Rival Sons - Cambridge Junction - Tue 17 April 2013

: Live Reviews; 17 April 2013

I did not get to the venue in time to have anything meaningful to say about Ulysses other than, for their last song they were joined on stage by the night’s headliners Rival Sons.

Second band up were The Temperance Movement. An excellent band drenched in the sound of ‘Southern Rock’ with a Chris Robinson gravely voiced lead singer.

The five piece band actually hails from London and Glasgow rather than America. They have a great stage presence and in the ‘Classic Rock’ genre they should have a very positive path laid out in front of them.

Rival Sons come from Long Beach, Florida and this was the last night of their current UK tour. They certainly pack a punch as a band on stage; the first forty minutes of the set were really fierce. Barely pausing for breath and certainly no chit chat, the band rolled along very impressively.

The set naturally came to a ballad point, after which there was an extended guitar solo on ‘Manifest Destiny’ and a drum solo to kick off the encore so the pace did slow for a time.

They have the looks, the strut, and Jay Buchanan has the voice. The band are already getting mentioned in some quarters with the higher echelons of rock groups past. They are certainly on the ladder but there is a fair way to go yet.

Pete