Dom Martin & Blue Nation // Co-Headline Tour – Live Review // The Black Box // Belfast
Here we are, a year since we last caught Dom Martin and Blue Nation in Belfast at The Empire Music Hall.
Dom’s star has been on the rise like a phoenix from the flames over the last few years and shows no sign of slowing down.
He has been touring relentlessly, and why not, as we always hear in Northern Ireland, “Make hay while the sun shines”, and alongside him once again, he has chosen Blue Nation as his co-headliners on this tour of the UK and Ireland. The relationship clearly blossomed after their last run together, and honestly, they go together like peanut butter and jam #bless
Unfortunately, tonight Blue Nation are a duo rather than a trio as their drummer Nick took ill at their last gig at The Cavern in Liverpool and unfortunately had to step back from tonight’s show, but as frontman Neil Murdock says, “Tonight’s show will be one of the most unique they have ever played!” These lads are truly charming and highly addictive live, as they bellow out a collection of finely curated songs, tossed together to complement the duo this evening.
We get stories from the road and their personal lives between each song, and you realise that, beyond the music, the band’s relationship with their fans is at the forefront of what they do. The gratitude they receive from a fanatical, highly dedicated fanbase feeds them. One thing that really stands out is the quality of the vocals from both the guys, the harmonies and beyond, but Neil has a glorious set of lungs as he lights up the black box, every song just soars. The years of graft are evident as both Neil and bassist Luke work seamlessly, harmonising beautifully, with first-class musicianship on display from start to finish. None more so than on the set finale ‘Down By The Riverside’ where the Belfast audience gets to participate and leave their mark on the last night of the tour with Dom and co. A fantastic set in an unusual situation for the lads, but they performed like the seasoned pros they are, a great band, a great attitude and a lot of talent. Quality all round.
https://linktr.ee/bluenationmusic
Photography: Mark McGrogan
@flashartmark #flashartmark
We get a short breather as we await Dom Martin and his band back in Belfast once again. You can never get too much of a good thing, but Dom, as the pro here, knows he can’t be playing. Belfast every night of the week, even though he would love to. So we’re lucky if we get the opportunity to catch him live once a year these days.
When the lads hit the stages, the smiles are broad, and it’s good, these guys are happiest on stage with the lights behind them and a packed out room facing them down. Right there is where Dom Kicks it all off with the classic “Going Down” a blues staple and one of the finest rocking tunes out there, Dom take it on and does his own thing as he commands the stage, blistering guitar solos fly out like bullets.
The band are delighted to be here and it shows, the young whipper snapper on drums (Charlie Hanlon) has that youthful exuberance about him as he sits in between tracks staring out at the faces looking back, loving life to the full, Dom takes the time to thank the crowd for coming out saying “You think you’re here to see us, we’re here to see you”
And it’s so true, one cannot survive without the other. The circle of life of a musician. Each track that ends gets an almighty roar!
It’s when Dom announces this one’s for Psychopaths that everyone stops in their tracks, and he says, “Can you trust the person beside you?” as everyone nervously looks around them. Then he kicks into ‘Hell for You’, and one person says he defo is a Belfast lad! That he is …. The dark sense of humour explains that he speaks of his need to play guitar; it’s what he lives for. Standing in a crowd watching someone play would never be enough, so he took things into his own hands, and now he’s mastered it. Some get to stand here and enjoy his heartfelt expression pouring out across the stage like a caged animal unleashed into the wild. The best kind of Bluesman there is.
Don tells the story of how he was handed an old MP3 player by a gent and on it was this glorious tune ‘Alethea’ by the one and only Robin Trower, no Dom had toured recently with Robin and it was only after he had finished that run of dates did he discover that it was Robin who wrote that tune, I likewise discovered Robin maybe 7-8 years ago when I reviewed his album ‘Where Are You Going To’ and it blew my mind. Robin, at that stage in his 70s, had just lost his wife, and he knew nothing but a lifetime of blues, which he poured into this recording; it was mesmerising, as is Doms’ performance tonight. The audience can’t get enough, the room, of course, will be packed with friends and family, six-string worshippers and more, but the music is rocking! So, regardless of who the room is made up of, they love and live the blues.
So unbelievably mid ‘Howling’ poor Charlie Hanlon departed the stage, and there’s a little bit of confusion as the crowd works out of things part of the act, or Charlie’s going on strike! But alas ,he’s taken sick like Blue Nation’s skin slapper Nick, Jesus H! as we say in Norn’ Iron, they’re dropping like flies! Spinal Tap got nothing on these guys! Out of the crowd, is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a ‘Mawn’ (Franklin Parsons), and he’s come to the rescue and plants himself on Charlie’s seat and picks up where Charlie left off. Fair play, the guys get stuck in and blazingly complete the song.
The bass player from Blue Nation frantically relays messages to Dom’s bass player so we will have to wait and see if Charlie can make it back by the end of the set but the poor lad must be feeling the strain, at this point Dom has made his way into the crowd soloing over Spoonful’ and as I write this he’s beside me hugging old friends and living his best life, as they say “The Show Must Go On”
It reminded me of one of Justin Hawkins’ early ‘Justin Hawkin’s Rides Again’ Podcasts, where he chats with Luke Spiller of The Struts, and they discuss “Are you really a rockstar if you haven’t shat yourself on tour?” Poor Charlie, I thought, having the worst night of his life backstage, hoping he could crawl back up there to wrap up the set, and he does!
Wee Charlie limps back on stage, and the guys wrap up their initial set with 12 Gauge before Blue Nation rejoin them for the finales and two killer tracks in Bad Company’s ‘Feel Like Making Love ‘ and Cream’s ‘White Room’ Two setllar covers of two majestic and iconic tracks, I think by the end of the show just before all involved take a bow and receive appreciation for their valiant efforts there is a palpable sigh of releif on stage that they all managed to get out of this one alive! The joys of a working musician, onwards and upward, gents. It was a quality night all round and a big thank you to Audrey & Co at Red Pepper Promotions for having me along and to Dom and all the guys for a great show in our home town.
I look forward to our next adventure.
https://linktr.ee/musicdommartin
Photography: Mark McGrogan
@flashartmark #flashartmark
