LIVE REVIEW: Dr Feelgood, Adelaide 3rd May 2018

Starting out with the evergreen ‘Stupidity’ on the first night of their Australian Tour Dr Feelgood proceed to do what they do best – and by that we mean better than almost anyone – treat a packed house to a set of Blues standards and originals that not only highlight the sounds of the seventies in the legendary Canvey Island, but also look back further to a time when musicians knew their roots and treated them with love and respect.

Flying into Australia only the night before the veterans hit the ground running with a storming opening salvo of the title track to the debut Number 1 ‘live’ album along with a storming rendition of both Bo Diddly’s ‘I Can Tell’ and ‘Who Do You Love’ which sees the bass enter late and the song build to a swell that rises the audience that weren’t already standing to their feet.

Almost incomprehensibly early we get treated to the first big calling card in ‘Milk and Alcohol’ their highest charting single and only UK Top 10, which sees the whole house boogie, before the thrusting rhythms of ‘Baby Jane’ replete with some great harp from singer Robert Kane, who really nails some of original vocalist, the sadly departed Lee Brilleaux’s stage moves.

 

 

And from then on in the set is relentless – the stabbing blues of ‘As Long as the Price is Right’ sees Kane nail Brilleaux’s manic stare and guitarist Steve Walwyn  has more than a little of Wilco Johnson’s shredding and aggressive guitar stance. “It’s nice to play somewhere where you all speak English” Kane quips before launching into ‘All through the city’

“The next three songs songs are all on slide” Kane tells the attentive audience “If you can play slide you can play Elmore James songs” – and we get treated to a sizzling version of “Dust my broom” -some ‘real’ Blues which is played with some real energy, and receives maybe even the biggest cheers of the night so far.

There’s more slide on ‘Rollin and tumblin” which sees Kane take a backseat as Walwyn steps up to the mic to tackle the Hambone Willie Newbern standard, it’s the last cover before a long stretch of originals that take in all the classic albums from ‘Down By the Jetty’ to ‘Private Practice’ and beyond. ‘Back in the night’ kicks it all off with clapping and dancing all around the room as the crowd sing along, and for a while we get just the punters backed by drums for two choruses.

 

 

A long string of originals follows – the bass cranking for the unmistakable riff to ‘Roxette’ – man I love that late harmonica flourish, and before you know it we’re treated to the real slow blues of ‘Shotgun’ which drips in pain, struck through with painted guitar lines and delicately intricate bass – this is why The Blues is so wonderful to behold! By the end of the song Walwyn is shaking that guitar for dear life, wringing out every last note. It’s one of a string of highlights for this reviewer.

That allows us to take a breath as the band is introduced and we step directly into the killer groove of “She does it right’ which is swiftly followed by ‘Going back home’ – all groove and harp, with Kane upon the drum riser to blow and wail. ‘Down at the Doctors’ follows with the whole crowd clapping, this is one helluva party – and this older crowd know how to have a good time.

The set proper ends with a final cover ‘Give me one more shot’ which takes us out with a rock hard groove that’s all blues and boogie and as the band take their bows the crowd respond with thunderous applause.

Walwyn comes out first for the encores and tells the crowd that this is his first ever gig in Australia so he will never forget it for the rest of his life and introduces the John Lee Hooker classic ‘Mad Man Blues’ before Kane comes back on, then drummer Kevin Morris who has been wonderful all night. As the songs builds the final member of the band to retake the stage is the guy who has held this all together with his wonderful bass – Phil Mitchell. There’s incredible applause that threatens to raise the roof of Adelaide’s finest live venue.

The night is rounded out with a rocking ‘See you later Alligator’ – a true Blues groove and timeless standard, before we get a snatch of ‘Tequila’ which segues into ‘Bony Moronie’ and the back again as the crowd chants ‘Tequila’ back to the band. “Thank you for a lovely first night in Australia” Kane tells the audience to ringing applause and the band make their way off stage for a final time.

Don’t even contemplate not catching this tour – it will be one of the best decisions you make all year. Dr Feelgood rightly deserve the legendary status they have attained over the years and no one does it quite like they do. This is Rhythm and Blues the way it should be. The perfect evening in Adelaide. It’s taken 30 years to get these guys back,let’s hope they’re back again soon.