Paul Rodgers

Lowry Theatre, Salford Quays,

Sunday 8 October 2006

This one is easy to write up because I have covered almost identical ground with my review of the Bad Company concert at the Apollo on 23.09.02.

Paul Rodgers is of course arguably rock music’s greatest ever vocalist and is the leading light of both Free and Bad Company, two of the great classic rock groups. It could also be said that he single handedly invented AOR, a fact for which all lovers of "Rock Chick" type stuff should be eternally grateful. To digress slightly, it is of course Adult Oriented Rock, not American Oriented Rock, as Mr Rodgers is of course 100% English!

Tonight's concert served to give ample coverage to his career in both groups as well as providing ample testimony to his influence in the development of AOR. With "Closer", there was a nod to his spell in The Firm (with Jimmy Page), although "Radioactive" would have been a better choice.  For good measure there was some sundry new and solo stuff, such as "War Boys", which was a nice topical protest against the current foolish escapade in Iraq.  The paying punters well and truly got value for money and were treated to the material that they had hoped for - something that Robert Plant had ignored to his shame, when I saw him. It was thus a more wide ranging concert than the Apollo, and in some respects, more satisfying because of it. Virtually every favourite track was played, and to a high standard. It should be said that Howard Leese was one of the guitarists, and he contributed some excellent work - he is the guitarist from Heart of course - now it really would have been something if Mr Rodgers had attempted a cover of "Alone"! Paul Rodger's hallmark track is "Alright Now", and whilst I think it is one of the most over played and hackneyed tracks of all time, I doubt if he would have got out of the theatre alive if he had not played it ...something that Mr Santana should remember after his criminal omission of "Black Magic Woman" recently. Any doubts were put to rest though with my personal favourite "Feel Like Making Love".....now, if only...

The drawbacks to this concert relate primarily to the venue. The Lowry Theatre is undoubtedly an excellent venue for high brow culture, but I'm not at all certain that it was ever thought that rock music would be performed there. It was very comfortable, but was more like sitting in a library than being at a rock concert. Being so high up in "the gods" seemed to make the proceedings too remote, but above all, the sound was just too quiet. At the afore mentioned Apollo concert, Bad Company's sound was crystal clear and heart thumpingly loud. Here, it just wasn't, and heresy of heresies, it could be argued that Mr Rodgers's diction was not quite upto scratch.

And, to top it all – despite other plus points, such as the ease of parking, it just doesn't feel right to be going to a concert that is virtually in the office....

10.10.06