A journalist's review - Glasgow Gig

Gui

New Member
Seagal and Thunderbox, Renfrew Ferry, Glasgow
by STUART MORRISON - The Herald -

"Who threw these?", asked Steven Seagal, holding aloft the pair of knickers which had, moments earlier, alighted on his effects pedals. Clearly relieved that the miscreant was female, Seagal launched into Gunfire in a Juke Joint, just as a brawl erupted on the balcony. Welcome to Glasgow, Steven.

It would be fair to say that actors and credible music careers seldom mix. So the idea that the star of movies such as Under Siege and Marked for Death could hack it in a genuine blues band seemed particularly unlikely. Set aside all such preconceptions.

His claim to be steeped in this music appeared to be completely justified, because this was no celebrity embarrassment, this was the genuine article. Seagal was on the road promoting his second album, Mojo Priest, with a superb seven-piece band.

Operating in an area between Stevie Ray Vaughan and Tony Joe White, Seagal had the chops and the voice to carry it all off with considerable authority. Of course, that authority was somewhat enhanced by the sheer size of the man.

After a rousing introduction by backing vocalist Jermaine Paul, Seagal appeared on the tiny stage wielding a Gibson Firebird as if it were a toothpick. His solos, bolstered by the excellent rhythm guitar of Harold Smith and slide playing of Bernard Allison, flowed on songs such as BBQ and Alligator Ass, and the slightly surreal image of this Hollywood action hero playing blues on a ferry in Glasgow was quickly dispelled by the sheer joy on his face as his second sell-out crowd of the day lapped it up.

He finished with Wild Thing, which, in the circumstances, could not have been more apt.
 

Gui

New Member
no one is saying if he did a meet and greet afterwards

Would be nice to know my friend...
I hope somebody will be able to give us the answer.

Much energy,
 

kellie_seagal

kellie_seagal
steven seagal meet n greet

Hi all,

i heard that steven met with loads of fans backstage - how they manage to get backstage passes i dont know, wish i knew thou!!

And apparently he was signing autographs untill 1am after the glasgow show.

Im going ot the concert in croydon on sunday and im so excited i cant beieve it, after being a fan of his for 13 years im finally going to get to see him, i feel like crying!!
 

suzyr4458

New Member
At Newcastle-Upon-Tyne on the 17th January, Steven was'nt allowed any fans backstage, there were a lot of people waiting for autographs, but they never got a chance to speak to him, they're programmes etc were slid along to him by a japanese girl (his daughter I think), he signed them, & that was it!! which was rather disappointing. suzyr4458
 

Fio

New Member
suzyr4458;171550 said:
At Newcastle-Upon-Tyne on the 17th January, Steven was'nt allowed any fans backstage, there were a lot of people waiting for autographs, but they never got a chance to speak to him, they're programmes etc were slid along to him by a japanese girl (his daughter I think), he signed them, & that was it!! which was rather disappointing. suzyr4458

That's right, we've got only few seconds with him, just the time he signs autograph. I've got his smile and just few words, but it was about my brochure the time I put my camera in my handbad, he just asked if this brochure was mine (he was ready to sign it again :D ). I was surprise that he didn't have a lot of look on people when he signed, I think I was one of the luckiest one to have his smile. ;)
 

fairly bad mother

Scottish Diva
I dont know about the ferry - its a small venue so Im guessing that it would be the same thing for signing autographs, and that wont have gone down well with his tough glaswegian fans Im sure. I guess Ill find out when I go in March
 

Fio

New Member
The Journal article - 18th January

Seagal has the last sword
By Daniel Thomson

He may look more at home wielding a samurai sword than cradling a guitar, but action movie star Steven Seagal proved he could sing the blues at The Journal Tyne Theatre last night.

The gravelly-voiced martial artist, introduced to the lively crowd as 'the Mojo Priest, the Love Doctor, Mr Steven Seagal' walked on to the stage to a huge roar, which only grew louder as the show went on.

Performing songs fron his latest album, 'Mojo Priest', Seagal was joined by his excellent band Thunderbox who combined to create a suitably authentic mix of blues and country.

Mercifully, Seagal left most of the singing to his energetic backing singers, but he displayed impressive skill with the guitar and his trademark growl suited the blues down to the ground.

At more than 6ft 4in tall, Seagal cut an imposing figure and his reputation for being a man of few words remained intact despite the occasional smile for his adoring fans.

Seagal, an environmentalist and animal activist, as well as being the star of movies such as 'Under Siege' and 'Hard To Kill', is a 7th-dan black belt in Aikido and started his career as a martial arts instructor.

But judging from last night's enjoyable performance, which included the imaginatively titled 'Talk To My Ass' and 'Gunfire In A Juke Joint', it looks the former action star's time is better spent singing the blues than saving the world.
 

Gui

New Member
Fio Seagal has the last sword
By Daniel Thomson

He may look more at home wielding a samurai sword than cradling a guitar, but action movie star Steven Seagal proved he could sing the blues at The Journal Tyne Theatre last night.

