Nine Below Zero
The Unofficial Site
Review of Nine Below
Zero at the Worcester Park Club
Sunday 30th January
2000.
This was my first visit to the Worcester Park Club, but my second Nine Below Zero gig of the year. My first was their joint 'unplugged' / 'plugged' three set gig at the Jazz Café earlier in the month. Tonight was a full blown 'plugged' set with Dennis Greaves sporting three electric guitars (the Gibson which he used to record Live At the Marquee and two vintage Fender Stratocasters.) the band made their way through the crowd to take the stage and after a short introduction from the management went straight into three numbers off their long awaited and newly released album 'Refrigerator' - 'Money or the Man' - a stunning, rocking R&B original with a razor sharp drumming executed to perfection by Brendan O'Neill.
This was quickly followed by 'Rock the House', which did just that. It's also a number from the new album that the band have been playing for a year or so. Next up was 'Bad Behaviour', which is another new NBZ original with a punchy, hard hitting beat with similarly hard hitting lyrics. This was followed by another new number 'Cinnamon Man' - a swirling deep bass & drum rhythm from Gerry McAvoy and Brendan O'Neill with Dennis' guitar and distorted vocals virtually overpowering Billy Boy on harp.
The crowd continued rockin' to the more familiar Soft Touch, which was swiftly followed by the band's own interpretation of the eponymous 'Nine Below Zero'. Being pretty short on lyrics, Dennis really took charge with two emotion soaked guitar solos which sandwiched a superb harp solo by Billy Boy Miskimmin. The band then revisited earlier albums with 'Don't Point Your Finger' and a crowd involving 'Rockin' Robin'. Then it was back, bang up to date with 'Wild Kicking Horse' - another off the new album and again, one which the band has played for a year or so. There followed a deeply emotional and heartfelt version of Little Walter's 'Last Night' with Dennis again showing his electrifying mastery of the guitar and Billy Boy doing likewise on the harp. For the rest of the evening the band revisited 'Live At The Marquee' storming through virtually every number off the album - leaving little or no time for the crowd to acknowledge one number before starting another. A fitting tribute to the original guitar brought out of retirement through the misfortune of Dennis' usual guitar being seriously damaged.
There was the band's frantic, almost punk like rendition of 'Tore Down', 'Straighten Her Out', 'Homework' 'Ridin' On The L&N' and then the real blues - 'I Can't Quit You Baby' with Dennis and Billy Boy digging very deep for their respective solos which were both rewarded by enthusiastic appreciation from the crowd. Then, after 'Stop Your Naggin' it's time for a bit more crowd participation with 'Hootchie Cootchie Coo' and 'Wooly Bully' finally finishing off the set with the energetic 'Pack Fair & Square'. The band went off for a very short breather before returning to play a three number encore - the instrumental 'Swing Job', another crowd participation number, 'Mojo Working' with Dennis scaling the vocal heights of Marvin Gaye in his efforts to lead the communal singing and last, but not least, the energetic, punchy and punk like 'Three Time Enough'. The band had, as usual, had a terrific time on stage with Dennis & Gerry's interplay particularly in evidence.
Dennis complained that since returning to the UK after a gig in Greece that their guitars would not hold their tuning - maybe not, but it didn't detract one drachma from the blistering performance on stage. Both the band and the crowd left the venue in a state of euphoric exhaustion - this was truly a gig to live up to Nine Below Zero's slogan - R&B for the 21st Century !
Navigate This Site