Ten Years After – Live At Fiesta City
(LpEC ASBL Production – 2009)

The blues-rock icons caught live at Fiesta City Festival, Verviers, Belgium on 30th August, 2008. Kinda strange to get your head around though without Alvin Lee taking care of lead guitar and vocals with a young guy called Joe Gooch in his place.

As you probably guessed there’s plenty of improvisation jamming as is usually th case with such bands – it’s damn fine stuff though as you would expect – note perfect with plenty of vibing atmosphere. Highlights include the old classics like ‘Hear Me Calling’ a number called ‘King Of The Blues’ that has got a riff not unlike ZZ Top’s ‘La Grange’ and of course the obligatory ‘Love Like A Man’ and I’m Going Home’.

These old geezers are atill hot as hell on stage and Leo Lyons continues to bob away with his bass throughtout as though his neck is made out of elastic – especially when he is jamming Joe doing ‘Good Morning Little Schoolgirl’ – awesome stuff! There’s a great medley of numbers in ‘I Can’t Keep From Crying, sometimes’ including main riffs of ‘Walk This Way’; ‘Sunshine Of Your Love’ & ‘Smoke On The Water’ and ‘Third Stone From The Sun.

There is an excellent interview as a bonus extra that features all of the members where they discuss the new line-up, Alvin Lee and new material etc that’s well over 40 minutes long telling you all you need to know about the band then and now and for the future.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan