In a rare turn of events, we find ourselves driving to Birmingham in bright sunshine and, for March, surprisingly balmy temperatures. It seems appropriate, as we’re headed to the O2 Institute in Digbeth to catch two hard-kicking rock bands from America – Blacktop Mojo (Texas) and Shaman’s Harvest (Missouri). With the latter playing their first ever UK shows, despite having built a strong UK presence in the wake of their rapturously received fourth album (and Mascot label debut) Smokin’ Hearts And Broken Guns, these shows have been long awaited by fans.
Thanks to the O2 Institute hosting two shows this evening (playing the O2 main room – The Doves), it takes a while to get in, with confused fans swarming the foyer as they try to figure out where their band is playing. Tonight, Shaman’s Harvest are playing downstairs, in the O2 Institute 2, a cosy, 500-capacity venue that is packed to the rafters when we arrive and already pretty damn sweaty. It’s a mixed crowd too, demonstrating the broad appeal of these bands, and giving the night a lively atmosphere.
Hailing from Texas, as singer Matt James frequently reminds us, Black Top Mojo clearly have an enthusiastic following, who cheer their arrival and continue cheering throughout their set. Drawing from a range of influences, the band bring together elements of Black Label Society, Black Stone Cherry, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, and Metallica, all with a heavy emphasis on groove.
They hit the ground running with Wicked Women which, despite a muddy sound at the outset, clears up nicely by the time the song reaches its conclusion, although it still feels a little scooped in places. Nevertheless, the crowd lap it up, and Matt enjoys leading a short call-and-response singalong (the first of many) before the band head into the dense groove of Where The Wind Blows. With irrepressible bassist Matt Curtis seemingly unable to stay still, the band rock hard on stage, while vocalist Matt gleefully takes the opportunity to further rile up the crowd during an extended mid section.
The next pair of songs do a great job of demonstrating the band’s versatility. First up, the stabbing nu-riffage of Burn The Ships is neatly offset by Matt’s stunning, Chris Cornell-esque vocal, while the slower, darker Stratus Melancholia – with its haunting refrain of “love won’t keep you safe” makes for a hell of a showstopper. The evening doesn’t go completely without a hitch, however. During I Can’t Tell, Matt is handed a malfunctioning acoustic guitar but, such is the good nature of these easy-going rockers, he simply shrugs off the issue, while guitarist Ryan steps in to pick up the slack. Hell, the band even take a moment to surprise guitarist Malcom with a birthday cake as the crowd sing Happy Birthday. They then power into Trouble On The Rise – another strong song that’s let down slightly by a too-faithful cover of Alice In Chains’ Them Bones. While the band have the chops, and Matt certainly has the voice, to pull the song off almost flawlessly, it simply feels redundant, and it would be better to hear these talented musicians place their own spin on the material rather than simply regurgitate it. Fortunately, they follow it with The End, a set highlight that offers a towering vocal performance and some interesting, dynamic riffs.
The band end on a similarly strong note – with the blues rocker It Won’t Last. A heavy blues with a jammed-out vibe, it concludes with vocalist Matt jumping on the bass as his namesake grabs a third guitar to add further weight to the song’s climax. It brings the night to a suitably riotous close and, as Matt notes, it would be a shame if a band from Texas left the stage without airing some blues.
Following a short break, which allows fans a chance too cool down and grab a drink, it’s time for Shaman’s Harvest. Not as metallic as Blacktop Mojo, but no less versatile, they take to the stage with the heavy drone and doom-laden percussion of Red Hands, Black Deeds. A powerful set opener, it paves the way for the band’s soulful sounds and, with Shaman’s Harvest clearly delighted to have made it to the UK at last, they tear into heavy rocker Dangerous with gusto. A crunchy, riff-fuelled beast, it captures that whole “slippery vibe” Lars used to boast about during the Load sessions far more effectively than Metallica ever did, and it has the crowd nodding along appreciatively.
In contrast, the layered backing vocals and slower pace of Blood In The Water trades aggression for atmosphere, keeping things interesting, as does Bird Dog with its heavy, “bring out your dead” refrain. However, the absolute highlight of the band’s set is surely recent single Voices, which takes elements of Alice In Chains, a kick-ass melody, and a soaring chorus that has even the unfamiliar singing along by the time the song reaches its end. It’s simply a great track – the sort of thing that would have burned a hole through MTV’s playlists back in the early 00s – and it perfectly underscores the band’s ability to pen songs that have both emotional depth and broad accessibility.
Rather more unexpected is a brief cover of Pink Floyd’s Welcome To The Machine (sung by bassist Cord), which then segues into mid-tempo rocker Lilith (from Rebelator).The slower Blood Trophies (from Red Hands Black Deeds) may have a more sinister atmosphere live than on record but, for those looking for a little more attitude, then the southern fried As Country As Fuck (From Smokin’ Hearts & Broken Guns) ticks all the boxes. Sticking to that album, the band also drop the massive ballad Silent Voice which goes over well, but it feels an odd choice to follow it with the similarly paced In Chains –although the latter does build up quite a head of steam by its conclusion. The band wrap things up with Dragonfly, from 2009’s Shine, providing the audience with one last blast of crunchy rock before sending them back out into the cold night air.
It’s a funny time for hard rock. Both Shaman’s Harvest and Blacktop Mojo play the sort of melodic, accessible music that would have decimated MTV2 or Kerrang TV back in the day, but which now seems to struggle to find the right outlet. It’s a same because both bands are clearly extremely talented and, to see them on stage is to recognise that they put their collective hearts and souls into the music they make. Hopefully, this tour will have served to unite both bands’ audiences, bringing them a larger following and opening up new opportunities for, on the strength of this tour, they surely deserve it.
