The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
ROCKTALK GIG GUIDE
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• Big names Chris Slade and Martin Barre play Kinross’s Green Hotel this weekend.
Jethro Tull legend Barre follows up his acoustic set at the venue last night with a full electric performance tonight, with AC/DC drummer Slade rocking up with his Timeline project tomorrow.
The Glamorgan-born sticksman’s been regularly playing live with the six-piece in recent years in between performances with Angus Young and co, including the Aussie rockers’ mammoth Rock Or Bust world tour in 2015/16.
“The core of this band have been working together since they were 10 years old,” says Chris, 73.
“They’re all seriously accomplished musicians and are all music teachers. Half the set is AC/DC and half is other material I’ve been involved with over the years, such as Uriah Heep and Manfred Man’s Earth Band.
“I was also in Asia for about seven years off and on and we’ve just started doing one of their songs, Free. It’s very prog rock, time signatures and all sorts of stuff.
“Because we’ve only done it about three or four times I really enjoy playing that, along with any of the AC/DC because I don’t play it exactly like I need to play it in AC/ DC. Let There Be Rock, for instance. I love playing that.”
Describing dates at packed sports stadiums as “another day at the office”, Chris – who cites Ringo Starr, Buddy Guy and American band leader Gene Krupa as influences – says he’s looking forward to Kinross. “In the mid-60s I played Madison Square Gardens for a week with Tom Jones,” he adds.
“I’d built up from the working men’s clubs in South Wales and we went bigger and bigger all the time.
“At one time Tom was bigger than Elvis and Frank Sinatra put together, and I’m not exaggerating.
“On AC/DC’S last tour we played to 80,000 people a night every night.
“You can’t have somebody who’s never done that before walk on stage for the first time with AC/DC. That person would just fold if they had no experience.”
Meanwhile, Martin, 73, joined prog rock legends Jethro Tull in late 1968 and was a key element in the Ian Anderson-led outfit until their dissolution in 2014, selling over 60 million albums.
His distinctive playing earned him a 1988 Grammy for his work on Tull’s Crest Of A Knave LP, and he’s also collaborated with Paul Mccartney, Phil Collins, Gary Moore and Joe Bonamassa.
Still gigging regularly, the prolific songsmith’s most recent albums have been 2018’s Roads Less Travelled and the recently released MLB 50 Years Of Jethro Tull, which contains reworkings of vintage classics.
Tickets for Timeline are £37.25 at Ticketweb, with Martin Barre sold out.
• Courier Country’s Makethat-a-take Records has lined up a Dundee debut for Manchester skatepunk veterans Dead Neck at Conroy’s Basement on Wednesday.
They’ll be joined at Meadowside by Danish hardcore three-piece Out Of Bounds and emo jamsters Agasa, who comprise members of edgy Angus outfits Third Floor Incident and Bereavement.
Advance tickets £5 via MTAT’S website.
Aberdeen sparkle rockers Black Tiles are the big draw at Conroy’s tonight.
The five-piece, who’re heavily influenced by such 80s icons as The Cure, are supported by experimental electro exponents Gravelle, Glasgow punks Runaway Models and post-rock four-piece Karma For Vandals. Tickets £5.50 via vintagesocietymusic. bigcartel.com
American troubadour Kevin Montgomery’s at Green Hotel on Sunday.
The son of 60s Texan songsmiths Bob and Carol Montgomery, Kevin released his debut album Fear Nothing back in 1993 and his songs have been recorded by the likes of country pop star Martina Mcbride.
It’s £21.50 via Ticketweb.
• Dunfermline indie fivepiece Trading Glances are on home turf at PJ Molloys tomorrow, with support from Perth-based psych rockers A Month Of Sundays and kindred spirits The Scarletts and Kirsty Donaldson. Tickets £7.50 at Ticketweb.
• Dundee indie punks Ark Royal launch their latest single at Beat Generator tonight.
They’re being joined by fellow hopefuls Sofa Time, Tabula Rasa and Conflict Hope.
Tickets £6.60 from Grouchos, Assai Records in Dundee and gjpromotionsuk online.
• Pub faves Cherry Bombz rock Mcdaniels tonight, Nine Maidens tomorrow and Lochee’s Logie Club on Sunday, then it’s St Valentine’s rock massacre at Beat Generator next Friday – tickets via Grouchos or Facebook.
• Edinburgh psych rockers Choka hit Conroy’s tomorrow, along with Drainpipe, Siiamese, and Knives Chau Fan Club. Tickets are available from the bands.
• Hard rock tribute Guns N Roses Experience hit Green Hotel next Friday. It’s £23.60 via Ticketweb.
• Church has Joy Division tribute Atrocity Exhibition tomorrow. Tickets £8 from the venue.
• Psych revivalists Jupiter Strange play Monty’s Bar in Dunfermline next Friday.
• Number 57 has Ringer and Chain Gang this weekend.