It’s been a number of years since Myles Kennedy last trod the boards of Glasgow’s O2 Academy (last time was 2014 for the glorious one-off MTV-powered co-header between Slash and the Conspirators with Biffy Clyro and tickets cost a whole tenner – it was awesome) despite having visited many times since with the top-hatted one, Alter Bridge and of course, his own solo activities. But now armed with a second solo album in The Ides of March, he’s made his return to UK shores once again with his iconic pipes, breathtaking guitar skills and collaborators Tim Tournier and Zia Uddin to replicate their Steelhouse 2018 performance across the entire country.
The unassuming Cardinal Black take to the stage to an already busy Academy and polite applause. Fusing blues, soul and folksy tones together, it’s a great fit for the evening. There’s no denying they’re a tight, well-oiled machine with Chris Buck providing impassioned guitar licks combined with a level of proficiency many others would envy. Meanwhile, Tom Hollister’s own vocals are a force of nature – imagine if Rag’n’Bone Man could actually sing and you get the idea. However, past the bouncy number three or four songs into the set, it all blends together and most songs sound a bit samey but ultimately inoffensive. However, as they leave to a much louder response than when they took to it half an hour previously, it’s clear they’ve done their job.
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As the lights dim, bassist Tim Tournier and drummer Zia Uddin take their marks before Myles Kennedy follows and they immediately kick into a raucous rendition of “Wake Me When it’s Over”. For almost two hours, it’s a journey through Kennedy’s mind. Whilst it may be on a larger scale than his maiden UK solo tour and a less extensive look into previous and current bands, there’s still a sense of intimacy to Kennedy’s performance as he flexes his capabilities as a frontman, allowing his goofy humour to shine through with stories and quips between songs.
With a huge chunk of the set devoted to 2018’s Year of the Tiger, the songs are transformed from their beautiful simplicity into fuller and more fervent versions, rather than verbatim. It’s punctuated with an acoustic rendition of Alter Bridge’s “All Ends Well” and Uddin joins him for a smooth jazz version (or as Kennedy calls it “The baby-makin’ version”) of The Mayfield Four’s “Mars Hotel”. And if that’s the closest we’ll get to seeing The Mayfield Four live, it’s a worthwhile time.
It’s only later into the set before Kennedy and the band turns their attention to newer material which gets as hearty a response as the older numbers. Whilst a couple of personal favourites are omitted in “Love Rain Down” and the album’s title track, it’s immediately forgiven when Kennedy, solo once more, takes his resonator guitar through a very sludgy, but every bit as bombastic, version of “World on Fire”. The Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators number fills the room, the sinister take blending in well with The Ides of March’s pondering themes to tie it together. All that’s missing is Todd Kerns to provide the backing vocals and appropriate refrains.
Despite there not being more of an exploration into his back catalogue, the evening isn’t wanting for it, such is the strength of the two albums Kennedy has released under his own name. So for those expecting a Citizen Swing number or even a bit of Steel Dragon (for all of us who saw Rock Star), their hopes were subsequently dashed. As the new album’s themes deal with finding and holding onto hope, Kennedy’s return to the UK feels timely as live music made its grand return and people can share in the ritualistic communion it brings. It’s also no coincidence that the encore is “Worried Mind” as it provides a comforting salve for those who need it.
Kennedy’s name may be the draw but as a trio, the band work effortlessly together and it’s hard to tell who is having more fun – the master of ceremonies or Tim Tournier as he marches across the stage, lost in the music and performance without drawing attention to himself. Whilst Uddin may be a phenomenal drummer, much of it is lost to the O2 Academy’s notoriously shoddy acoustics and his snare sounds eerily similar to that Metallica album’s snare until it evens out. Similarly, Kennedy’s vocals suffer the same fate – too much reverb stifles it for the first couple of songs. But that doesn’t stop him from commanding the crowd with it, continuously on top form, running the gamut through the night of what his voice can manage. There’s a feeling in his performance that he’s singing to each person individually, yet to the whole group all at once.
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With several guitar changes through the performance, there’s a real sense of him enjoying the chance to really flex his guitar muscles without becoming self-indulgent. As he shows his guitar prowess can match his vocal chops, he plays with the golden rule with ease – it’s just as much about the notes that he doesn’t play as the ones he does. There’s still moments of technical brilliance and complexity but there’s as much enjoyment in the stripped back moments.
As live music continues to get back to its feet, Myles Kennedy’s presence on UK soil feels like another step towards familiarity since he’s never away for too long. Time hasn’t worn his vocals and there’s no sign of rust in any aspect of his performance, ever the consummate entertainer. Playing off a lovably rambunctious crowd which gives as good as it gets allows for an auditory feast, finding balance in both solo albums. Year of the Tiger’s material continues to shine and in their new format, it breathes new life into it while The Ides of March knowingly nods with relevancy for every person in the building. As 2021 wraps up and it looks like Kennedy will be back to conspiring with a top-hatted guitarist next year, it won’t be long before he’s back in some way, shape or form.
Header image by Chuck Brueckmann
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