
By Phil Ashdown.
These Christmas shows have always been a bit special as they are a more relaxed affair with both an acoustic, sit-down set followed by their full electric show. As vocalist Danny Bowes put it ‘…first of all we sit down and you all sway from side to side then we stand up and you jump up and down’
Opening with a laid back version of Serpentine to get everyone in the mood, the band are soon joined by two female backing singers and an extra keyboard player. Thunder’s forthcoming album Please Remain Seated features re-imaginings of some of their best songs, all given a total reworking and tonight we were given a taste of what to expect with Just Another Suicide, Loser and Higher Ground.
What really makes these evenings special are the band’s take on other artist’s songs which tonight featured Hall & Oats’ She’s Gone, Free’s My Brother Jake and a superb take on Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain, in this first part of the evening.
After a short break Thunder returned with their full rock set. It is now that singer Bowes really comes into his own as a consumate frontman, he has such boundless energy and commands the crowd so well, controlling the tempo and the crowd’s participation, and making them laugh with his comic quips in between songs.
Tonight is not about being perfect but more to do with having fun and trying new arrangements and songs never performed before. On a couple of occasions Bowes had to re-start to reach the top notes to prove he still had it! This is not to fault his voice because it sounds superb throughout but more that the band were a little ring rusty and had only rehearsed for a couple of days.
More cover songs were played throughout the set, including Who’s Behind Blue Eyes, Small Faces’ Lazy Sunday, Springsteen’s Dancing In The Dark and Golden Earring’s Radar Love. Each one being lapped up by the energetic, sold-out crowd, some of whom were wearing Santa suits, Christmas jumpers and assorted Santa hats.
After a brief break guitarist and chief songwriter Luke Morely introduced one of his favourite players onto the stage, Thin Lizzy’s Scott Gorham to play a blistering Jailbreak. Another guest in the form of Duran Duran’s Andy Taylor joined for The Faces’ Stay With Me and finishing off with a rousing sig-a-long for Slade’s Merry Xmas Everybody as giant inflatables fill the stage and snow falls from the lighting gantry.
Thunder may not be household names, but their following is strong and it is easy to see why they continue to garner such loyal support after nearly 30 years in the business. They are the embodiment of British rock at its bluesy brilliant best.
Setlist
Sit Down
Serpentine
Just Another Suicide
Loser
Higher Ground
She’s Gone (Hall & Oates cover)
Black Water
This Forgotten Town
My Brother Jake (Free cover)
Once in a Lifetime
The Chain (Fleetwood Mac cover)
Electric Stand Up
The Devil Made Me Do It
Pilot of My Dreams
Behind Blue Eyes (The Who cover)
Lazy Sunday (Small Faces cover)
Numb
Dancing in the dark (Bruce Springsteen cover)
On the Radio
Radar Love (Golden Earring cover)
Gimme Some Lovin’ (The Spencer Davis Group cover)
Until My Dying Day
Encore:
Jailbreak (Thin Lizzy cover) (with Scott Gorham)
Play That Funky Music (Wild Cherry cover)
Stay With Me (Faces cover) (with Andy Taylor)
Merry Xmas Everybody (Slade cover) (with Andy Taylor)
Check out the rest of our Thunder titles on eil.com, and if you have any items to sell, please call us on 01474815099
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- Thunder - Please Remain Seated - Orange Vinyl - Sealed - UK - 2-LP vinyl set - £29.99, $36.29, €33.89 (New Item) (arrived 09-Jan-2023 16:50)
THUNDER Please Remain Seated (Limited edition 2019 UK 12-track double LP pressed on Orange Coloured Vinyl and masterd at half-speed for dynamic range quality, with gatefold picture sleeve. Released in celebration of Thunder's 30th anniversary as a band, which saw the band reinterpret classic tracks from their catalogue. Sealed in the hype-stickered shrink)
