I’ve been looking forward to this one for quite a while. When ‘The Answer’ emerged with ‘Rise’ back in 2006 I was such a big fan. They had a swagger, that mixed all their Celtic, Gaelic, Irish and whatever roots, to produce music that was adored by a multitude of us. I think last time I saw them was at the Steelhouse Festival in 2014 and they were equally magnificent, that day up the mountain. Roll on 9 years and after a brief hiatus, the band have been re-born by frontman Cormac Neeson and his men. With a new album ‘Sundowners’ they have launched a headline tour and support is from the delightful and up and coming, ‘Kira Mac’. Tonight it’s the turn of KK’s in Wolverhampton to host this highly anticipated pairing.
KIRA MAC – Surprisingly this is only the second time Rhiannon ‘Kira’ Hill and her band have played KK’s, despite being fairly local. Originally forming in 2018, ‘Kira Mac’ have undergone a few changes and now as a four piece, there is evidence of more stability. We are teased with hints of a new album and the opener ’Save Your Whiskey’ is a sign that the level of writing remains just as wondrous, as on the debut ‘Chaos Is Calling’. From the latter ‘Dead Man Walking’ and the title track swiftly follow while Kira takes time out, to make sure we clap and sing along. Joe Worrall on guitar and bassist Bret Barnes make a vibrant partnership and every chord is perfectly balanced. Bret is always cool to watch, his long hair often swung 360 degrees while he plays. ’Scorned’ is a recent single, bluesy and harmonious with Rhiannon’s polished vocals and glorious strings from Joe. Then they give us more from the first LP, ‘Mississippi Swingin’ being one that stands out. There’s a full room in front of them, right up to the last song ‘One Way Ticket’. A real humdinger to finish on and they have wowed the audience tonight. They return in May as part of a headline UK tour (see poster below) when the second album should be on the shelves.
THE ANSWER – Not long into ‘Blood Brother’ there’s a guitarist facing a technical hitch. At first I didn’t realise what the problem was (pay more attention Diane!) and wondered why Cormac Neeson appeared to be a little lost ! Then being the true professional, he quickly changed the running order and entertained us with the traditional Irish song ‘Here’s A Health To The Company’ a few knowing the words ‘joined him in rhyme’ and ‘lifted up their voices’ ! With Cormac is founder Paul Mahon on guitar, bassist Mickey Waters and drummer James Heatley, joining them is a new addition, Cara Burns on keyboards, adding a warm infusion of tones. The set travels through time with ‘Nowhere Freeway’ and ’New Horizons’ it gets deep and indulgent for a while and to be honest I struggle to make sense of where it’s heading. Then, like a game of two halves ‘Under The Sky’ brings me back. It’s a full recovery and I’m engrossed again after that older number. The brand new ‘Wild Heart’ is a surprise, proving the band still have a lot more to show us. ‘Come Follow Me’ is also from ‘Rise’ and it’s a chance for the crowd to join in again. I wish they’d played ‘Into The Gutter’ as well, maybe next time ! I lose sight of Cormac as he literally takes to the floor for ‘Always Alright’ sitting and singing on the ground surrounded by fans, for the duration. It falls on ‘Demon Eyes’ from the brilliant album ‘Everyday Demons’ to raise the roof as an encore, a truly uplifting tune and a favourite for many here tonight.
This was different from what I was expecting. Rather naive of me I suppose, to think Cormac and the others are still those wild Irish rockers from 2006. They’ve matured of course and ‘The Answer’ have moved on. For me personally it was a rollercoaster of a gig, but at the end I was totally content with how it panned out.
Kira Mac – FACEBOOK
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Photo Credit – Shaun Stan Hulme of SRK Lens
