Beating the mid-afternoon Friday congestion on the A1 is always a wearying undertaking, but nothing was going to impede my haste in getting my first live scan of the incomparable Robin Trower, or indeed Cambridge Junction.
A first look at the venue and it screamed pokey, unfinished industrial space. Thankfully the inside didn’t let me down. It’s just how I imagined it. Dark, dingy, and smelling like one too many pints of Camden Ale had been plastered on the walls.
There were no windows either. Given we were here for guitar royalty, it seemed only fair that paying punters couldn’t be fleeced by peeky blinders and nesting birds somewhere in the rafters.
In many ways, it felt like the perfect setup for the humble, no airs and graces demeanor of Trower. After almost every song came a simple, heartfelt “thank you, I appreciate it,” delivered without ceremony or any sense of entitlement.
His ego (or lack of one) was equally as generous with his long-time bandmates Richard Watts (bass and vocals) and Chris Taggart (drums), after taking a breather from the sling-shot guitar workout of “Little Bit Of Sympathy” to acknowledge their unshakable yet unobtrusive backing that glued everything together, while allowing his trusty Stat (ably supported by a wall of Marshalls) to shine.
Of course, he never allowed them to return the adulation, but like many in attendance, they could occasionally be seen smiling (bordering on laughing) at the sheer absurdity of some of the fretwork unfolding in front of them, especially when Trower spun off on his own accord, seemingly intent on conquering new worlds.
Opening with timeless classic “Too Rolling Stoned,” it’s invigorating that just three instruments can still cook up this kind of joyful, blues-rock jam, with Trower stretching out early doors and showing everyone why that soulful, mellifluous tone has stood the test of time. Die-hard Trower-ites would also have been pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of “Distant Places Of The Heart” — a mysterious, psychedelic blues number from his Seven Moons (2008) collaboration with Jack Bruce, where he weaved in and out with melody and emotion.
Trower’s output since the turn of the millennium has been nothing short of sensational, so it made complete sense to sweat out the newer stuff. No Worlds To Conquer (2022) might still be a baby when compared to his mid 70’s heyday of filling out US stadiums and trio of consecutive, acclaimed power-trio records, but there’s three songs off this LP alone, all brilliant in their own right. From the melancholic blues of the title track with its slow, even vibrato to the two-throng finale of “The Razors Edge” and “Birdsong,” they drip with undeniable chemistry, perfect pauses and poise, style, and that sweet sweet Trower tone.
His latest single “Live Your Time” is another dreamy and poetic addition to the setlist, similarly laid on groovy sprinkles of Wah, with Watts and Taggart again holding down the rhythm in spades. The octogenarian was then at his his most Hendrixianon on the smooth, cosmic blues of “One Go Round,” before throwing in the one-two knockout punch of his other big-hitters — the soaring, spitting feathers groove “Day Of The Eagle” with its bombastic driving force of the guitar and bass, and the bewitching “Bridge Of Sighs” with its iconic riff meandering throughout.
Both are greeted with big cheers and head nods aplenty from the packed-out venue, who have been treated to something special by a virtuoso who proved his long credentials long before I was born. Everyone was here to watch an 81-year-old deliver a masterclass in how to make a Stratocaster sing in a way that made a room full of people stop talking and simply stare in amazement. We didn’t leave disappointed.
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