At the age of 74, most people would be winding down, investing in a new pipe and slippers and retiring, but that’s most people, and at 74 Glenn Hughes is only going from strength to strength. From a string of summer dates with his super group Black Country Communion he dived straight into a 27 date solo tour in support of his latest album Chosen. Tonight in Glasgow is the last of the run before he heads off to South America for another run of shows, living proof that age is only a number.
This time around he’s brought with him guitar virtuoso Sophie Lloyd, and after her “Top Gun” intro, she’s on the ball from the get go. She certainly proves that she’s not just a pretty face as she delivers a powerful set of her own material, mostly from her full debut album, Imposter Syndrome, and also covers such as “Thunderstruck” and “Enter Sandman”, all with her own twist on things.
Her band firmly shed the spotlight on the females in the band, with Sophie herself, bassist Iman Ahmed, and very powerful vocalist Marisa Rodriguez all front and centre.
Lloyd’s guitar work is impressive, with the highlights of the set being “Imposter Syndrome” and the tremendously toe tapping “Let it Hurt”.
She’s certainly flying the flag for female guitar players out there and it will be interesting to see how she progresses on the next phase of her career, be it as a solo artist or a gun for hire.
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Due to the Garage turning into a nightclub after the gig, there is a very short turn around before Glenn Hughes, long time guitarist Søren Andersen and drummer Ash Sheehan make a very low key entrance to the stage before launching into “Soul Mover”.
Being ‘The Voice of Rock’ means that you have worked with some of the most important and influential people in the industry and the next 90 minutes is a testament to that legacy. Tracks from Hughes’ work with a myriad of bands and contributors such as Trapeze, Pat Thrall, Deep Purple, Tony Iommi and Black Country Communion, not forgetting his own extensive solo catalogue, means that we get an exceptional evening’s entertainment.
Once the initial vocal issues have been ironed out (Hughes’ voice being lost a bit in the mix) the sound is as good as always in the Garage and the crowd are right up for the occasion, celebrating every song with rapturous applause.
Hughes also intros most of the songs with a bit of history behind each track, which is nice for all the younger members of the audience who may not have been around when they were written and first performed.
Hughes’ vocal range is still incredible, in fact still as good as it was over 50 years ago, which is a testament to his ability and his ability to bounce back from the issues that have occasionally plagued him over the years, something that the likes of Vince Neil and Axl Rose have failed to master.
There’s bits of funk, soul, rock and heaviness in the set but Hughes’ voice handles everything without breaking sweat. If you throw in the fact that he’s one hell of a bass player, it’s an exceptional all-round performance.
Long-term collaborator & guitarist Andersen is on fire, but spent most of the show lurking in the background and only venturing to the front of the stage occasionally, especially to deliver a killer solo.
It’s very difficult to pick out a highlight as the show was one big highlight, but “Medusa”, “Dopamine”, “Coast to Coast” and show closer “Burn” were exceptional.
As well as being an exceptional artist, Glenn Hughes is also an all-round nice bloke, the times I have met him, he’s always been very humble, and this comes across in his communication with the crowd. You can tell that he actually cares about his audience, not just the fake ‘I love you Glasgow’, there is a connection.
As the final track, the Purple classic “Burn” ends, there are tremendous applause and the crowd filters home, well fed and watered on over 50 years of music that has stood the test of time, something that is a rare feat these days, and long may the Glenn Hughes machine continue!
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Photos by Gavin Lowrey
