The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
ROCKTALK GIG GUIDE
● Mixed martial artist turned-rocker Kris Barras is tuning up for his Dundee debut.
The Devon-born songsmith is bringing his high octane, 12-bar blues to Church next Friday – just weeks after touring Europe as the new frontman for ZZ Top legend Billy Gibbons’ latest side project.
They’re also joined by John Mellencamp’s drummer Kenny Aronoff and top bassist-cum-producer Fabrizio Grossi in Supersonic Blues Machine. “We’ve just done a tour through Europe,” says Kris, 33.
“It was hard work because we were pretty much in a different country every day and flying to most gigs. It was probably the most taxing tour I’ve done but the shows were phenomenal. We’d get half way through Smart Dressed Man and I’d have a little smile to myself and think, ‘This is crazy’.
“I got put forward to support them on their only UK date in London, but no one knew at the time that they didn’t have a frontman. When they saw the videos of me they really liked what they saw. They got in touch and a week later it was all done.”
A guitarist since he was just five, Kris started his solo band in early 2015 after retiring from the fight scene. He reckons gigging has filled the emotional void. “I definitely think there’s it’s partly proving yourself to other people, but also to yourself,” he adds.
“When I’m going onstage I do a little bit of a warm up – especially for the bigger gigs – and get myself psyched up, very like I would do when I was getting ready for a fight.
“I get the same feelings in my stomach but I’m very good at controlling those and using the nerves to make my performance better.”
Thankfully, he says he’s not been in situations at gigs where he’s had to utilise his physical skills — at least not recently. “When I used to do weddings and pubs at weekends I got into a fair few scrapes because that was a different kind of crowd,” says Kris.
“It was just people going out to get drunk, so I’ve had a few run-ins with bikers and grooms at weddings, but nothing since I’ve been doing original music because it’s a whole different audience.
They’re having to buy a ticket to come and watch you, so it’s a whole different atmosphere. That’s what makes this so much more fun.
“I hated music because my experience of doing the weddings in the past was that it was absolutely soul destroying. Now I’m very fortunate I get to play to people who’ve come to watch us play. Even if there’s just 10 people there it’s a huge difference.”
● Northern Irish firebrands XSLF are at Beat Generator Live! tomorrow.
Led by original Stiff Little Fingers guitarist Henry Cluney, the power trio also features the Belfast punk legends’ former drummer James Reilly. They’ll be playing SLF classics including Suspect Device and Alternative Ulster at the Lindsay Street venue, along with tracks from XSLF’s 2017 album Arrup Bang.
Tickets £10 from Grouchos in Dundee and Tickets Scotland.
● Soaring guitar outfit Fatherson play an intimate show at Clarks On Lindsay Street on Monday.
The gig marks the release of the Ayrshire band’s third album Sum Of All Your Parts next Friday and is an exclusive for fans who buy from the trio’s online store or at Broughty Ferry’s Assai Records.
● Ex-Courier journo Andrew Montgomery’s the big draw on a ‘90s-themed bill tomorrow.
The former Geneva frontman is playing the Star Shaped Festival at Glasgow’s O2 Academy, along with fellow Britpop-era outfits Echobelly, Supernaturals, My Life Story, Real People, Northern Uproar and Seahorses’ Chris Helme. Tickets £35 via gigantic.com.
● There’s a double-bill featuring ex-Leatherface frontman Frankie Stubbs and Tragical History Tour at Conroy’s Basement tonight.
The Meadowside gig’s part of Sunderland punk legend Stubbs’ first solo UK tour in 20 years, while THT’s Derrick Johnston will be warming up for two months on the road in Europe and Canada to promote his latest album Aphorisms.
Tickets £8/£10 from MakeThat-A-Take Records.
● There’s a packed programme of gigs in Kinross over the next few nights.
The Green Hotel hosts fiery Highland trad-rockers Elephant Sessions (tonight), blues-fuelled Gerry Jablonski (tomorrow), deep roots trio Delta Moon (Sunday) and Germany-based folk band Cara (Thursday), who include acclaimed Scottish singersongwriter Kim Edgar in their line-up.
Tickets for all shows from mundellmusic.com
● Perth Theatre launches its new Monday Night Thing season next week with Kathryn Joseph.
The SAY Award winner will be performing her latest LP at the Mill Street venue, in collaboration with multimedia theatre company Cryptic.
Tickets £15/£13 via www. horsecross.co.uk.
● Dundee Acoustic Music Club hosts songsmith Lizabett Russo on Sunday at Newport’s Rio Community Centre at 2pm. Tickets £8/£10/£12 via Grouchos, brownpapertickets.com and the door.
● Conroy’s has Berlin-based nu-punks Nowhere, veteran Glasgow noiseniks Shatterhand and Dundee’s own The Marx on Tuesday. Tickets £5.