Kris Barras has built quite a following over the years, first as a blues rock artist, both solo and with acts like Supersonic Blues Machine, then moving into a more straight ahead melodic rock direction, on the way to embracing heavier and more modern rock sounds. Sadly, a few weeks ago, he suddenly announced that he was stepping away from music after 11 years to focus on other things and that this tour would be his last.

I’d missed the last couple of tours as the music had moved away from my favoured styles (to the extent that a few interviews and reviews lost me when they cited metalcore influences), though I did enjoy his bluesier Hollow Souls side project. However this announcement made up my mind that I had to see him one more time.

Reflecting that heavier direction, support came from veteran American alternative metallers 10 Years. I only arrived for the last four songs, including their best known songs ‘Wasteland’ and ‘Fix Me’. Again not my scene, but speaking to friends in the interval, they had really enjoyed them.

In front of a respectable though hardly packed Garage crowd, Kris Barras Band opened with a couple from ‘Death Valley Paradise’ (the transitional album from one musical style to another) in ‘Who Needs Enemies’ and ‘Dead Horses’ with people singing along, either side of ‘Unbreakable’.

I may have been a little harsh on his musical journey- his solos while brief and not in the least bluesy were technically excellent, and whatever the musical arrangements, the electronic effects of the title track of current album ‘Monsters We Made’ a case in point, his voice always ensures the melody is still there. The mid tempo ‘Unspoken’ was excellent though I did wonder whether the big backing vocals were being enhanced.

There was a line up change with Josiah J Manning, who has been by Kris’ side for so many years, on well deserved paternity leave. However the guitar virtuoso contingent doubled with Danny DeLa Cruz, formerly of Inglorious, standing in. At times that also allowed Kris to cast off his guitar entirely and work the crowd, including ‘Savages’ which appeared to be a favourite with the crowd singing the chorus raucously.

‘These Voices’’ was excellent, beginning in melodic style but featuring a heavy riff, while on ‘Devil You Know’, Kris again ceded guitar duties to conduct a singalong, and Danny’s work was excellent.

There wasn’t a lot of farewell sentiment about the show, but an exception was when Kris paid tribute to his late musician father, who encouraged him to forsake his mixed martial arts career and give music a serious go. Movingly, he said his Dad would have been proud of the past eleven years, before his tribute to him, ‘Watch Over Me’, extended to ten minutes. The fluency and emotion of his lengthy solo ranked alongside the very best, reminding me of Gary Moore or Y and T’s Dave Meniketti and his ‘I Believe in You’ tour de force.

Kris then said he played one more from his bluesier years, though ‘Ignite (Light It Up)’ was more a straight ahead rock anthem – bringing back fond memories of the final Ramblin’ Man in 2019, the first time I saw him and when the titular album was being constantly advertised.

He took a rest while Danny played a solo instrumental, and though ‘Beautiful Lie’ didn’t really do it for me, ‘Riot Of One’ had a simple and catchy chorus made for the live environment, before he closed with another audience participation favourite in ‘My Parade’. There was no dividing the audience in two as he used to, but a ‘We Will Rock You’ style drum break from Billy Hammett led into some call and response, and after I thought it had ended the song went into an unexpected coda.

With Kris’ typical squaddie-like gruffness, he said, ‘All right, you buggers, just one more’, and the acapella vocal harmonies opened ‘Hail Mary’, the crowd grooving and singing along to what will always be his signature song, concluding with a brief burst of slide.

It was a bittersweet evening but a definitive set of his musical journey over the last 11 years. Thank you Kris, and I hope further down the line he is not lost to music altogether.

Review and Photos by Andy Nathan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions,

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Josh now hosts “Taerk’s Tracks” as part of the Singer Songwriter Sunday sequence on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio.

This is the first show broadcast on 27 September. Josh presents some of his inspirational artists and tracks.

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast 20 September 2026.

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Power Plays w/c 12 October 2026

TAKEDA – Lion’s Den (Drongo Records)
SCARDUST – Symphony (Frontiers)
AMBERLIN – Gravity (Rude Records/Equal Vision Records)
MISSING TOYS – Lifeline (Pride & Joy Music)
SWEET GORILLA – It’s Your Life (5000 Records)
ROYAL BLOOD – Dead Company (Warner Records)

Featured Albums w/c 12 October 2026

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Singer Songwriter)

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