The Martin Barre Band - Live At The Wildey

The Martin Barre Band
Live At The Wildey
(The Store For Music)
9/10
By Paul Davies

Martin Barre has been exceptionally busy since his enforced leave-taking from Jethro Tull following Ian Anderson’s decade, or so, ago decision to disband and retire the Jethro Tull name (which he has recently revived). Exceptional indeed given the quality of his live shows and rarely aired song selection from the vast Tull songbook. This show recorded at The Wildey Theatre Illinois in 2019 is a must-have musical keepsake for any true Tull head especially with erstwhile band members Clive Bunker and Dee Palmer bolstering the ranks. There are over two hours of classic and almost retired songs that Barre and the audience celebrate with brio. Pretty much a chronological cherry-pick of Tull’s decade straddling work, Song For Jeffrey, My Sunday Feeling and Back To The Family remind of Barre’s importance to Tull’s sound. Frontman Dan Crisp’s delivery is as superb as he is respectful of this canon of work. The Aqualung set includes the title song Cross-Eyed Mary but also an impressive Hymn 43. A rare outing of To Cry You A Song and Teacher are joyfully received as are the excerpts of Thick As A Brick and Passion Play. Sandwiched in the middle is an exquisite six-song acoustic set with Barre and band joined by folk/roots duo Alex Hart and Becca Langsford who inject their sweet tones and breathe new life into Cheap Day Return, Life Is A Long Song, One White Duck and Wond’ring Aloud, which they continue by adding honeyed backing vocals during this show. 

The second CD concentrates on a smart selection of songs that traverse the period between Warchild to the Crest Of A Knave albums with Sealion and Bungle In The Jungle coming out to play their rare parts. The very welcome weighty delivery of Heavy Horses, Songs From The Wood and Hunting Girl is a revelation only surpassed by Steel Monkey and Jump Start’s head spinning attack. A fully charged Locomotive Breath and bonus track Dharma complete this must-have live memento. A special mention must go to the rhythm section of bassist Alan Thomson and, in true Tull style, a monster of a drummer in Darby Todd both of whom play these sophisticated arrangements like musical TNT. This recording is also a reminder, should one be needed, of the overall importance of Martin Barre and his inimitable contribution to Jethro Tull’s sound down the decades!