Kiefer Sutherland brings his Love Will Bring You Home Tour to Manchester. Supported by Colin Andrews, we are treated to a weekend feel on a Monday night.

CHIRPY, ACCOMPLISHED AND ENTERTAINING

The chirpy dry humoured young Irishman Colin Andrews took the stage brandishing a confidence beyond his years to give an competent and entertaining set.

His songs more often than not, find ‘love’ at the heart of them. He dedicated Think I’m Falling For You and Corfu to his partner who was in the audience and he joked that she had her own spotlight…..which came from her own mobile! It was his humour which the audience warmed to as much as his catchy tunes. He accompanied himself on acoustic guitar with such rhythm that the audience were at ease clapping along. However he showed his vocal range in Jurassic when along with some minimal use of the guitar singing almost acapella style. A former Oasis tribute band member and being in the city, he predictably covered Oasis with Champagne Supernova, finishing with a livelier tune, despite the wide request for more, in which he declared that he was Still Waiting. I don’t think we will be waiting long to hear more of Colin.

MIXED TEMPO

The stage backdrop revealed the tree laden graphic which adorns the forthcoming splendid new album Grey. There may have been a subtly lit reading lamp setting a cosy ambience but the lively set was far from sedate. Crashing chords opened Down The Road wasting no time to indulge a rocky atmosphere. Only Happy When It Rains, his first cover of the night, maintained the vibe as did his first visit to the new album with Goodbye California expressing his need after 35 years to find a simpler agricultural life.

The band included three guitarists,including Kiefer himself, and all were made full use of in these uplifting opening numbers. His best piece of advice of the night came in Do Something You Love before he declared his favourite song he’s ever written Come Back Down, a slower tempo tune featuring the pedal steelguitar. His spectacular guitar duo made multiple guitar changes including a stunning Flying V and they were equally adept on all of them. Marshall Tucker’s Can’t You See was given a splendid airing meshing perfectly with his own material.

Things must have been hotting up as Keifer even discarded his cowboy hat. There was a sprinkling of hats, boots and rhinestones amongst the audience, who may have been enjoying the dancing country/Americana mood but for some numbers they would have had to be pretty nimble on their feet.

FLAWLESS

In all this was a flawless performance from all the band despite Kiefer starting Chasing The Rain in the wrong key. But the power chords introducing it restored everybody’s faith. Most of his songs are extremely personal to him and his love of the songwriting process is crystal clear but he is not afraid to support the forlorn task of the small independent farmer toiling to make a living. This he does in American Farmer, which with its twanging twin guitar work helped raise the issue.

Another single from the album Simpler Times followed which bemoaned the times when we could exist without computers and mobile phones. A country feel was added to a tribute to Ozzie Osbourne with more pedal steel guitar threaded through See You On The Other Side followed by another poignant Love Will Bring You Home. The whole evenings clearly well thought out, with an amazing balance of rock and ballad ensuring there was never a dull moment.

The tempo was ramped up again for Two Stepping In Time. There must have been some sore hands after the concert as again they were intent on some audience participation throughout the night. There’s something about whisky which seems synonymous with country songs and his whisky song This Is How It’s Done shuffled along at a rocky pace.

HEAVY GUNS LOADED

Anyone who thought Kiefer Sutherland and his band are purely a country/Americana band got a rude awakening when the heavy guns were loaded with the frenetic guitars, wild percussion , chomping bass runs and raucous vocals for Down In A Hole with the hoarse “down at the end of the road” Bluesy refrain.. Plenty of head nodding from Kiefer too set the tone for the end of the evening as the rollicking Friday Night and the Latin moves of Agave gave the Monday Night performance a Friday feel.

Kiefer clearly is enthralled by his visits to Manchester and there was still time for one final cover a sensitive tribute to Phil Collins with In the Air Tonight and completing the much appreciated encore with Starlight. He is truly a star entertainer, his short quips between songs leaving tons of room for a real feelgood set of songs. Many in the audience will be chomping at the bit to get their copy of Grey to be released at the end of May with a local instore appearance at Bury’s Wax & Beans record store just announced too.

All live photography by Anya Williams who can be found on instagram at #anyscamerarolls

Keifer Sutherland: Website

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