Bad Company - City Hall Sheffield 4th April 2010
Setlist: Can't Get Enough (Of Your Love) / Rock Steady / Run With The Pack / Burnin' Sky / Honey Child / Young Blood / Seagull / Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy / Electricland / Simple Man / Feel Like Makin' Love / Shooting Star / Movin' On // Ready For Love / Bad Company / Deal With The Preacher
For reasons which I will not go into here, this could turn out to be the last gig I will be able to attend for some time. I bought the tickets months ago but, things working out the way they have a tendency to in my life, whether I would be able to go remained in the air until a few days ago. This year has been at best, trying, at worst, a nightmare. But, I figured, Sod it! if it’s my last gig, I might as well go to a good one and see a band I’ve never seen before.
For reasons which I will not go into here, this could turn out to be the last gig I will be able to attend for some time. I bought the tickets months ago but, things working out the way they have a tendency to in my life, whether I would be able to go remained in the air until a few days ago. This year has been at best, trying, at worst, a nightmare. But, I figured, Sod it! if it’s my last gig, I might as well go to a good one and see a band I’ve never seen before.
So, we headed over the hills to Sheffield and to the gorgeous City Hall. Following a fantastic set from the wonderful Joe Perry, we awaited Bad Co. My friend had seen Bad Co before, some thirty years ago, but I never had. Nor had I seen Paul Rodgers before. Mick Ralphs, I had seen with Ian Hunter and Mott the Hoople. This would either be exactly what I was expecting, or a huge disappointment!
Bad Co was birthed from parental units Free, King Crimson, and Mott the Hoople. Paul Rodgers, Simon Kirke, Boz Burrell, and Mick Ralphs, joined forces and delivered a mind-blowing first album in 1974 (probably scared to death that if they didn’t, their legendary manager, Peter Grant, would beat the shit out of them). They rapidly followed that blazing debut with the equally dazzling Sharp Shooter, Run With The Pack, Burnin’ Sky, Desolation Angels, and Rough Diamonds. Although Bad Co continued in various guises through the subsequent three decades, this was, unarguably, the band’s classic era, and the entirety of the set comes from the period 1973 – 1982. Whilst you may not think this was a great time for hard rock, given that punk had invaded our shores in the mid ‘70s, Bad Co was in a league of it’s own.
Bad Co was birthed from parental units Free, King Crimson, and Mott the Hoople. Paul Rodgers, Simon Kirke, Boz Burrell, and Mick Ralphs, joined forces and delivered a mind-blowing first album in 1974 (probably scared to death that if they didn’t, their legendary manager, Peter Grant, would beat the shit out of them). They rapidly followed that blazing debut with the equally dazzling Sharp Shooter, Run With The Pack, Burnin’ Sky, Desolation Angels, and Rough Diamonds. Although Bad Co continued in various guises through the subsequent three decades, this was, unarguably, the band’s classic era, and the entirety of the set comes from the period 1973 – 1982. Whilst you may not think this was a great time for hard rock, given that punk had invaded our shores in the mid ‘70s, Bad Co was in a league of it’s own.
Paul Rodgers has, I think I can say without fear of contradiction, the sweetest set of pipes to emerge from the blues/rock explosion of the late ‘60s. (Sean Harris, of Diamond Head, is the only one who comes anywhere close, and David Coverversion just wishes he sounded that good. No, Dave-o, not even in your own shower will you ever be Paul Rodgers!). Not only does Mr Rodgers sing real good, he has versatility and power too, as we have seen with his stint in Queen. Then there are his solo recordings such as the outstanding Muddy Water Blues, bands The Firm, and The Law, and many other guest appearances over the years. And he plays piano… And guitar… And he writes the songs… The bloke has it all. Sickeningly, at the age of 60, he looks amazing and could easily pass for my age. Hell, I wish I looked that good now!
Mick Ralphs is a little bit of an enigma to me. I wouldn’t put him on a list of my top guitarists and he is not what I would consider a guitar hero. Still, he is present on a surprising number of my all time favourite songs, and I have paid to see him (amongst others) in reunion concerts twice in the last six months. That’s gotta tell you something.
