Black Stone Cherry have for the last decade been big enough to headline arenas in the UK- in contrast to their still middle ranking status back home. The Kentucky foursome are constantly on tour here and must be up there as one of the bands I’ve seen most often this millennium. Indeed, alongside Alter Bridge they seem the band most often cited when the new generation of classic rock bands list their influences and inspirations.

However every so often they feel the need to give back to their army of UK fans by returning to their earlier days and playing to them at close quarters. Unsurprisingly tickets were instantly snapped up for this tour and yet it is to the credit of one of my favourite venues, Islington Assembly Hall, that even in a spot reasonably close to the front the crowd never felt uncomfortable.

The sound was deafeningly loud, fortunately settling down, as they opened with the title track of new album ‘Screamin’ at the Sky’ that was unfamiliar to me but many others already seemed to know – its sludgy heaviness had a touch of Black Label Society about it, fittingly as their BSC logo backdrop looked rather similar.

It was then back to the past as ‘Blind Man’ (unusually almost the only moment from ‘Folklore and Superstition’) featured a tasty solo from Chris Robertson, who seemed in a good place, more outgoing and prepared to periodically cast aside the guitar to concentrate on audience call and response. After a touch of reggae in a cover of ‘Stir It Up’, ‘Me and Mary Jane’ was one such, while ‘White Trash Millionaire’ was placed surprisingly early in the set, which may account for the response being a little more subdued than usual.

‘Nervous’ was another new song, and the fact this was the exact album release day seemed to make the gig even more special for the band members. Ben Wells, dripping with sweat, and bassist Steve Jewell, a more animated figure than his predecessor, were regularly charging around the stage and swapping places, while there was even a successful marriage proposal on stage, though the speed with which the happy couple seemed to be about to get on with things led the roadies to usher them off stage quickly before I could shout ‘get a room’.

The cumulative effect is that they appear newly energised and Songs like ‘Again’ and ‘Burning’ sounded more raw than the polished versions I’ve heard at places like Wembley Arena and the Albert Hall. ‘Cheaper to Drink Alone’ also went down well, though it was rather broken up by John Fred Young’s drum solo.

There was only one mellower moment when Chris and Ben donned acoustics for another rarely played song in ‘Stay’. Apart from that there were big singalongs to favourites like ‘Like I Roll’ and ‘In My Blood’, the latter featuring some jamming where about three times I was sure the song had ended, and a lively new one in ‘Out of Pocket’, the verse lulling into a false sense of security before a brutal chorus.

Allied to good songs, their hard work and humility has been key in their UK success, and as usual they spoke earnestly of their gratitude for fans loyalty and even asked for a show of hands of those who’d been at their first London headline at the Astoria in 2007 which I gladly responded to. Fittingly therefore there was a larger than normal selection from the debut album including ‘Rain Wizard’ and ‘Hell and High Water’.

Indeed when Ben asked if those in the balcony would stand (a tad precariously) for the rest of the set, it wasn’t initially for one of the crowd pleasers but another from the debut in ‘Shooting Star’ which frankly I barely remember. Whether wanting to take in the moment or out of respect for this august venue, the crowd wasn’t quite as wild as I’d expected for the sing along ‘Blame It on the Boom Boom’ or the bludgeon of ‘Lonely Train’- no circle pit on this occasion.

They returned for a solitary encore, well Chris and Ben for a mainly acoustic version of ‘Peace Is Free’, with the rhythm section belatedly joining in. Full marks to Chris for asking people to put their phones away and share a memory and every man jack for doing so, which is a big ask these days. Instead we were all asked to link hands with those next to us in a play from the Shinedown manual.

No one can have left disappointed by this intimate evening, the back to basics of smaller venues helping them reconnect with their younger and rawer selves. Black Stone Cherry’s continued 17 year love affair with this country seems assured for a long time to come.

Review and Photos by Andy Nathan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Josh Taerk Sunday Sessions 2024

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Power Plays w/c 29 April 2024

BRIGITTE PURDY Sugar Fried Candy (Dirtshack Records)
ATTIC THEORY The Legacy (indie)
THE HOWLERS I Need Your Love (indie)
VELVETEEN QUEEN Bad Reputation (indie)
WILLS AND THE WILLING Scuffed Knees (Smash & Grab Music Ltd)
READY THE PRINCE Still Believe (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 29 April 2024

09:00-12:00 PRAYING MANTIS Defiance (Frontiers)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023

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