  
When a band releases a live album, you'll often find that they recorded multiple dates on the tour and edited it together to form the appearance of a single show, chopping out the songs that didn't go quite perfectly and substituting better versions from other dates, and sometimes even adding overdubs in the studio to get the best quality release. While their aim is good - to release the best possible live album, it's not really a true reflection of what fans experience. Like a number of other bands or musicians, Krissy Matthews doesn't take that approach and so his live album, "Live at Freak Valley" was recorded at a single show, with no studio overdubs, so you get that raw unpolished feel of a real live show.
For this show Krissy Matthews was performing as a three piece with Sam Weston (Bass) and Max Maxwell (Drums) - and was in fact the first time they'd played as a three-piece. Freak Valley is a three-day open air Heavy-Psych-Stoner-Blues festival in Germany, so not a Blues festival as such, and the heavy lineup must have made it a tough proposition for a Blues or Blues-rock artist, but listening to the album it's clear that he didn't let that deter him. The power-trio lineup works perfectly as you don't get the sound dominated by the guitars and drowning out the bass, instead all three instruments are nice and clear.
It's a great set - nice and heavy, which I'm sure will have gone down well with the crowd. The vocals are a fairly limited range, but they work for the music. The songs are a lovely blend of Rock and Blues and listening to the album certainly makes me want to check out a live performance by Krissy Matthews. As he's currently on tour in the UK then I'll be trying to get to one of the shows.
As well as the main part of the album - the 8 song set from Freak Valley, there are three extra live tracks from a show at Gerd's Juke Joint in Joldelund, Germany in Spring 2016. They do feel like a bonus as the album would have been a decent length without them (around 50 minutes), and their addition takes it up to One hour 8 minutes long which gives you lots of music for your money.
A great live album.
Track listing:
1. Feeling for the blues
2. I've been searching
3. All night long
4. Searching the desert for the blues
5. Language by injection
6. The soul will never die
7. Bad boy
8. Freedom
Bonus tracks:
9. Hit the rock
10. Roadsick blues
11. Bubbles and the seven phones
Tour dates:
The Fiddler's Elbow, London
Wednesday 19th April 2017
Tickets: £5 advance £8 door
Book Online: eventbrite.com
Box Office: 0207 4853 269, 07877 798 233
Venue Email: elbowgigs@hotmail.co.uk
1 Malden Road, Camden, NW5 3HS
www.thefiddlerselbow.co.uk
Tring Blues Bar, Tring
Thursday 20th April 2017
Tickets: £6 entry on door
Venue Tel: 07713 450992
Venue Email: info@bluesbartring.co.uk
Tring Park Cricket Club, London Road, Tring, Herts, HP23 6HA
www.bluesbartring.co.uk
The Bear Club, Luton
Friday 21st April 2017
Tickets: £9 advance £10 door
Book Online: www.the-bear.club/reservation
Venue Email: www.the-bear.club/contact
Mill Yard, 24A Guildford St, Luton LU1 2NR
www.the-bear.club
The Fleur De Lys, Didcot
Saturday 22nd April 2017
Tickets: £10 on door or call venue in advance
Box Office: 01235 813 247
Venue Email: www.thefleurdelyspub.co.uk
30 Main Road, East Hagbourne, Didcot, OX11 9LN
Black Market, Mansfield
Sunday 23rd April 2017
Tickets: £5 on door
Box Office: 01623 842 105
Venue Email: info@blackmarketvenue.co.uk
43 High St, Warsop, Mansfield, NG20 0AB
www.blackmarketvenue.co.uk
Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff
Monday 24th April 2017
Tickets: £5 advance £6 door
Book Online: www.fatsoma.com/fuel
Venue Box Office: 02920644176
Venue Email: mail@givemefuel.co.uk
5 Womanby Street, Cardiff, CF10
www.fuelrockclub.com
The Arches, Coventry
Thursday 27th April 2017
Tickets: £7 advance £9 door
Book Online: theticketsellers.co.uk
Box Office: 024 7671 1010
Venue Email: archesvenue@gmail.com
22-23 Arches Industrial Estate, Coventry CV1 3JQ
www.archesvenue.co.uk |
