Gig Review: Mr Big Live @ Newcastle's O2 Academy

2009 saw the reformation of Mr Big and the hard rock world went crazy. A few shows around the world led up to the release of 'Back to Budokan' CD and DVD and many thought that was it... Not so. As Eric Martin said to a buzzing crowd at Newcastle's O2 Academy, "Mr Big is back baby!" And goodness me: back they most certainly are! The band was formed in 1988 by former David Lee Roth bass player Billy Sheehan, who then subsequently recruited guitarist Paul Gilbert, singer Eric Martin and drummer Pat Torpay before unleashing their technical genius on an unsuspecting world. They forged their trademark sound through heavy hard-rocking riffs, soulfull power ballads and colourful vocal harmonies, all held together with unbelievable technical ability. Nobody in the universe plays bass like Billy Sheehan and as for Gilbert... well, is there anyone better? It's certainly not as easy a question to answer as you might initially expect. Elsewhere Martins' voice these days is a little lower, with a hint of Steve Perry 'gruff', and Torpay is so tight you can almost sing his drum fills. Expectations were high when the news came that they were working on a new album: the first in 14 years by the original members, 'What if...' was released earlier this year on Frontiers Records. With a world tour now the agenda, they stop off in the U.K for a handfull of blistering shows. The two hour plus set kicks off in style with 'Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy' with everyone in the audience waiting for the drill solo (yes, real life cordless Makita power drills) that both Sheehan and Gilbert duly effortlessly shred. 'Green Tinted Sixties Mind' comes next, obviously to warm the crowd into familiar territory before unleashing tracks from the new album. Then, the thunderous riff of 'Undertow' kicks in, followed by the bad-ass boogie of 'American Beauty' both taken from 'What if...' Watching the gig, the remarkable thing you quickly realise is just how well the old songs mix with the new material. 'Temperamental' sounds just as fresh as 'Still Aint Enough For Me' despite nearly 20 years between them, and the band have obviously lost nothing to age or the dangerous comfort of familiarity. Next up, 'Just Take My Heart' ballads past, then we're in blues heaven with 'Nobody Left To Blame', before 'Once Upon a Time' then determinedly throws everyone off their timing and 'Alive and Kicking' has us all singing along without even realising. Of course, the worldwide hit 'To Be With You' was an inevitability, but it is the notable absences from the set of both 'Next Time Around' and 'The Whole World's Gonna Know' that dissappoints. Sadly, 'Shy Boy' is the other classic conspicuous by its absence. Highlights included a six minute Gilbert guitar solo that simply mesmerises, and Sheehan's five minute bass shredding stint that almost shook the very bones out of my body. To some - the uninitiated we'll call them - this sounds and looks like extravagance, but to the rest of us, it's the crowning moment of the night. Or at least, up until that point I would have said that it was, anyway... Because then something altogether more magic happens... At the "end" of the gig, the band disappears off stage as is usual in these sort of situations, but then Gilbert re-emerges behind the drum kit, Martin appears with a guitar around his neck and Torpay wielding a bass. An odd set-up, but this is no joke. Martin busts out the unforgettable, iconic riff of 'Smoke on the Water' and the band are away again, with Sheehan now taking up vocal duties. But even there, the band aren't quite done: the middle of the song comes and we have another change - Sheehan now takes over on guitar and serves up a face-melter better than 99% of so-called established guitar players, Martin now chugs bass, while Torpay sings us the last verse and chorus. And the quality never dips below awesome. Truly unreal stuff. The sorry thing is that the opportunity to see such proffessionals as Mr Big performing live doesn't come round too often, if at all in your neighbourhood, so even though they promised to return to Newcastle, time will tell if that happens. One thing's for sure, if they return there will be a strong crowd to meet them, based on this performance. And if that day does indeed come, I'll see you there.