On a classic Mancunian night of rain and football, Faster Pussycat, were too fast for writer and photographer to make it to witness one of Hollywood’s finest sleaze rock merchants strut and swagger across the academy stage. We arrived in time for the opening track of second support The Answer.  A Northern Irish classic rock outfit in the tradition of Rival Sons, a mixture of blues, country and folk blended together with a rocking pentatonic swagger and groove. Cormac Neeson on vocals is a charismatic frontman, affable and talented.  His voice perfect in range for that brand of southern comfort rock squeezed out by Paul Mahon on guitar, Michael Waters (Bass) and James Heatley (Drums). Highlights of the set saw Paul Mahon on slide belt out a slice of levee-esque country gospel rock on the song Preachin’ the penultimate track from the band’s first album “Rise”.  The crowd was truly warmed up and gave a great reception when the band paid tribute to the recently deceased Malcolm Young, with a high voltage rendition of ‘If you want blood (you got it)’. The Answer where an ideal support act and will likely follow on from this and go from strength to strength.

MR BIG kicked off the show with the up-tempo "Daddy, Brother, Lover, little boy".  The drill song probably most famous for the entanglement of the previously more hirsute Paul Gilbert. The nights songs where generously split between all the bands nine studio albums.  The crowd were immediately receptive and gave a great roar at the bands arrival.  As with these nostalgia tours most of the crowd are in the mid-thirties and above, there where however a good number of younger fans, likely guitar players and their girlfriends, present.  Unlike several of the nostalgia tours I’ve been too, Mr Big brought a new album and a new verve to this tour. The small arena wobbled and crackled under the distorted bass of Billy Sheehan, customary sweat bands and his distinctive Yamaha bass all present, the world’s most technical bass player at his most free when playing with MR BIG, a band built around his and Gilbert's virtuosity. As we approached the end of American Beauty, Eric Martin warmed up and hitting his notes like it was 1992 all over again, the band proved themselves to be all about friendship and music. Pat Torpey, MR BIG Drummer from inception until he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2014, had told the band he wouldn’t be able to tour and they should crack on without them, of course they weren’t having any of it and brought Pat out on tour to provide backing vocals and percussion.  The crowd roared approval when he came out.  Now in full swing they took it up a notch with some of the heavier songs from bump ahead, "Temperamental" and the "Price You Gotta Pay".  

Paul Gilbert is almost the whole focus of the band. With its success, especially in Europe and Japan, the band attracts large diverse crowds.  Here though, a niche of guitar players with their girfriends wath in amazement Gilbert's tireless work rate keeping the band’s name on the periphery.   Paul provided the Manchester crowd to an extended guitar solo, and it’s still great to see people appreciate the instrument played by one of its finest proponents. The second half of the set focused almost entirely on tracks from the first two and the last album.  The songs that got everyone following the band, the shred songs that made all of us sit in our bedrooms practicing scales and string skipped arpeggios.  Glossy eyed for a time when the Americans had it all, Racer X, Joe Satch and hot licks videos.  With the advent of YouTube, we no longer wonder if there are better guitar players out there, there are literally hundreds of incredible guitarists at every click.  Still hearing the original shredder, the first generation of Van Halen influenced musicians is something else.  Gilbert has the gain dialed back, almost a crunch, and still every note is perfect. 

When the dueling banjo intro of ‘Addicted To That Rush’ bursts into life, after the bass solo, the crowd erupted once more, a fan favourite and shred guitar classic.  A mix of pop rock hook supplied by the effervescent Martin, and eighties guitar face-melt from Messrs Gilbert and Sheehan.   The audience then treated to an extended singalong with the cover of Cat Stevens ‘Wide World’ and the huge hit ‘To Be With You’, not so much lighters out but phones out, arms waving from left to right and the titular pop song ‘Green Tinted Sixties Mind’.  The setlist chosen to give just the right mix of yesteryear and new material.  Mr Big ended the show with ‘Defying Gravity’ the title track from their new album, it was a well-chosen end, ticking all the MR BIG boxes, great intro, catchy hooks and layered backing vocals.  Ending the show in this way made you feel like you were watching a new band. 

The last few songs veered away from the virtuosity and back to what gave MR BIG it’s success, songs, sold pop rock songs that everyone could sing. The whole crowd sang, and as it should be at these revival gigs, you were a kid once again, wanting to be the greatest guitar player in the world.   

Eric Martin ended the show saying that MR BIG was about friendship, love and good songs.  They proved that tonight with more than words, Pat Torpey's presence added to the night, and shows that adversity can be overcome.

For anyone in need of help or advice regarding Parkinson’s disease: https://www.parkinsons.org.uk