The Heavy North - Arts Club, Liverpool, Sept 24
Entering the Arts Club felt as exciting as Christmas morning when I was a six-year-old! A huge sense of anticipation at all the gifts that awaited us. I make no apology for the Christmas analogies to come in this review– it fits!
The first feeling upon entering the venue, was wow! This place is the perfect wrapping paper! And the familiar faces in all directions were the baubles sparkling on the tree. As I’ve grown older, the best part of Christmas Day, for me, is being with family around the dinner table, tucking into copious amounts of food! The Heavy North would prove to be the finest of Christmas dinners!.
But first, we had a first and second course to get stuck into!
There was a sense of excitement abound, as The Arts Club was starting to fill nicely, which was so fantastic for the moment that Leonie and the Lawless took to the stage. They let rip with their thumping guitars, and as Leonie’s voice echoed around the room, more and more music lovers flooded through the doors. There was a wonderful treat for us all, as they got folks bopping to the classic Blondie track, “Heart Of Glass.” By the time they had finished a brilliant set (a starter well worthy of a second helping), there were grins as wide as the nearby Mersey! But, alas, we weren’t allowed to be too glutinous on the first course, as the second course was soon to take to the stage.
A local band were up next, Casino were to be that second course– a unique sound reminiscent of Motown in full swing, a gorgeous, soulful voice accompanied by some supreme musical craftsmanship. This led to a joyful crowd bouncing with glee. The latest single, “Love Go On,” was a big standout track and even before the set had finished, they’d secured a festival slot for next summer! Simply the most perfect of starters before the main course, which was very soon to arrive!.
You could literally feel the buzz of excitement in that room as the usual post and pre-band chatter arrived, the moment Casino left the stage. In every direction you looked, people were smiling at the reality of their main course that was about to be served.
Boy was it served!
The roar of the crowd as The Heavy North took to the stage was a thing of sheer beauty! As soon as the first chord was struck, the crowd were in rapture– the boys were on fire and treated us all to tracks from their debut ep, Dive Bar Blues and even a little Pink Floyd! But when lead singer Kenny introduced the Electric Soul Machine Orchestra, I’ve never felt such a surge of joy as they took to the stage! If The Heavy North were the main, the Orchestra were definitely all the trimmings!
To add to the already sublime wall of sound that had been pumping from the stage, there were strings, brass, and two additional and utterly fabulous backing singers, too! This is where the atmosphere lifted even higher! If you’d had the pleasure of seeing the lads before this, you knew they were sensational live, but now they were about to blow minds! And as the now extended band went through their stunning debut LP, there were tears of joy abound! Singalongs aplenty, too! If you could have bottled the love for the band at that very moment, you’d have a cure for melancholy on your hands!
From the magical “The Genie,” all the way through to the soul affirming “As Long As You’re Here With Me,” The Heavy North had five hundred humans in gleeful ecstasy. I, for one, would have been delighted to have seconds! But, alas, the set was over, though there was pudding to be had later, at a very busy after show party!
This gig is, most definitely, one that will live long in the memory of those who got to witness it! The perfect Christmas? Quite possibly! Family, friends and fans who had travelled from close nearby and from as far a field as Austria, France, Devon, and Aberdeen had all witnessed something truly special!
Oh, I wish it could be a Heavy North Christmas every day!