Robin Trower – Shepherds Bush Empire, London – 11th April 2015

Robin Trower

First tonight was Joanne Shaw Taylor, a performer who has headlined this venue herself just a few months ago, but tonight is supporting the legendary Robin Trower.  As a result she has a shorter set than usual and so the set contains less from her new album than normal and is instead more of a greatest hits type of set.  As always she puts in an excellent performance – she’s a fantastic blues guitarist and her great set is over far too soon.

Setlist:

Mud Honey
Just Another Word
Watch ’em Burn
Jealousy
Jump That Train
Tried, Tested & True
Tied & Bound

Next up was Robin Trower and his band.  Robin Trower is a guitarist who came to fame with Procul Harum in the 1960s and has released a steady stream of albums under his own name over the last forty or so years.  Tonight the venue is full of fans (if its not sold out it can’t be far off), and as soon as he takes to the stage he gets a great reception.

It’s a three-piece band – while Robin Trower plays guitar, he’s backed by a drummer and a bassist/singer.  From the start of the set it’s a great performance.  Robin Trower is a fantastic guitar player and we get plenty of extended guitar solos throughout the set.  For “Something’s about to change” Robin Trower takes over the vocal duties, but the rest of the time he just plays the guitar.

The crowd tonight clearly loved the show – almost every song resulted in part of the crowd giving the band a standing ovation, and as the band played there was almost no talking in the crowd – people had their attention fixed firmly on watching and listening to the music.  The only bit that surprised me was that he only played one song from the new album (the title track, “Something’s about to change”), as I’d expected far more from the album to be played on this tour.  Irrespective, it was a great set and the crowd left happy.

This really was a fantastic show – Joanne Shaw Taylor put in a great performance to start the night then Robin Trower took things up a notch and went down a storm with the crowd.  Two guitarists who I’d definitely recommend that you go and see play live if you get the chance.

Setlist:

Somebody Calling
Rise Up Like the Sun
See My Life
Daydream
Lady Love
Something’s About to Change
Day of the Eagle
Bridge of Sighs
Confessin’ Midnight
The Turning
Not Inside – Outside
Little Bit of Sympathy

Encore:
Too Rolling Stoned
For Earth Below

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About Ant May

I spend half my life at gigs or festivals and the other half writing the reviews and editing photos, and somehow find time for a full time job too. Who needs sleep - I've got coffee.