- Thunder - Back Street Symphony - Box - UK - 7" vinyl - £15.00, $18.15, €16.95 (New Item) (arrived 31-Dec-2022 11:56)
THUNDER Back Street Symphony (1990 UK limited edition 7" box set comprising 2-track 7" vinyl single also including No Way Out Of The Wilderness, plus a red 'Thunder' logo badge and three live prints [one of Luke Morley, one of Danny Bowes andashot of the whole band rocking out]. All housed in a black and silver picture box. The box shows some light storagewear but the contents remain present with the vinyl in excellent condition EMS137)
- Thunder - Backstreet Symphony - UK - 12" picture disc - £15.00, $18.15, €16.95 (New Item) (arrived 31-Dec-2022 08:39)
THUNDER Backstreet Symphony (1990 UK limited edition 3-track 12" Picture Disc single with a superb band picture on each side, also including a live version of An Englishman On Holiday & No Way Out Of The Wilderness. The disc comes issued in the clear PVC sleeve complete with the back picture insert 12EMPD137)
- Thunder - She's So Fine - Patch - UK - 7" vinyl - £18.00, $21.78, €20.34 (New Item) (arrived 31-Dec-2022 08:37)
THUNDER She's So Fine - Patch (Scarce 1989 UK 2-track 7" vinyl single, also includes 'Girl's Going Out Of Her Head', picture sleeve complete with Bonus Sew-on 'Thunder' logo patch! EMS111)
- Thunder - Dirty Love - UK - 7" vinyl - £8.99, $10.88, €10.16 (New Item) (arrived 31-Dec-2022 08:34)
THUNDER Dirty Love (1990 UK limited edition 2-track 7" vinyl single, also includes 'Fired Up', gatefold picture sleeve with an integral 8-page picture booklet featuring photographs and lyrics. The sleeve has just a small sticker mark in the top right corner, otherwise a superb copy of this early Thunder collectable EMG126)
- Thunder - Dirty Love - UK - shaped picture disc - £15.00, $18.15, €16.95 (New Item) (arrived 31-Dec-2022 08:30)
THUNDER Dirty Love (1990 UK limited edition Shaped 7" Picture Disc with the classic 'Thunder' logo on the front and a fantastic lightening storm picture on the back, also including Fired Up, clear PVC sleeve with picture back insert. The disc shows some light cosmetic surface scuffs but looks barely played EMPD126)
- Thunder - Dirty Love - Clear vinyl - UK - 12" vinyl - £15.00, $18.15, €16.95 (New Item) (arrived 31-Dec-2022 08:28)
THUNDER Dirty Love (1990 UK limited edition 3-track 12" single pressed on Clear Vinyl, featuring the Extended Version, along with Fired Up and a live version of She's So Fine, fold-out banner picture sleeve housed in a PVC sleeve 12EMP126)
- Thunder - River Of Pain - UK - 12" picture disc - £15.00, $18.15, €16.95 (New Item) (arrived 20-Dec-2022 08:33)
THUNDER River Of Pain (1995 UK limited edition 3-track 12" picture disc single including Move On and a superb live version of Mott The Hoople's classic, All The Way From Memphis. Also comes with a stunning fold-out poster featuring live shotsof each band member, unique custom die-cut picture sleeve 12EMPD367)
- Thunder - Everybody Wants Her - UK - 12" picture disc - £15.00, $18.15, €16.95 (New Item) (arrived 20-Dec-2022 08:30)
THUNDER Everybody Wants Her (1992 UK limited edition 3-track 12" Picture Disc single, featuring the Preacher Fade version, also including Dangerous Rhythm and Higher Ground [Acoustic Version], die-cut picture sleeve 12EMPD249)
- Thunder - She's So Fine - Donington' 90 - Blue Vinyl - UK - 10" vinyl - £10.00, $12.10, €11.30 (New Item) (arrived 19-Dec-2022 14:19)
THUNDER She's So Fine - Donnington '90 (1990 UK limited edition 3-track 10" single pressed on Blue Vinyl, also including I Can Still Hear The Music and a live version of Back Street Symphony recorded at theband's first appearance at the Donington 'Monsters Of Rock' festival in 1990; within a gatefold picture sleeve with live shots of the band from that now legendary performance 10EM158)
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