Thunder: SEC, Clyde Auditorium (Armadillo), March 22nd 2017

Thunder: SEC, Clyde Auditorium (Armadillo), March 22nd 2017

I arrived at the venue and in my seat rear circle row V by 19.30 hrs, expectant after being at the instore signing of Thunder's latest album Rip It Up in Glasgow a few weeks earlier, the guys at the time had been without Luke Morley erst wise chief mechanic in the riff department, a man who song writing talents have no bounds, his bands mates the day of the album signing and small acoustic gig in Glasgow's HMV, did rib him rotten for his lurgy induced absence (if it was me I would have been seeing a solicitor mate - but hey that’s what friends are for).

Back to the job in hand, looking forward to a great night of Rock N' Roll and first up special guest on the tour the elusively named Cats In Space, a six piece band who unashamedly take you back to the heady days of the 1970s with bands like Queen but especially to this old codgers ears; the 70’s Harrogate based band Wally - yes Wally! Anyway C. I. S comprise of Paul Manzi the Vocalist (and comes via prog rockers Arena). Grieg Hart Guitarist, vocals. Steevi Bacon Drums, percussion. Dean Howard Guitars ( via T’Pau/Ian Gillan). Jeff Brown Bass guitar, vocals. Andy Stewart Keyboards., They slide on stage via their intro the theme tune to classic British cops and robbers show ‘The Sweeny’, and pounce on the unsuspecting audience who have ventured in from the bars and merch desk, to catch not just any old support band but a Danny Bowes endorsed ‘Power Pop Rock’ outfit, of style, verve and panache, of swirling keyboards, stonking Brian May esque hooks and melodies to grace any classic british rock bands back catalogue. Their set is made up of primary numbers from the bands 2015 debut album Too Many Gods, with a glimpse of their future a track called 'Mad Hatters Tea Party' (possibly the title of the new album), scheduled to be released as part of the bands new album later in 2017. I only hope that these guys survive the trip, and not end up like erst wise potential superstars of the 1970’s Wally(?), Harrogate’s finest championed by Bob Harris and Rick Wakeman snapped up in 1974 to Yes manager Brian Lane stable and signed to Atlantic, two albums later, submerged beneath the corporate waves, only to resurface thirty years later. I only hope Cats in Space avoided the everything that goes around comes around scenario and don’t have to endure the same fate; don’t be a Wally guys your collective talents to good to waste. I really hope the hard work pays off and we see you back headlining your own club gigs soon, especially one in Glasgow!!!

As Cats In Space depart to very well received applause, time for a turnaround where we get Planet Rock radio's commercial indents peppering the music during the proceedings, for those who don’t know, there might be a handful, DJ, wit and raconteur one Danny Bowes esquire, is a fine radio presenter with his own weekly show on Planet Rock and due to a well-managed sense of promotion able to secure some Planet Rock promos to help fill the turn around (well they sort of help promote the tour), I was expecting to have Danny’s voice pop up introducing a punter from Glasgow own 'Pocket Money Picks' (its a segment of Danny’s show where a listener gets to pick that first album that they saved their hard earned pennies as a kid to buy and recount the tale of how that first encounter catapulted their dreams and imagination in to the realms of rock and roll). Unfortunately it seemed Danny had not been able to secure the budget to stretch to this – so unfortunately no show! Maybe the focus group the Planet Rock Voice Over Announcer referred to in one of the sponsors add breaks should have made that prevalent in us knowing that plugging one Thunders own albums that way was going just a bit to far (only kidding Danny).

So we cut to chase of lights down and the intro of the funky 'Motown' of Kool & The Gang's 'Jungle Boogie' to announce the band on stage. Thunder’s current long standing line up of now 20 years comprising of Danny Bowes vocals, Luke Morley Guitar, Harry James Drums, Ben Matthews Guitar and Keyboard, (and new guy) Chris Child s on Bass, kick off with the no nonsense ‘No One Gets Out Alive’ from the band’s latest critically and commercially acclaimed album Rip It Up, ending with a quick “Good evening” from Danny and plunge straight into another belter from the Rip It Up album ‘The Enemy Inside', showing no signs of any trepidation in how they might be received, only when ending both opening salvo’s Danny just asking for a "little more noise", the cavernous Clyde Auditorium eating up the roar from the crowd, being a very large 3,000 seat capacity venue and from my own vantage point, high in the gods in the rear circle, being half full, giving a capacity for tonight’s show approximately 2,500 people, it did take a little while to raise the roof, getting Danny Bowes to howl “can’t hear you”, he and the band get a rapturous roar; just delayed in reaching the band in this cavernous old Glasgow Apollo size room.

