Topic: Walter Trout - UK tour has begun
Well last night I had the pleasure of watching Walter Trout, one of Britain's best new blues guitarists and meeting one (or two) forum members!
This was the second time I had seen Walter, but the first time in my home city. The venue was The Picture House which has just opened in the city and this was just the third gig there! (actually it was a venue in the 1970s and 1980, both Queen and AC/DC has played there in a previous life).
After entering with my friend, we met up with forum member trdb (Tom) just on and got near to the front to see a performance from the Oli Brown Band. Oli is such a confident performer and in the four months since I last saw him I could see he and his band have grown tighter as a unit. It is clear the band have been practicising heavily and a lot of work has been done on developing the vocal harmonies between Oli, Fred and Simon. This was particularly shown on the song Complicated. Other songs from Oli's Open Road album he played included Psycho and New Groove. Despite having released his debut album in June, Oli had three new songs in his set, including an excellent solo blues called Stone Cold, and a blues'd up version of gangster song No Dignity. The audience were very appreciative of Oli and he was surrounded by new fans who were keen to buy his album after his performance. We may have lost Back Door Slam to the USA , but the Oli Brown Band have now reaches that level of performance! Later I was told Walter has invited Oli to play on his forthcoming European tour, which is a fantastic opportunity for the band, and a great gesture by Walter who is keen to promote artists of a similar genre.
Water and has band came onto the stage to large applause and started a very heavy version of Not Fade Away. Being the first date of the tour Water seem energised and was constantly moving around the stage playing the fantastic beefy riffs he is known for. He even cheekily played the tune of Loch Lomond during the solo of the opening song, acknowledging his return to Scotland. Following a slow blues number that I did not recognise he then launches into Gimme Back My Wig, which also allows keyboardist Sammy to play an extended solo. He played several songs of his new album including Welcome To The Human Race, Alfred Bluesrock and Gone Too Long, but no songs from Full Circle. The only thing I cannot understand is the need for the roadie guy to come out to play three chord acoustics during A Matter of the Heart and All My Life. Sammy was allowed to sing his own song No Good Woman, which Walter dedicated to Sarah Palin (a popular choice with the crowd). Water finished off the set with Tribute to Muddy Waters/Serves Me Right To Suffer. He returned even louder for an encore of The Outsider and Going Down, and leaving the stage he advised he was going to eat haggis!
I missed speaking to Walter after the show, as I returned my female companion to her car, but then met someone on the bus who confirmed he had been out to sign albums after the show. Walter is a legend and on fine form, so I’d urge you to go and catch him on tour, and make sure you arrive early enough to see Oli Brown too! 
http://www.edinburgh-blues.uk
