Tonight Manchester Club Academy played host to a great night of blues rock as King King kicked off their ‘Reaching For The Light’ tour which sees the band – led by the formidable Alan Nimmo – take their latest album out on the road for a series of dates that include UK, Europe and a number of festivals.

Up first though is Dan Patlansky who I have been waiting to catch for a while now after hearing about his outstanding guitar work when he toured with Joe Satriani in 2015. As a self-confessed introvert he certainly doesn’t hold back when it comes to his on stage performance and indeed just before his set when he casually strode through the crowd to the backstage with his trusty Strat in hand.

Touring his new album ‘Introvertigo’ he opened with the dynamic ‘Run’ which not only gives us an insight to his incendiary guitar work but shows that he has the vocals to go with it.

‘Sonova Faith’ with its punchy sound displays the tight band dynamics whilst ‘Loosen The Grip’ shows their slower, more soulful side. An outstanding set that concluded with instrumental ‘My Chana’ a great vehicle for Dan’s guitar excursions.

Wearing his customary kilt Alan Nimmo took the stage to a packed room and with little introduction was straight into ‘Lose Control’ from the debut album ‘Take My Hand’, a full on blues rock track that sees Alan make the first of many trips to the front of the stage as the notes wring out.

‘Wait On Time’ heads towards the swing side of the blues a la Robert Cray and features some glorious Hammond work from Bob Fridzema and makes for a great groove.   The soulful vocals of ‘Rush Hour’ and ‘Jealousy’ filled the hot and steamy basement together with ‘More Than I Can Take’.

With the new album taking King King closer to a more rock-based approach and fused with a commercial sensibility, this was an awesome, passionate and wholly enjoyable set.

Both bands tonight are great purveyors of the modern blues sound, not as raw and earthy as those who met at the crossroads and sold their souls to the devil but rather more accessible and, frankly, all the better for it.

Review and photos by Simon Dunkerley

Setlist.
King King : Lose Control, Wait On Time, Waking Up, Rush Hour, A Long History of Love, More Than I Can Take, You Stopped The Rain, Jealousy, Crazy, All Your Life, Stranger, Let Love In

Dan Patlansky: Run, Sonova Faith , Loosen Up The Grip, Fetch Your Spade, Stop The Messin, Still Wanna Be Your Man, Heart Beat, Introvertigo, Backbite, My Chana

Album review (King King, Reaching For The Light)
Album review/interview (Dan Patlansky, Introvertigo)

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