Magnum were never my band. I got into metal in 1989 but 1990 was when I got serious about it, buying records which I'd seen on the TV show The Power Hour and religiously buying Kerrang! magazine. I'd probably missed Magnum's peak by this point and they seemed a bit safe compared to the hot new bands I was discovering such as Skid Row, Faith No More and Love/Hate. It probably didn't help that the album which they released at this time was the disappointing 'Goodnight L.A.' which saw them chasing more commercial success. It was much later when I actually gave them a proper listen and realised that albums such as 'On A Storyteller's Night' and 'Vigilante' were really good. Better late than never, eh?
Tonight is part of a short run of shows playing tribute to the band's guitarist, Tony Clarkin, who sadly passed away last year and it promises to be emotional.
Magnum fans are a different breed. A bunch of diehards who have have never deserted the band, even through the lean times, and they have seen the band many, many times. Before the band come onstage, I hear mutterings all around me; 'playing Magnum before they come onstage is sacrilege', 'I don't think I'll be able to look at the guitarist' and 'the thought of the gig today made me feel sick'. This is a band with a deep connection to their fans and vice versa.
Magnum open with 'How Far Jerusalem', a firm fan favourite but a fairly progressive opener. The more symphonic 'Lost On The Road To Eternity' follows. 'Wild Swan' is a good mix of classic rock, melodic rock and AOR. Bob Catley's vocals are decent and bassist Dennis Ward's backing vocals are great, adding to melodic choruses such as 'When We Were Younger'. The band are tight but it doesn't quite seem to ignite at this point. It just isn't connecting with me. I'm clearly in the minority though as the crowd are loving it. 'Tall Ships' adds a country edge to their polished AOR. 'The Flood's more measured pace and incisive guitars really make it stand out, and this proves to be the turning point for me. 'Les Morts Dansant' is quite moving, and the band seem to have moved up a couple of gears. The dark (well, as dark as they get anyway) and progressive 'Don't Wake The Lion' closes the first set in an excellent fashion. This is a song which confounds the old fashioned image I had of the band as this must have been fairly cutting edge in the eighties, and you can't tell me that it isn't comparable to early '90s Queensryche who were seen as fairly cool in metal terms (at least until grunge).
The second set is packed with the 'hits'. The classic pomp of 'Like An Arrow' is fantastic. The poignant and still prescient 'Need A Lot Of Love' is great. 'On A Storyteller's Night' is utterly triumphant. The progressive AOR of 'All England's Eyes' is played with a thrilling urgency. 'Vigilante's chorus is still pure gold and the crowd sing along heartily. The more classic metal rooted 'Kingdom Of Madness' closes the second set in an energetic fashion. The crowd are pretty rowdy before the encore. They LOVE this band and people seem to have travelled from far and wide for this show (I did see a Swiss flag flying at some point). It is only right to point out longtime guitar tech Brendon Riley's contribution as he does a great job filling in for Tony. A heartbreaking yet hopeful 'When The World Comes Down' proves a fitting tribute to a great talent.
Magnum ****
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