Entertainment

Gig Review: Uriah Heep

British rock royalty, Uriah Heep, gave the punters a night to remember, performing classics from their over 40-year career, as well as five songs from their new album, “Outsider’, including the anthem-like “One Minute”.

web-posterThe Gov: Wednesday March 25th

Adelaide’s favourite, small, music venue, once again proved itself capable of putting on stadium-rock with an intimate atmos.

British rock royalty, Uriah Heep, gave the punters a night to remember, performing classics from their over 40-year career, as well as five songs from their new album, “Outsider’, including the anthem-like “One Minute”.

This is a band which has never changed their basic sound, but continues to produce quality new songs, and play the old ones as if they were fresh out of the studio. They put this ability down to a rigorous touring schedule, which sees them off the road for less than three months at a time.

Bernie Shaw, the band’s longest-serving vocalist, is an object lesson in front-man skills: personable, strong, humorous and, dare I say it, “umble”, Shaw is the perfect foil for the quieter members of the band. He worked with his highly appreciative audience to make them a part of the show, maintaining energy and passion the entire night.

Remaining original member, and song-writer, Mick Box, gave what could have been a master-class in rock guitar. Instead of the usual drum solo, Mick and drummer, Russell Gilbrook took some space for a guitar-drum battle, which had the audience in raptures. Gilbrook’s drumming is impeccable and hard, teaming well with Davey Rimmer, who took over on bass in 2013.

Heep sounds has always been driven by, amongst other things, the sound of the Hammond, and Phil Lanzon, who joined the band at the same time as Shaw, is a rock keyboardist without equal. He is also one half of the main song-writing team, along with Box. Although up the back, behind the keys, Lanzon is a strong stage presence and adds to the harmonics of Heep’s vocals.

After a tight, impeccable, high-energy show, the boys were brought back for an encore which consisted of two early numbers, finishing with the seminal “Easy Living”.

Had the audience got their way, there would have been four more encores.

Let’s hope they return to Australia soon. This standard of rock is rarely seen.

 

Reviewed by TRACEY KORSTEN

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