Bob drove Alan and me in, and the three of us went to Hengler's Circus for dinner. The place was packed, but eventually, we managed to claim a table. While we dined, Kris Barras and his band came in for some pre-gig refreshments, but we didn't go over to harass them. After this tour went on sale, Kris Barras announced he was quitting the music industry and that this would be his final tour. I don't know whether that helped or hindered sales, but The Garage hadn't sold out, and was maybe slightly more than half full. I appreciated the breathing space after what happened at Magnum the week earlier.
The support act, 10 Years, was unfamiliar to me. I'd spent most of my time beforehand getting to know Kris's back catalogue, as he was an artist I hadn't paid much attention to. We stood in the middle of the room, but their sound quality was poor; the singer's voice was lost beneath the drums and bass. The one number that appealed to me was their cover of Nirvana's Heart-Shaped Box. I already thought they had a grungey, Soundgarden-like sound before they played this.
The music played between the two bands included Rage Against the Machine, Limp Bizkit, and Papa Roach. This set a heavy tone for what followed.
After Tenacious D's Tribute intro music, Kris and the band took the stage and launched into Who Needs Enemies. The sound was loud, again with the bass and drums drowning out the vocals. After a few songs, we bailed to the back of the room beside the mixing desk, where the sound was, unsurprisingly, better balanced.
Kris did not seem in the best of moods, playing as if contractually obliged rather than for enjoyment. At one point, a punter asked if he would sing at her wedding. That sent Kris into a tirade.
"Have you not heard? This is my last tour. I'm done with singing. No, I won't sing at your fucking wedding. Can't think of anything worse."
She shouts something at him.
"I don't know what language you're speaking. No, I won't be your fucking wedding singer." He begins the next song.
Later, he gives an impassioned speech, thanking his fans for supporting him on his journey, allowing him to play his music all around the world. It's rehearsed, but I sense he means it. Listening to him play the blues number Watching Over Me, the first song he ever wrote, I felt he'd lost his way, arriving in heavy rock when his heart should have remained in the blues. Maybe because this was his beginning and now his end, the song carried more emotion. I wish I'd recorded it.
It wasn't the best gig I've ever been to because of the sound balance issues, but it was still worth it as a night out.
My Parade
Hail Mary
 |
| 10 Years |
 |
| Kris Barras |
Setlist
Who Needs Enemies
Unbreakable
Dead Horses
Unspoken
Monsters We Made
(Interlude)
Savages
(Interlude)
These Voices
Devis You Know
Watching Over Me
Light It Up
Jamma Lamma Ding Dong (guitarist Danny Dela Cruz jamming with the band, minus Kris)
Beautiful Lie
Riot of One
(Interlude)
My Parade
Encore
Hail Mary
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| Setlist from the sound desk |
Ticket Price: £28 via Ticketmaster
