Concert review: Magnum, Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton
[gallery] After four decades you could forgive a much-loved Midlands rock band like Magnum for trading on past glories.
But that's not the case for Magnum. With their latest album, On The 13th Day, being hailed as among their very best, the melodic rockers are quite happy to trade on
glories.
At Wolverhampton's Wulfrun Hall on Saturday night they mixed old and new with a near two-hour set which spanned their venerable career.
Kicking off with the new album's opening track, All The Dreamers, it was a performance that featured all the Magnum trademarks, driving rhythms, impassioned vocals and soaring melodies, courtesy of the group's leader and song-writer, guitarist Tony Clarkin.
Drawing its members from the Black Country and Staffordshire, Magnum have enjoyed a second lease of life since reforming in 2001 after a six-year break.
From this period came tracks like the thunderous Dance Of The Black Tattoo, All My Bridges and the uplifting Brand New Morning, singer Bob Catley, one of rock's most engaging frontmen, signalling like a semaphore expert, his voice still impressing mightily after all these years.
The band went right back to the beginning with Kingdom of Madness and spun through their glorious 70s and 80s years with the likes of How Far Jerusalem, Les Morts Dansant and Vigilante.
From the 90s came a surprise and very welcome The Flood and then Rockin' Chair, the latter a statement of intent with Catley singing "I need my rockin' but I don't need no rockin' chair".
Their fans will be hoping that Magnum indeed don't have their eyes on rocking chairs or retirement any time soon.
Concert review and photos by Ian Harvey
