It’s been 6 years since we got to last see Kenny Wayne Shepherd and his band play in Australia. The setting was the historic Forum in Melbourne and it was the place to be on Saturday night, as the guys flew into town to play the last show of a whirlwind three-date Australian tour, to celebrate the fantastic “Lay It On Down” album. The band had played shows in Sydney & Brisbane the previous two nights in a row but showed no sign of the fatigue that must have been tucked away in there somewhere. An almost full house got to witness this amazing guitarist at the peak of his game, as we were treated to a zig-zagging journey back and forth through all his back catalogue.
The night kicked off with the punchy Somewhere, Somehow, Someway followed by True Lies, both from Kenny Wayne’s 1997 “Trouble is…” album, as he showed from the off that we were in for something special. Stevie Ray Vaughan’s House is Rockin’ was the next treasure from the KWS vault before one of my favorites of the night, the bluesy Heat of the Sun from 2011’s “How I Go”, in which we get to hear some incredible guitar work to complement longtime sidekick & vocalist Noah Hunt.
When you have such a strong collection of songs in your repertoire it’s going to always be difficult to please everyone so we only got to hear 3 tracks from last year’s release “Lay It On Down”, starting with Diamonds & Gold. KWS then took us right back to where it all started with two songs from his debut ‘Ledbetter Heights” album in the shape of Deja Voodoo & Shame, Shame, Shame. Fast forward back again to 2017’s Lay It… and Nothing But The Night & the up-tempo Down for Love had everyone moving in their seats once more, before bring us all back down with some exceptional blues guitar with BB King’s You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now, where were treated to some outstanding keyboard work from Joe Krown. A mention must go to the rest of the band stood behind KWS, with former SRV & Double Trouble drummer Chris Layton and bassist Scott Nelson effortlessly accompanying & complimenting throughout the night. Muddy Water’s I’m a King Bee ended the set before the band returned for the encores, with Blue on Black followed by the song Kenny Wayne admitted to me earlier in the year he wished he’d written, Jimi Hendrix’s Voodoo Child.
The Forum was left on their feet as the Kenny Wayne Shepherd band left to a standing ovation from the spellbound audience. Let’s hope they don’t leave it another 6 years before returning. Epic!
SETLIST: Somehow, Somewhere, Someway | True Lies | House is Rockin’ | Heat of the Sun | Diamonds & Gold| Deja Voodoo | Shame, Shame, Shame | Nothing But The Night | Down For Love| You Done Lost Your Good Thing | Now Shotgun Blues | I’m a King Bee| Blue On Black | Voodoo Child
