DR FEELGOOD kick off a 14 month tour at Glasgow’s King Tuts, bringing attitude, rhythm and blues to the city on Friday evening. It was 10 o’clock by the time they hit the stage, and the crowd- full of vintage fans and swanky suits- enjoyed the throwback performance full of hits and riffs that have inspired the likes of The Strypes and The Milk of our generation.
With original band member Wiko Johnson diagnosed with terminal cancer, farewell gigs were planned. Of the pending performances, he was quoted in March saying: ” “If the cancer kicks in before that, then I can’t go on stage. I’m not going to go on stage looking ill – I don’t wanna present a sorry spectacle.” And tonight may not have included Johnson or any other original members, but the show was nothing short of fitting in memory of the men that started something that has lived throughout four decades.
Kicking off with Take a Tip, the set was full of their upbeat hits including Who Do You Love?, Milk and Alcohol and If My Baby Quits Me- the latter prompting a five minute jam between guitarist Steve Walwyn and bassist Phil Mitchell. As lead Robert Kane left the stage to leave them to it, the riff of If My Baby Quits Me reached applause and cheers from the crowd and Kane entered the stage once more to finish off the set.
Baby Jane saw lead Kane and drummer Kevin Morris treat the crowd to a harmonica solo and drumming spectacle that lead the set into an energetic throwback with lots of bravado.
King Tuts was packed; the small, intimate venue allows great access to the band with the close proximity stage to audience gap and there’s always something quite special about Friday night live gigs.
Since releasing their first single Roxette in 1974, Dr Feelgood proved they have a back catalogue to stand the test of time. Members of the audience young enough to know the music only through their parents and even grandparents got the chance to celebrate with the fans who were wild enough to be there first time around.
Classics Down By the Jetty and She Does It Right wound down the set with Gimme One More Shot closing the performance before the encore. A fitting encore of Riot in Cell Block No 9 and a mishmash of Bony Maronie/Tequela done Dr Feelgood and their respected place in music history, more than justice.
Words: Nadine Walker