Simon Kirke plays the smallest drum kit in the world. He looks like quite a big bloke, but his is the minimalistest drum kit I’ve ever seen; it looks like a toy. Nevertheless, he hits it very hard and makes an awful lot of noise there at the back. He smiles a little more than is right for a person though.
The live band is rounded out with Lynn Sorenson on Bass and former Heart guitarist Howard Leese, is exceptionally tight and can’t be faulted at all.
Mick Ralphs is a little bit of an enigma to me. I wouldn’t put him on a list of my top guitarists and he is not what I would consider a guitar hero. Still, he is present on a surprising number of my all time favourite songs, and I have paid to see him (amongst others) in reunion concerts twice in the last six months. That’s gotta tell you something.
Simon Kirke plays the smallest drum kit in the world. He looks like quite a big bloke, but his is the minimalistest drum kit I’ve ever seen; it looks like a toy. Nevertheless, he hits it very hard and makes an awful lot of noise there at the back. He smiles a little more than is right for a person though.
The live band is rounded out with Lynn Sorenson on Bass and former Heart guitarist Howard Leese, is exceptionally tight and can’t be faulted at all.
So, I guess I should talk about the show. The setlist contains pretty much everything of note that Bad Co recorded between 1973 and 1982. Nevertheless, since the gig, I’ve come across a number of questions floating around on that addictive oracle we call the InterWeb...
Well, they didn’t leave anything out. If you weren’t happy with that set, you would have something to moan about whatever the set, so the point is moot.
Could they have played longer? At, just, an hour and thirty minutes, it did feel a little brief, I admit. If they had played another half an hour, what would they have played? They’d already played everything you wanted to hear. Which brings us, very neatly to our last question: Should they have played some Free songs? Well, they could have, yes. Both Kirke and Rodgers were in Free. But, then you have to ask, well, should they have played some Mott the Hoople songs, and some King Crimson? They could have. They could have played some of Paul Rodgers solo stuff. They could have played anything. This was a Bad Company gig. Stop whining and over-thinking it! You went to see Bad Co, you got Bad Co. Be happy with what you have to be happy with, people.
- Did they leave anything out?
- Could the show have been longer?
- Should they have played some Free songs?
Well, they didn’t leave anything out. If you weren’t happy with that set, you would have something to moan about whatever the set, so the point is moot.
Could they have played longer? At, just, an hour and thirty minutes, it did feel a little brief, I admit. If they had played another half an hour, what would they have played? They’d already played everything you wanted to hear. Which brings us, very neatly to our last question: Should they have played some Free songs? Well, they could have, yes. Both Kirke and Rodgers were in Free. But, then you have to ask, well, should they have played some Mott the Hoople songs, and some King Crimson? They could have. They could have played some of Paul Rodgers solo stuff. They could have played anything. This was a Bad Company gig. Stop whining and over-thinking it! You went to see Bad Co, you got Bad Co. Be happy with what you have to be happy with, people.
The show was faultless. Rodgers voice sounds as good as ever and they played the songs well. Not, necessarily, exactly as they did back then, (as with the Mott the Hoople reunion shows) but very nice arrangements, nevertheless, beautifully played. All in all, a very enjoyable evening of old time Rock ‘n’ Roll with a modern-day twist.
I really enjoyed myself. I don’t think the woman next to me was too impressed with my loud singing, but what the hey?! I had a great evening, in a lovely old building, with good company, watching two bands I was eager to see, that I had never seen before live.
This was just the latest in a string of really awesome gigs, that I feel fortunate to have been present at. Who knows when the next one will be though, given my current situation. Still, it’s been a good run.
Rock Steady…
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
5th April 2010
I really enjoyed myself. I don’t think the woman next to me was too impressed with my loud singing, but what the hey?! I had a great evening, in a lovely old building, with good company, watching two bands I was eager to see, that I had never seen before live.
This was just the latest in a string of really awesome gigs, that I feel fortunate to have been present at. Who knows when the next one will be though, given my current situation. Still, it’s been a good run.
Rock Steady…
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
5th April 2010