The gravelly-voiced martial artist, introduced to the lively crowd as 'the Mojo Priest, the Love Doctor, Mr Steven Seagal' walked on to the stage to a huge roar, which only grew louder as the show went on.

Performing songs fron his latest album, 'Mojo Priest', Seagal was joined by his excellent band Thunderbox who combined to create a suitably authentic mix of blues and country.

Mercifully, Seagal left most of the singing to his energetic backing singers, but he displayed impressive skill with the guitar and his trademark growl suited the blues down to the ground.

At more than 6ft 4in tall, Seagal cut an imposing figure and his reputation for being a man of few words remained intact despite the occasional smile for his adoring fans.

Seagal, an environmentalist and animal activist, as well as being the star of movies such as 'Under Siege' and 'Hard To Kill', is a 7th-dan black belt in Aikido and started his career as a martial arts instructor.

But judging from last night's enjoyable performance, which included the imaginatively titled 'Talk To My Ass' and 'Gunfire In A Juke Joint', it looks the former action star's time is better spent singing the blues than saving the world.

So far, only positive reviews coming from the UK I think...
This one is quite nice.
Thanks for sharing,

Much energy,
 

Gui

New Member
A bad review - UK newspaper - :-(

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bad-ass, Buddhist - now bluesman


Does Steven Seagal get the blues, asks Ian Gittins

Friday February 2, 2007
The Guardian


Priceless... Steven Seagal

It's Sunday night at the Fairfield Hall in Croydon, and more than a thousand people have gathered for a blues gig with a difference. Virtually nobody in the venue has ever heard the evening's star so much as play a note. Indeed, they are incredulous that he is even here in the first place.
"I have seen a lot of his movies, and Steven Seagal is awesomely bad," muses Patrick Keegan, a company director, in the pre-show theatre bar. "He is singularly the worst actor of his generation." "I've got 16 of his films on DVD," confides taxi driver Chris Clarke. Is he a good actor? "No, he's terrible, but I like the fight scenes."

Seagal, the deadpan hero of a slew of plot-light, action-heavy thrillers, has never been lauded for his thespian versatility, but that hasn't stopped him from diversifying his slender talents. Together with his band Thunderbox and guests including Bo Diddley, the Hollywood star recently released a largely self-penned album of delta blues called Mojo Priest.
Keen to emphasise that it is not just a typical actor's vanity project, Seagal has spoken of a childhood steeped in Deep South blues, plus later jamming sessions with BB King and John Lee Hooker. "Blues is my passion," he says in tonight's glossy £8 tour programme. "It is what I wanted to do with my life." His sincerity is not in question. His ability is less established.

"Seagal's enthusiasm comes across, but Mojo Priest is very average," reckons Charles Waring of Blues & Soul magazine. "It reminds me of when Tamla Motown released an album of Bruce Willis singing soul covers. In all honesty, I think probably Steven Seagal is to the blues what Jimmy Nail was to country music."

They say you have to suffer to be beautiful, and let it not be said that Steven Seagal is afraid to pay his dues. Eschewing Britain's metropolitan hotspots, his two gigs before tonight's show saw him rock the blues-lovers of Bilston and Market Harborough. His Croydon fans seem grateful for the chance to see him at close quarters, if a little perplexed.

"I'm a fan of all film stars, but I don't think Seagal will ever win an Oscar," says Roy, 75, loitering in the foyer. "Actually, I wish that I had gone to tomorrow's show in Southend instead of coming here. There is a very good fish-and-chip shop next door to the venue that does fish suppers for pensioners for £2.90."

Yet all thoughts of cheap cod are surely forgotten as Seagal makes his entrance. Clad in a fetching bright purple doublet, the Hollywood icon lurches into a leaden duckwalk as his seven-piece band lick into the Willie Dixon standard Hoochie Coochie Man. "Let me hear it for the Mojo Priest!" yells a sidekick, to audible titters from pockets of the audience.

What follows is two hours of generic, marginally dull 12-bar blues, but the music takes a back seat to the surreal spectacle. Seagal's face is bizarrely immobile: he stares out with stoical bemusement as an army of fans evade the lone elderly security guard and race to the stage, phone cameras aloft.

The histrionic backing singers drown out his flat vocals, but Seagal gives it his limited all. A jive-talking between-song skit with a band member ("Jermaine, have you ever done had you a girl who gone crazy?") beggars belief, while his game stage shimmies are stymied only by the fact that he has the turning circle of a small tanker.

You would suspect self-parody, were he not so legendarily earnest. As he growls into the priceless Talk to the Ass ("I woke up this morning, and said: 'Cook me some scrambled eggs'") and a fan leaps to his feet to reveal a home-made T-shirt bearing the song's title, he even cracks a smile. Over the next month, Seagal brings the blues to Gravesend, Llandudno, Halifax and Carlisle, and an unprecedented second night at the Robin in Bilston. The panto season has officially been extended.

· Steven Seagal and Thunderbox play the Swan Theatre, High Wycombe, on Mon 5 (01494 512000).


These people writing this garbage should be sent to the local county jail !!!!LOL ! :gun: :D
 
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