Magnum bewitch fans at Wulfrun

Magnum

Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton

By Debbie Bennett

Rock fans escaped the trick or treaters on Saturday night when Midlands band Magnum brought their latest tour to Wolverhampton.

On a spookily clear Halloween evening, the Wulfrun was packed to the rafters for the gig on the back of the melodic rockers' latest album, Into the Valley of the Moon King.

Before the headliners, young Black Country rockers Liberty Lies provided support, their early nerves soon calming to give a meaty half-hour set and tight riffs worthy of this much-loved venue.

Even though Magnum tour fairly constantly, the crowd welcomed them like long lost friends, giving rapturous applause for several tracks from the new CD early on in the set.

The opener Cry To Yourself was by followed Take Me To The Edge, The Moon King and No-One Knows His Name, interspersed with crowd-pleasing favourites such as All England's Eyes and Vigilante.

Bob Catley was his trademark animated self and had the crowd clapping and singing through most of the songs without being prompted.

The infectious Brand New Morning, from the 2004 album of the same name, shared the superb setlist with other favourites from Magnum's long history. The band was formed in 1972 and the latest merchandise includes a black football style top with 72 emblazoned on its back.

The best-received track of the night, bar the encore, was the rousing Les Morts Dansant (The Dancing Dead) - a spookily apt classic for All Hallows Eve, from the 1985 album On A Storyteller's Night.

Keys man Mark Stanway provided the classic Magnum synth sound, and Harry James, now the official drummer since Thunder's retirement, was the familiar face on the skins.

Along with Magnum's guitarist and main songwriter Tony Clarkin, plus the ever-jovial bassist Al Barrow, they cast aside the ghosts and ghouls as witching hour approached and ended the evening with the addictive Don't Wake The Lion and another all-time favourite Kingdom Of Madness.

Bewitching indeed . . .