The definition of a tribute band, according to the Collins Dictionary is; a pop group that plays the music and copies the style of another, much more famous, pop group. The term ‘pop group’ in this case should be replaced by the term ‘rock group’. Blackmore’s Blood, who took to the stage at Ivory Blacks, pay homage to the music of Deep Purple and Rainbow. God forbid Deep Purple or Rainbow albums should ever be placed in the pop music category…
Both bands were and some might argue they still are Rock Legends. In both cases they have not officially called time on their existence. Their final encores have yet to be played.
The common denominator between the two bands is that Richie Blackmore played lead guitar in both Deep Purple and Rainbow hence the name Blackmore’s Blood. The first reference I get. The ‘Blood’ reference I’m not so sure of, but I might hazard a guess that it was because they were bloody good, but more of that later.
Ivory Blacks which is situated in Oswald Street has been in existence since 2007. Until Friday I had never crossed its doorstep and if truth be told wasn’t even aware of its existence. I have grown up attending gigs on a diet of venues such as The Apollo, The Hydro, the Armadillo, Hampden Park and Glasgow Green.
Venues where fans attended in their thousands to watch and listen to groups at the height of their success. Enjoyable yes, but sometimes you feel you are outside the
window looking in.
Ivory Blacks offers a much more intimate experience and there’s something to be said to be able to stand less that a few yards away from the stage and watch musicians of the highest order strut their stuff. These musicians might not be household names, but their skill, musicianship and dexterity is there to be seen and Ivory Blacks offers you the opportunity to enjoy top quality music at very close quarters.
The management work hard to provide a menu of rock and punk rock bands who are mainly tribute bands and I would gladly revisit here again. In another life Ivory Blacks used to be a ‘piano bar’, which is a rarity in Glasgow.
Anyway, enough of the background, on to the music of the night. I have had the privilege of seeing Deep Purple and Rainbow live over the last 40 years. Has it been that long? Friday night watching and listening to Blackmore’s Blood was just as good as seeing the real thing. They owned the night.
In the songs they covered, vocalist Jimi Anderson had to compete with Ian Gillan and David Coverdale (Deep Purple), alongside Graham Bonnet and Ronnie James Dio
(Rainbow). In order to comply with my definition of a tribute band, they need to sound like the original band. That’s a given. Jimi, who hails from Rigside in Lanarkshire, excelled beyond expectations.
His delivery of ‘Stargazer’ by Rainbow from the ‘Rainbow Rising’ album was just as good if not better than when I saw Rainbow in 1983 at The Apollo. Deep Purple are my go-to band. Cut me open and Deep Purple spills out from my veins. Of all their albums, Made in Japan, recorded in August 1972 is my most played.
Blackmore’s Blood’s rendition of Highway Star took me back at 88 miles per hour via a DeLorean Time Machine to August 17th 1972 at the Nikkon Budokan Tokyo venue in Japan. It was a joy. I have to give credit to the other members of the band. Malcolm Midwood on lead guitar, Phil Finlay on bass, Andy Gotteri on keyboards and Keith Moore on drums.
Blackmore’s Blood I thank you for the enjoyment you offered in the present but also the journey back you delivered to a time where hair was long and Wrangler and Levi flares were 30” wide at the bottom. Long live rock and roll.