Black Stone Cherry Bringing Kentucky To Cardiff
Black Stone Cherry Bringing Kentucky To Cardiff

With the stage reset and the lights changed Chris Robertson, vocalist strutted on stage complete with a blue PRS guitar, which Chris was delighted with. Chris joined by power drummer John Fred Young, Dancing, leaping guitarist Ben Wells and bassist as solid as the rock they play Jon Lawhon. The four who are Black Stone Cherry needed no introduction as the lights lit up the stage the roar of delight went up and everyone stood to enjoy the Kentucky rock they have come to hear.
The audience throughout were ready to party have fun and a great time listening to music that blasted away any cobwebs lurking in the far high corners of St David’s Hall. Up first in the electric set to cheers and the audience standing Devil Queen blasted away the chill of the acoustic the auditorium was hot. Rock that puts fire in your belly and good vibrations in your ears and a feel good factor this is what Saturday nights are made for. The set list toured their albums with Kentucky’s Soul Machine raising the heat we were now cooking on ten surely we would get to eleven before the night was over. With a live airing for the first time since 2009 from Folklore and Superstitions Please Come In, we didn’t need to be asked twice. We were being absorbed deep into BSC deep, dark lyric driven rock. The band were full of energy with Ben striding from one side of the stage to the other in a few steps his leaping acrobatics added to the fire as the rhythm guitar pulled the sound together. How many drumsticks were broken battered or bruised as Fred Young powered through the numbers? I lost count, some lucky people caught them as they were hurled into the audience. The bass line of Killing Floor adds to the tension as we hit the dark groove of Killing Floor snarling with menace. Two favourites had the audience high and ecstatic as White Trash Millionaire and Me and
Mary Jane creeping round the backdoor like a groundhog were aired across St David’s Hall. as the light show flashed and danced reflecting off the walls as strobing to the driving beat of BSC rock. A true if lonely statement Cheaper To Drink Alone full of Southern heat and verve as Chris’s vocals curled around the lyrics, spitting them out, live there were George Thoroughgood riffs and licks in the intro this is what makes live music so special you have to be at the gig to get the full drama, quips and that up close and personal feel. The drum solo with Fred taking control of the stage gave the rest of the
band a breather before the last three songs. The Guitar changed now in Chris hands was a red electric lent to him by Luke Phillips of Newbridge band Everyday Heroes; 2016 Steelhouse band winners who opened the Steelhouse Festival. Fantastic to hear the latest single, from Kentucky album Shake My Cage, played live the riffs are just huge as the reverberated around the auditorium. With Blame It On The Boom Boom giving Cardiff another chance to raise their voice, finishing off the second half of the chorus despite the band stopping, Chris apologised live “…we get it wrong sometimes! Let’s do a chorus again if you will join in”. All too soon, it was the last or twenty-fourth Black Stone Cherry number of the night Lonely Train. But there was more, the scale of eleven was now definitely reached with a tribute to Lemmy at the end with a BSC version of Ace of Spades! No one went home lonely filled with the party vibe of An Evening With Black Stone Cherry.
Chris Robertson thanked the Cardiff audience for enjoying the music and how delighted they were to be starting a U.K. tour once again in the Welsh Capital. As they left the stage to Queen’s We Are The Champions encouraging Cardiff to raise their voice once more and shaking hands with as many of the audience as possible. We knew that Black Stone Cherry Bringing Kentucky To Cardiff was a reality, great fun and superb Rock n’ Roll.
SET LIST
ACOUSTIC
ELECTRIC

The gig was great however the reviewer needs to brush up on his BSC knowledge- All I’m dreamin’ of closed the acoustic portion of the set and it was Shakin’ My Cage played in the electric set, not Let Me See You Shake…..
Craig, I am so sorry must have been Sunday Morning fog in my eyes moment all corrected. Thanks for reading, proofreading and then pointing out my very stupid error. Liz
Sorry if I sounded pedantic….hope you enjoyed the gig much as I did (was my 16th BSC show so I should know the songs! Geat review.
The red electric he used on the final few numbers belongs to luke Phillips of Newbridge band everyday heroes. So unless Chris robertson borrowed someone else’s guitar too I think you need to amend this
Dave thanks for taking the time to read and comment I will add in About Luke’s guitar. I was asked by Manager at St David’s Hall for pictures of Chris playing Blue guitar (First three numbers when photographers were allowed to take pictures) as it belonged to the person I mentioned. I will most definitely add Lukes name to the review and check out the earlier message I got. Liz.
Great review of a great evening! However the last song of the acoustic set was the live debut of All I’m Dreaming Of from the Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea album.
Apologies Sunday Blonde moment my notes said the correct number and the set list different guess which one I used corrected now and thanks for reading and being my personal proofreader.
Great write up. Worth mentioning the tribute to Lemmy at the end with a BSC version of Ace of Spades!
Very true great tribute Liz
Thanks for the comment and reading Bluesdoodles review
Great pictures and write up!
Liz, can you email me at mdanson@prsguitarseurope.com to chat about the photographs. Trying to email you but getting undeliverable messages back everytime.