The Answer – Mean Fiddler 2006

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Billed as a co-headlining tour between Ireland’s The Answer and England’s Roadstar, the ticket price on this was about as low as possible. Especially since the bill, for most stops on the tour, included US jam-rockers Rose Hill Drive as well. Certain dates didn’t, but then, who’s going to refuse an invitation to open for The Who?

Although the tour was supposed to be a co-headliner, The Answer certainly made more of it and seemed to always be headlining on the most important dates, this one included. Handing out rather nice posters to the first 50 fans through the door was a nice touch, and they brought a lot more merchandise with them as well. Both other bands brought their debut albums, and as such I think quite a few bought their’s because The Answer didn’t bring any albums at all.

Arugments persisted for most of this tour from those familiar with Rose Hill Drive who felt they were a better band than Roadstar and that this tour should have had RHD in a “special guest” slot, with Roadstar opening. It was pretty clear to all concerned that the co-headlining status of the tour was very flattering for Roadstar as they are unlikely to be as successful as The Answer, who are building up a substantial following. Stating that it was their name which sold the majority of the tickets probably wouldn’t be unfair.

Rose Hill Drive are a ‘real’ band, and they truly lost themselves in their own music, putting genuine passion into the songs instead of trying to ‘perform’ for the girls (something Roadstar were guilty of). The usual sound problems plagued every band (the in-house sound team always get the vocals too low and the drums too high) and with bassist/singer Jake Sproul not possessing the most powerful voice in rock it unfortunately meant he was all but inaudible at times. Any guitarists in the building will have particularly enjoyed the performance of Daniel Sproul (yes, brothers), who at times didn’t even appear to be aware of what he was playing; head tilted back, eyes closed, searing over the complex rhythms provided by his brother and their friend and drummer Nathan Barnes. In only half an hour they impressed greatly and hopefully they’ll get more time when they next visit the UK.

Enough has already been said about Roadstar, so onto the main event. If men could mate (bear with me), and Led Zeppelin‘s Robert Plant had a son with The Black Crowes‘ Chris Robinson, The Answer front-man Cormac Neeson would be it. With Plant’s flowing mane and screeching voice and Robinson’s twisting swagger he gives the band a ’70s rock flavour over riffs and rhythms that share a modern sound with classic methods. One of the most common phrases with new rock bands is “they’re the new Led Zeppelin”, and it’s never normally a phrase that’s really applicable. With The Answer it just may very well be. While there are a lot of bands making good rock music for the first time in many years at the moment, not many are infusing the blues so strongly in their material as The Answer. So much so that a couple of their numbers are out and out blues songs, with Neeson even dedicating Preachin’ to the blues players of old that he considers to be the foundation for all rock music as we know it.

With only one album and a handful of EPs/singles out so far the setlist for the evening predictably contained almost every track from Rise, with b-side The Doctor thrown in for good measure. When your material is so fresh and performed with such enthusiasm, it really doesn’t matter how old it is. As with Rose Hill Drive, The Answer are a real band, playing real music with belief. There’s no hint of gimmicks, any attempt at an artificial image or any notion that they’re not playing exactly what they want to play. Destined for big things.

“ a modern sound with classic methods ”

The Answer Setlist: Come Follow Me / No Questions Asked > The Doctor / Never Too Late / Keep Believin’ / Sometimes Your Love / Under The Sky / Preachin’ / Into The Gutter // Leaving Today > Memphis Water / Be What You Want > Moment > Jam

Rose Hill Drive Setlist: Look On Yonder Wall / Man On Fire / The Guru / Showdown / Reptilian Blues / Immigrant Song

Photo(s): Chiaki Nozu | www.chiakinozu.com

Written by Andy Lye
More: Gigs, Hard Rock, The Answer