Nazareth - Liverpool 2012

Nazareth – Liverpool 02 Acedemy, 16th March 2012

The Bowden Williamson Band are a four piece blues combo who get the night off to a highly entertaining start.  With Mike Bowden and former Animals man Johnny “Guitar” Williamson sharing the vocals there may not be anything hugely original in their style, but with musicianship of the highest order in particular some great blues solos from Johnny it’s impossible not to appreciate what they do.  When original material includes titles such as “Jesus walks on Water, But I Crawl on the Wine” you know there’s something interesting going on.  If you like uncomplicated, undemanding, quality Blues, then you can’t fail to enjoy these guys.

Even after forty odd years on the road Nazareth must still be one of the hardest working bands around.  After the current UK tour ends April and May see them heading off to first Eastern Europe, then joining up with Uriah Heep to cover the Western side of the continent.  A few European Festivals in the summer, before taking in Canada in July and even a tour to Brazil in the diary before the end of the year.  All this in support of their latest album Big Dogz released last year.

Silver Dollar Forger opens the set, the riff getting the crowd nodding before Dan enters the stage to milk the applause and get the night off to a rocking start. Title track Big Dogz is next up followed by a few oldies – This month’s Messiah, Sunshine, Turn on Your Receiver and See Me, and a few more newies with Radio and Jesus Comes to Save The world Again.

Dan McAfferty remains the main man, his distinctive gravelly rasp being the quintessential Nazareth sound whilst still maintaining a tremendous range for the high notes.   Father and son rhythm section of Pete and Lee Agnew hold everything together leaving Jimmy Murrison to strut and swagger in true rock star style.

The hits are all in there too, White Bicycle, Bad Bad Boy, This Fight Tonight, Hair of the Dog, Whiskey Drinking Woman bring the main set to a close before  a classic trio of encores in Razamanaz, Love Hurts and Broken Down Angel close the night.

Nazareth still draw the audience in too, upgraded to the larger stage after a packed show in the Academy’s smaller room for last year’s visit, the audience’s smiles on the way out match the grin on Dan’s face throughout the gig.  Another great night all round.