Uriah Heep live at Steelhouse Festival
Uriah Heep
Live at Steelhouse Festival,
Hafod-y-Dafal Farm,
Ebbw Vale, Wales.
25th July 2021
by Robert Corich
The mean machine is back and with a vengeance. After nearly seventeen months off from the touring circuit, due to the Covid virus, Mick Box’s unbeatable band of Gypsy’s, Uriah Heep, hit the stage as headliners at The Steelhouse Festival on a sensational Sunday evening. With the weather forecasting torrents of rain and lashings of thunder and lightning, this could easily have become a misty mountain hop and a mud bath. Instead, the rock gods clearly performed a rain dance directed at the band’s hometown London which got hit with the deluge instead. As the early evening sun was sliding behind the surrounding hills of this Welsh mountain top the opening bars of the band’s introductory musical concoction spooled up and the band hit the stage. They roared into a set that pretty much picked up where they left off in early 2020 before the dark times of the virus were unleashed upon us all.
Mick and the boys launched into a vibrant ‘Grazed By Heaven’ from the band’s most recent studio release with a clearly ecstatic Russell Gilbrook hitting the skins like there was no tomorrow. The second song was the band’s early eighties classic ‘Too Scared To Run’ which set the tone for what was to follow; the band were settling in and clearly very pleased at being on stage where they belong. Third in line was ‘Takeaway My Soul’ containing some epic guitar delivery, followed by a rocking version of ‘Knocking At My Door’. Both tracks, like the opener, lifted from the band’s 2018 studio release ‘Living The Dream’. Next up was the all-time classic song ‘Stealin’ that captivated the crowd with a grinning Bernie Shaw clearly enjoying himself as he strutted his stuff on his reclaimed stage. ‘Stealin’ was followed by a brilliant rendition of ‘Rainbow Demon’ with Phil Lanzon’s keyboard touches making this classic deep cut shine and it stood out as a true highlight of the show. ‘Rocks In The Road’, with a riff and delivery that wouldn’t sound amiss on a Deep Purple album, rounded out the quartet of tracks from the band’s current album.
Seven songs in, the balance of classic and new tracks were just right and kept the Steelhouse audience very happy indeed with ‘Rocks’ definitely being the diamond of the four newer tunes. Following the last of the newbie songs, and a frantic search for a lead singer that had vanished into the wings, the band roared in with the original 1970 classic ‘Gypsy’. Executed in compact form, but certainly not lacking in delivering the punch fans have come to expect, the song, with its monster ending, was as enjoyable as ever. Not stopping there the band launched into a frenetic ‘Look At Yourself’ which had the entire crowd rocking and rolling.
The Gilbrook / Rimmer rhythm section absolutely nailed the pace and allowing Mick’s guitar licks to shine. I’m pretty sure Davey Rimmer’s bass playing on this one would’ve made Gary Thain smile. It’s one of the best versions I’ve ever heard the band play and the crowd needed a respite after the pace of this. Taking it down, to the introductory melodic and sultry tones of one of the bands signature tracks, ‘July Morning’, it was clear that this is a band that hasn’t lost a shred of performance ability during the enforced lockdown period. If anything they sound better than ever, with even the odd screwup and subsequent recovery sounding amusingly professional. All this after only one rehearsal in a six-hour window a few days prior. That’s class, through and through.
During the echoing end chords of ‘July Morning,’ the road crew wheeled out a mobile bar while the band gathered around to toast the passing of recent members: Hensley, Lawton & Kerslake with a thimble of Jack Daniels from Mick’s private collection. It was touching to the core when Mick raised his glass to his band, his road crew, his fans, and his recently departed friends. The crowd made their appreciation known. We’ve all heard the saying: ‘you had to be there’, well, yes, it was one of those moments, ‘you had to be there’. With the bar being wheeled off the stage, Mick was handed his blond acoustic six-string and the strumming and humming started for a vibrant ‘Lady In Black’ where Bernie had the crowd in his hands and they both delivered in no uncertain terms.
Not content to finish there, the band returned for an epic version of ‘Sunrise’ (although it was clearly well past sunrise and sunset by this time). Bernie’s vocal delivery, the harmonies, Phil’s keyboards, Davey and Russell’s rhythm allowed Mick’s beautiful guitar playing to shine and made this a highlight of the evening. Not allowing the crowd any rest, they launched in a rollicking version of the Heep’s 1972 classic, ‘Easy Livin’’ to end the proceedings. This was a stunningly good gig and proof that this band are back! Don’t miss them, they are undoubtedly one of the very best live bands on the circuit.
A magic night.
Photo: Robert Corich/Decibel Report
Setlist
Grazed by Heaven
Too Scared to Run
Take Away My Soul
Knocking at My Door
Stealin'
Rainbow Demon
Rocks in the Road
Gypsy
Look at Yourself
July Morning
Lady in Black
Sunrise
Easy Livin’