Ever since Chris Dreja and Jim McCarty reformed The Yardbirds back in 1995, I have been meaning to check them out having heard excellent reports. Some nine years later, and with the prospect of my being led away gently to a home for the terminally bewildered one of these days, Friday 13 February seemed as good a day as any to mosey on down to the Boom Boom Club. Superstitious? No, not me!
The greeting that the band received as they took to the stage at 9.30pm was as warm as you would imagine from over three hundred eagerly expectant fans and, as they launched into the blues/rock “I’m Not Talking” from their 2002 album Birdland, out on Favored Nations records, it was clear that this might be an exceptional night.
The next hour and a half was filled with songs old and new, With Dreja and McCarty laying down the foundation, along with the highly talented Jon Iden, (bass and vocals) who bears more than a passing resemblance to Mr Beck himself, Gypie Mayo, (lead guitar) and Billy-Boy, (harp and vocals) we were treated to a large slice of the Yardbirds catalogue. Versions of favourites such as Over, Under, Sideways, Down, the wonderful Shapes Of Things To Come, Heartful Of Soul (when it seemed that backing vocals were shared by half those present in the audience….and in tune!!) the pivotal, For Your Love, the band’s third single which has to rank up there with the great pop songs of the 60s, all given a contemporary sonic update whilst remaining true to the originals. These merged seamlessly with newer material such as the exquisite Crying Out For Love, Gypie Mayo demonstrating what a fine guitarist he is with an abundance of feel and touch as he also showed on Dream Within A Dream, My Blind Life, with Jon Iden delivering almost a delta-blues vocal, and Mystery Of Being, a Jim McCarty penned song with its psychedelic overtones.
A woman in front of me, who I later learned was called Cathy, danced non-stop throughout the entire seventeen song set. She wasn’t alone….the train certainly keeps a-rollin’ and on into Europe for some Spring-time gigs but they will be back. Catch ‘em if you can!!
Ian Brown