Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado The 229, London - 11th January 2026

Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado — The 229, London

11 January 2026

Review by Robert Corich

There was just one small problem with tonight’s Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado show — there was no Thorbjørn Risager!

The band leader was struck down with flu and forced to sit this one out, leaving The Black Tornado to step onto the 229 stage without their captain. It could so easily have been an evening of damage limitation, but instead the band simply got on with the job.

And what a job they did.

Rather than attempting to disguise the absence of their leader, the musicians embraced the situation and delivered a stellar set on their own terms. Tight, powerful and clearly determined to prove that The Black Tornado is far more than a backing band, they carried the evening with confidence and plenty of musical fire.

Risager may have been missing in action, but his band certainly wasn’t. The Black Tornado showed exactly why they have earned their reputation, turning an unfortunate situation into a thoroughly entertaining night of blues, soul and rock ’n’ roll.

Get well soon, Thorbjørn — your band has rather inconveniently demonstrated that they can cope without you!