PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
With an ambient lit stage, Leeds Stylus hosts a sold out show for Myles Kennedy in its 1000 capacity venue. The crowd are packed in and are eager for some entertainment, and whilst the fans endure the heat of the place some chants emerge from the back audience in reference to the world cup ‘it’s coming home’, obviously they are still celebrating England’s semi quarter final win on Sunday but more on that later.
Dorian Sorriaux is the main support for Myles Kennedy throughout his European tour, and some of you may recognise his name, as the guitarist in his own band Blue Pills; who have opened for Myles’ band Alter Bridge in the past.
Classically trained guitarist Dorian introduces himself and thanks Myles for the opportunity to be support. If you are up on your classical guitarist knowledge you’ll be aware that they grow and shape their nails especially curved in a perfect arch to create a long ramp, the idea is to have the string travel up the ramp and get pushed into the guitar. I noticed Dorian’s devil like talons as he played through a range of folk inspired acoustic songs, from his new EP. The themes included politics, love, and some he didn’t quite know what they were about yet, as they were developing. Simplicity is the best way to describe his style of music. With his guitar in hand, and beads of sweat dripping off the guitar head to the floor, Dorian entertained a very hot and sweaty mob. A highlight being his latest single ‘Hungry Ghost’, a dramatic dark number, harmonised by Dorian’s haunting vocals. Humbled by a great response to his performance, he bid the fans well and to enjoy Myles’ show.
As the crowd waited for Myles to take the stage, candles and a backdrop with the words Myles Kennedy, year of the tiger 1974 in a repeated circle centred on an image of a Tiger set the scene. Year of the Tiger is the name of Myles first official solo album, of which the tour also takes its name; and was inspired by the year in which Myles lost his biological father at a young age. Myles Kennedy is a name in his own right but he is particularly known for his band Alter Bridge along with his collaborations with Slash (Guns n Roses) and Slash ft Myles & the Conspirators, with whom he is set to release a new album later in the year
Ecstatic applause, shouts and screams roar from the fans as the eagerly awaited Myles takes the stage, welcoming the crowd he opened with Devil on the wall from his solo album. Playing songs from the last twenty years of his career, the set list was impressive and included songs from his early band The Mayfield Four, to the amazing Starlight a song he co-wrote and performed with Slash. A nice surprise was his version of Iron Maiden’s The Trooper.
Myles is a grand story teller and related tales of his youth from picking up a guitar, to his moody teens, forming a band and writing painful needy lyrics. Using a foot machine drum pedal, he became his own one man band. And the bass drum effect was especially useful when the chants started again from the back of the audience. Not one to miss a beat Myles joined in with his foot pedal and struck up a tempo to which the crowd responded and chanted ”it’s coming home” some more. Enjoying the impromptu sing along Myles encouraged his fans to not be bored by some idiot playing for the next 90 minutes but to get involved and have a great fun time, which they did.
Myles has an immense alluring personality and it was rather epic to be part of his captivated audience, getting to see him up close and personal as he discussed his life through his stories and music.
Set list :
Devil on the Wall
Standing in the Sun (Slash feat. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators cover)
Mars Hotel (The Mayfield Four cover)
Addicted to Pain (Alter Bridge song)
Starlight (Slash cover)
Blind Faith
Life Must Go On (Alter Bridge song)
The Trooper (Iron Maiden cover)
White Flag (The Mayfield Four cover)
Haunted by Design
All Ends Well (Alter Bridge song)
Songbird
Watch Over You (Alter Bridge song)
Travelling Riverside Blues (Robert Johnson cover)
World on Fire (Slash feat. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators cover)
Encore:
Love Can Only Heal
Year of the Tiger
