve only gone and blown the bloody roof off!’ The show was full on rock with a definitive not derivative classic rock sound that was mega intense for fully two hours. I have emerged battered and bruised but pleading for more. Think forces of nature, fire, flood, storm, hurricane then think VATA and if you think the band are powerful in the studio, live they are an irresistible force and tonight they were at maximum power and wowed and a full house. Virgil McMahon the most dangerous guitar hotshot on the circuit lined up his arsenal of weaponry, a battle worn Strat and three rapier like Gibsons that were used in turn to strafe the crowd. Brother Gabriel hidden behind a huge drum kit and sheets of Perspex, (to keep him in or us out?) pummelled the skins to death and Jack Alexander Timmis channelled out deep grooves on the bass. Taking unassumingly to the stage VATA stormed in to the foot to floor two opening cuts from the new album. Take Me Higher hooky, hungry for riffs and groove laden had the crowd right onside. Then straight in to the head banger’s delight Blow to the Head erupting, spitting venom from the Marshall stacks and ushering in a screaming torrid McMahon solo and bruising powerful vocal that has developed a cool rasp. Backstabber supplied the nods to VATA’s Blues Rock roots as lead run after lead run was peeled from McMahon’s Gibson and the engine room bled out the rhythms. If the first half of the show was stunning and it was, the second half beggared belief such was the intensity, tone and passion with which The Army of Three played and I can barely find words to describe it. 88 is an established live favourite and tonight was no different, Virgil firing and sparking off the violent riffs and once again the rhythm section synced slamming down the slab like bass and drum runs. The set construction was wonderfully executed the gear shifts seamless and the mood building by stealth. The choice of two set closers was completely and utterly jaw dropping and I can only describe it as tumultuous and around 30 minutes that will live in the memory for a very long time. Low Down and Dirty was exactly that and so much more. Deep bass lines, thumping drum fills and Virgil’s filthy grinding riffs racing us to the mid- section of the song when Virgil spiritually left us and transported himself to that place phenomenal guitarists go to when producing the most atmospheric and mindblowing solos imaginable, pacey and furious, face contorted wringing out the notes and then taking it right down low in tone and volume, single note flecks and plenty of reverb and sustain. Then the maestro slowly built the volume back up and jumped back in to the groove and fired off more riffs like tracer bullets. The reaction of the crowd as the song reached its crescendo told me all I needed to know. Those moments were very very special!!. The sweeping sonic landscape that is the free flowing Free rang out with boldness and total feel and brought the show to an outstanding close. Suffice it to say the band left the stage to sustained applause and immediate roars for an encore. Cue shattering experience number two as Virgil slashed at the strings of the battered Fender and blitzed into Hendrix’s Are You Experienced, when Virgil and the guys play this one it becomes a suite of movements of music and time for Virgil to really trip and get psychedelic on us with the mesmerising solos. At points the strings were bent right out of shape and his fingers were a blur. A fitting way to end an unforgettable show. This army is gathering conscripts wherever it goes and I have signed up for life. Love this band so much. Before I leave mention must be made for guest act the young and very talented The River Chickens who literally warmed the crowd up with a hugely energetic entertaining show. Born players these lads, no nerves, bags of swagger and great tunes. And any band that kicks in with a brilliant take on Lizzy’s Boys are Back in Town are friends of mine. Sleep beckons but I feel it may be a long time coming, adrenaline pumps through my veins just like a McMahon lead break!
Posted on: Sat, 18 Oct 2014 13:03:56 +0000
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