Review: The Winery Dogs/Inglorious

O2 Ritz, Manchester, 4 Feb 2016

Reviewer: Peter Scallan

At only just over £20 a ticket this seemed like an excellent value for money double bill combining the excellent and upcoming Inglorious and the seasoned pros of Messrs Kotzen, Sheehan and Portnoy of The Winery Dogs. As I was going to be in Manchester I just couldn’t resist a punt so I coughed up my dough for the show!

The Inglorious debut album is out in the next few weeks but I was fortunate enough to get an advance copy for review purposes and what an album it is. Therefore, I had been looking forward to seeing these guys based on the album. The set opened with the albums opening track Until I Die and from the get-go I knew I wasn’t going to be disappointed. The guys thundered though this song with vocalist extraordinaire Nathan James giving it to us from the off. This was quickly followed by the lead track from the album (do we call them singles anymore?) Breakaway before the band took a quick breather and introduced themselves. Surprisingly next up was a cover of Rainbow’s I Surrender which sounded a little rushed to me but none the less continued to get the crowd onside.

The band returned to their debut album and played High Flying Gypsy which sounded even better live to me than on the album. Bleed for You, Warning and You’re Mine which Mr James introduced by explaining it was co-written with Joel Hoekstra, all followed. However, the highlight of the set for me was the excellent Holy Water which truly shows off the talents of Mr James with its bluesy groove. Another cover followed in the shape of Toto’s Girl Goodbye in which the band demonstrated some very neat harmony vocals indeed, making me wonder why they don’t do this more! Girl Got a Gun was next and again highlights how the band use light and shade in their repertoire with the bluesy laid back verses and the raunchy riffed-up bridge leading into a killer chorus. Sadly, Unaware which was the next song was to be the last and closed the set just as it closes the album. However, I don’t think it will be the last we have heard of these guys. If you get the chance, check them out for yourself on their up and coming headlining club tour later in the month.

Headline act The Winery Dogs have been about for a couple of years as a unit but the guys in the band have CVs the length of Oxford Street in Manchester. With such virtuoso players inevitably one would expect lots of showboating and soloing as we were treated to some serious guitar, bass and drum porn! After all that’s what we paid our money for, is it not? Drawing songs for the set from both albums the opener was Oblivion from the latest album which has the feel of Mr Big. I suppose this is kinda inevitable considering two of the three guys are/were in that band. This was quickly followed by the corny Captain Love which I just lurv personally. From the opening riff to the bridge and that staccato chorus it’s just right up my street. The guys then dipped into the first album for We Are One which also rocked and Richie Kotzen showed his credentials as a vocalist too. Next up was Hot Streak which funked the proceedings up suitably and Billy Sheehan treated us to the first bass solo of the evening during this song. How Long was introduced on the drums by the magnificent Mike Portnoy whom I am sure had three arms at one point. Being fairly new to the band I didn’t recognise the next song which was Time Machine. Turns out my copy of the first album has Criminal on it instead. However, it certainly didn’t stop me enjoying the song.

There was also an impromptu round of happy birthday from the crowd for Richie, which used up one of Mike Portnoy’s between songs fills. The excellent Empire was rolled out before bassist and drummer left the stage to Kotzen sing Fire acoustically on his own. I hasten to add the Manchester crowd provided some stunning assistance during the choruses. The mellow theme continued with Ritchie sitting at the Wurlitzer piano to give a rendition of Think It Over aided and abetted by Messrs Sheehan and Portnoy. And it was just superb! Mike Portnoy then treated us to a superb drum solo intro for The Other Side from the first album and the guys moved back into first gear for this one. There was also an extended guitar solo and Portnoy decide to hit everything and anything with his sticks all over the stage to great effect and amusement. The guys stayed in top gear for Ghost Town before dropping down a gear or two for I’m No Angel, which was also superb, before closing the set with Elevate. When the guys returned for the encore they kicked off with the Wurlitzer intro of the awesome Regret which is blues rock of the highest order before Kotzen kicked in with guitar and lifts the song. The ultimate closing track was Desire in which the crowd had a second opportunity to demonstrate their vocal talent and did so with great gusto.

Quite possibly the best £20 or so I have spent in a long time, this bill didn’t disappoint. Its testament to just how good The Winery Dogs are that they took Inglorious out as the opening band as many bands might struggle to follow them with the quality of their songs and of course the vocal talents of Mr James! It’s just a pity that more people around the UK couldn’t get a chance to see these two together.