Hello,

Now this is what I call a biased review:given how high I hold Mac's back catalogue this was always going to be written through rose-coloured shades.
As it goes,it really was a special show.Playing to a less-than-capacity crowd,in less-than- stellar surroundings made no difference to this band-they delivered,and then some.

The four of them are such seasoned campaigners that they rolled-up in a rented Mercedes van that'd seen better days,disembarked and carried their own guitars in and after a quick set-list discussion,strolled onstage.No muss,no fuss,but you could almost feel the love in the room for Mac,and no wonder because he seems like the most personable bloke in the world.

Instead of the audience making him feel at home,it was the other way round!Between each song he'd explain who wrote it,or the circumstances as to how a particular song came to be or just be funny...as he said at the start,
"...Right,we're gonna have a lot of fun tonight!".
And we did.Whether they played Small Faces tracks like "Get Yourself Together" or Faces gems like "Cindy Incidentally" or "Your So Rude",or songs from The Bump Band,they were all delivered in a raucous but fresh way.What really surprised me was how great Mac's vocals were:raw but strong!

I think it's fair to say he knows his way around a Hammond,too.What was funny was hearing him slate the keyboard/electric piano he was alternating with as he ran through the gimmicky pre-programmed sound effects.He loves to laugh.
Talking briefly with him after the show he said how much he missed his own Hamond,"Betsy" whom he's owned for almost 40 years now!

He also paid tribute to Stevie Marriot and Ronnie Lane in particular:he speaks of them in the present tense as though they are never too far from him.Touching stuff,and never mawkish.The other members of The Bump Band are dynamite too.They are the kind of band that you wish would keep on playing,but after 90 minutes it was all over.

Mac then invited the audience to stay behind for a meet'n'greet,to the security staff's slight displeasure.Hah!
After about half an hour I got his attention for 2 or 3 minutes,and he didn't disappoint then either.I know that these occasions are also about shifting some product too but he was happy to chat,sign stuff or pose for a dodgy photo.Just a genuine bloke.











No apologies for the slightly deranged look in my eyes-I couldn't believe it!

Cheers,

Si.

way cool! thanks for posting that, SimonN, and swing on, Mac!

Anyone I know who has meet Sir Ian Of Maclagen has nothing but kind words to say abou the man.

nice one Simon - that's a very cool photo, of yourself and Mac.

You can't lose with The Bump Band. Nice review SimonN.

Nice one Simon, and great pics, as ever!

Sounds like you had a superb night.

I saw Mac playing with the Kenny Jones Band at the Liverpool Cavern a couple of years' ago and that was a great setlist as well, being practically a tribite to the Faces, the Small Faces and the Who.

...and the audiences there know how to enjoy themselves!

Thanks for the review, Simon. I believe I've mentioned ad nauseum that I'm seeing Mac and the Bump Band this coming Saturday in Austin.

I cannot wait. I think I was the first person to buy tickets.

Hello,

Thanks for the positive comments,people-it's nice to be nice!

DG-I would love to be in Austin again,too see Mac and co. again.He'll be glad of some warm weather,and cool Guinness!

Cheers,

Si.

He's a lovely bloke is Mac. I saw him in Buckingham a few Sundays ago and uploaded some of my shots. They're from my camera phone so a bit crap. Sorry to hijack your thread Simon.







Me and the Man Mac
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NickB

You can't always get what you want.....

www.myspace.com/thesonkings



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008-08-06 11:43 by NickB.

Hi Nick,

Nah,great to see the guy spreading good vibes.
Pretty amazing when you consider how unimaginably awful the last 2 years have been for him.

Cheers,

Si.

I've met him several times - always nice, always personable, a real good sense of humor...A1 chap I say!

Quote
Spodlumt
I've met him several times - always nice, always personable, a real good sense of humor...A1 chap I say!

and quite the soulful boogie woogie piano stomper as well. that guy really has it, don't he? saw early Faces but missed him with the Stones, except on boots, and those boots are in so many ways definitively great. the guy's an internatinoal treasure. he goes for it. i'm a believer

great shots y'all