British rock band Uriah Heep is celebrating their 50th anniversary with a new album and tour. The band sounded absolutely amazing and can go on for another 50!
So far, this month has been pretty crazy with concerts. I started with Steel Panther, saw Tony Hadley and now made it to the south of the Netherlands to see Uriah Heep. Standing front row in one of my favourite venues hyped me up enough to see them. Although I have to admit I don’t know many songs at the start of the show.
TRICKLEBOLT
A band founded just a few miles from where I live served as the opening act for the night. Tricklebolt hails from Lemele and released their self-titled album last year. I love how their sound is rooted in the ’70s, drawing influences from legends like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and tonight’s headliner, Uriah Heep.
Tricklebolt blends those classic sounds with their own style, delivering a powerful performance full of great riffs and impressive organ work. Their guitar tone had that unmistakable crunch reminiscent of Zeppelin, while the organ added a rich, vintage depth that gave their music a psychedelic edge. It’s not every day you see a band incorporate the organ so well into their live show, and I’m all for it.
Playing to a packed house, Tricklebolt delivered a fantastic set! Their sound was tight, and as a band, they performed seamlessly, transitioning between heavy, driving riffs and more melodic, expansive moments. I particularly enjoyed Open the Gate, High Trees, and I’ll Drive. These tracks had catchy choruses and showcased the band’s ability to combine complex arrangements with sing-along hooks. I truly hope they continue to release music and perform live—Tricklebolt is definitely a band worth checking out.
URIAH HEEP
The pioneers of rock entered the stage under loud applause and started straight away with some music from their last album. The mixture between new and old material was spot on. Formed in 1969, the band has a lengthy career spanning over 5 decades and 24 studio albums. What I loved is how they performed a lot from their latest album and as it blends so well with the older stuff it shows how timeless the band is.
The band sounded great, and I loved how all the members had their moment to shine. Bassist Dave Rimmer had a kick ass solo, and as his bass had light on the neck, it was a joy to watch. Russell Gillbrook has a mighty and powerful sound on drums that blended so well with Phil Lanzon’s keyboard. Founding member Mick Box lays down all the classic riffs with ease and plays a wicked show on guitar, and Bernie Shaw sounded killer on vocals.
LIVING THE DREAM
Uriah Heep ended their powerful set with arguably their biggest hit: Easy Livin’. What a show it was and I had an absolute blast. As I mentioned in the beginning, I wasn’t very familiar with the band, I just really wanted to see them. Turns out, I knew a lot more songs than I realized, and even the songs I wasn’t familiar with sounded great. I will dive into the Heep collection on Spotify and YouTube very soon.
Having a legacy of 50 years, most likely the band will retire in the next few years, but boy did they bring an energizing show. They sounded super tight, vocalist Bernie Shaw still has the chops and together with Mick Box forms an iconic duo. Apart from Easy Livin’ I particularly loved Gypsy, Too Scared to Run and Lady in Black.
I had a blast, and I’m very happy to have ticked them off my list. Hopefully next time they are touring I will manage to catch them again as they are worth travelling for. Uriah Heep’s music definitely has that timeless quality that resonates live, even after decades.
I hoped you enjoyed this review. Keep on following my blog as I have a lot more concerts planned for this year!