Up next ‘River of Pain’ from the Behind Closed Doors album, a perennial favourite and old time friend of Thunder fans, crisply played with nice false ending and pick up to a classic conclusion meriting Danny Bowes acknowledgement and first introduction of Mr Luke Morley on lead Guitar. When it comes to pacing a show Thunder are past masters of the light and shade, a technique some bands never quite seem to master but in one Thunder excel, their technical ability and addition to their classic repertoire shows up a couple of numbers later, in a new mid paced, bluesy ballad and straight from the heart of the band’s latest Rip It Up album; the excellent ‘Right From The Start’. Danny Bowes heart felt lament, married to Luke Morley’s sorrowful melancholy six strings tied in with to some nice keys from Ben Matthews played from his riser stage right, through the subtle bass underpinning of Mr Chris Childs, ticks every box in the best British blues ballad of the year contest. The really winner on this one is the superb rhythmic drumming of one Mr Harry James, lost at the back of his kit atop his centre stage riser, being nothing short of inspiring, the man is the backbone on which Thunder lay their live reputation on and for very good reason recognised as one of the best live professionals in the business; you don’t need to be a crash bang wallop merchant with a solo 8 minutes long in a show to be great at your job.

Funnily enough though it’s the crash bang wallop that the band do next, as the fantastic overhead and back of stage rear lighting lights up the Auditorium like a Christmas Tree in red and blue hue’s dazzling spots and white flashes, this could only herald one thing, the title track of the band’s debut album (1990's) 'Back Street Symphony' which kicks in like a tornado in a telephone kiosk! Danny Bowes vocal up the pace in style and pitch and his pied piper style enthusiasm leading the band through their legendary barnstorming cracker.

The fun does not stop there, further on into the set, I refocus on a lady, in a red top and jeans who I had spotted previous during the show on the steps next to my seat on the aisle, she smiles and sways and dances away, the boys in the band reading her mind and wanting to give her a wee treat by this time by giving her a chance to reminisce with maybe just a wee sing along, waste no time in laying bare another cornerstone of the bands career in ‘Don’t Wait For Me Goodbye’. Danny now bathed in turquoise light and Luke wringing the neck of his guitar have the crowd wait with baited breath for one of the bands most enduring epic soulful classics to build via Luke Morley spirited swirling spiralling guitar solo to a mid-song climax, taking Danny Bowes vocal with him most of the way, to terminate abruptly; to the cavernous silence and dramatic pause that precedes the build to the thunderous ending (tonight truly epic). In the process during all this Danny Bowes taking a stage left break and leaves the rest of the band to take centre stage, kick start the beast again and with rapid fire staccato attack on drums from Mr Harry James propelling the song to its guitar swelling crescendo; as you can guess the auditorium goes wild at its end and the lady in the red top and jeans is mightily impressed grinning from ear to ear.

With Danny returning to the stage, the band rip up the title track of the new album as we get a short sharp shock of a rendition of 'Rip It Up'. Danny’s jibe about “another one you should know” - could not have been more tongue in cheek especially when 'Love Walks' in strides into view, for some in the audience who might be 50 or over, who even have brought their kids, are up standing clapping, screaming shouting, singing along, the lady in the red dress and jeans on the steps next to my aisle seat to me is swaying rhythmically from side to side, gently but perfectly in time to the music, I dare not ask her name, as the boyfriend pops up and all is sweetness and light for the couples in the audience as Luke Morley’s guitar drives things ever higher with Danny Bowes asking still for the crowd to give them more with a quick “I can’t hear you” giving both down the stalls and up in the circle a boot in the bum, echoing "stalls are great", "the circle shite" Danny Bowes reassures us he’s only kidding and the volume goes up again with a quick fight to the finish of bass drums, guitar and bingo, bobs your uncle we drop in to ‘I Love You More Than Rock N' Roll’. Its a low down slung grinder of dirty rhythm and blues, guaranteed to shake your socks off, complete with wee mid song breather before the bump and grind kicks in again, mercilessly throbbing bobbing and weaving to the end. Both Ben Matthews on Guitar and Chris Childs on Bass, really excel in pinning down the groves as we reach the end of the set and really deserve special mention but then then the set is over and Danny Bowes bids us goodnight; its still only 21.55 - or five to ten at night in old money. Meanwhile amiable affable Harry James tosses the weapons of war, those sought after Thunder-sticks he so expertly wields in to the crowd as a trophy for the faithful.

The band return after brief but noisy interlude, the band don’t skimp on encores and this one comprises three, lets skip to the last because it just sums up Thunder in Glasgow.

Its 'Stalls against the Circle' (or Balcony as we Glaswegians use to call it), in the raising the roof, with Danny Bowes contest, as he leading us through 'Dirty Love' in the “Na” - “Na”- “Na” - “Na” - “ I Know You Been Doing Me Wrong” - sing along, we all hit the high notes right to the bitter end and its Glasgow good night for the final time! So by around 22.15, that’s 10.15 pm in old money, the house lights come on and its time to go home, still humming, still sing, still smiling; some still dancing. Thunder they ain’t doing anything or anyone wrong – but they sure do judging by tonight’s show do a lot of things a hell of a lot right, including Danny Bowes handling of the interloper from the crowd who during the encore somehow got onstage, mingled with the band, to get a slightly miffed Mr Danny Bowes telling him in no uncertain way; to get “off” - Danny and the rest of the guys in Thunder are class - very classy indeed!

Stewart Eadie words, video and photos

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