Review: Philip Sayce, Support Troy Redfern

The Garage, London (November 25^th, 2023)

Reviewer: Nigel Foster / Photographer Manuela Langotsch

Standing outside the venue last night it was cold but in a way that added an edge and built the sense of anticipation for what me and the rest of the crowd knew would be an absolute guitar fest, courtesy of guest act Troy Redfern and headliner Philip Sayce. What unfurled over the next two and a half hours absolutely confirmed that expectation was correct.

Troy Redfern took to the stage solo and only had 30 minutes to make an impact and he certainly maximized his time with a demonstration of the difficult art of slide guitar played on a Resonator guitar. Troy only had time for a handful of songs but he carved each one out in a raw, earthy aggressive style, the sounds arcing and sparking from the frets  underpinning his rasped vocals. The packed crowd certainly seemed to enjoy what they had heard.

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So to Mr Sayce an absolute firebrand of an axeman who was accompanied by Sam Boole on bass and Bryan Head on drums. The three sauntered onto the tight stage and your eyes were immediately drawn to the main man, he had the look of a man that knows he is good and knew he was going to deliver us something special. He was Uber cool in a wide brimmed hat and his trademark road worn Stratocaster slung over his shoulder.

Once in situ the guys literally exploded into an intro that was an immediate statement that they are the very definition of a power trio. Rhythm section locked tight together they laid down a deep throbbing groove that provided the platform for Sayce’s guitar histrionics. Head knock rock with a slashing solo. That set the tone for the next 100 minutes that was an absolute thrill ride.

Sayce is no one trick pony evidenced by the styles of music performed that included hard rock, blues both shuffle based and slow blues and funk rock. Whatever the style Sayce dazzled with his incendiary guitar work that was fast, flowing and very fluid, at times the hand speed was mesmeric. It put me in mind of Jimi Hendrix.

‘Steamroller‘ was dropped into the set early and was a bruising rocker structured on a hard edged riff, deep grooves and a strong searching vocal.

‘Bitter Monday‘ was a veritable treat with its funk rock vibe interspersed with some serious use of the Wah Wah pedal, hands high up the neck wrenching out the notes then it was broken down to a low slung solo  with plenty of sustain.

The trio then took it down a notch after Philip introduced ‘Once‘, dedicated to his dad who passed away during Covid. The emotion generated by the origins of the song is evident with the passion fuelled playing.

Philip revealed to us that he was actually born in Aberystwyth but now of course an adopted American. Then the trio stepped into a song with that as the title with its low down groove underneath Sayce’s axework, pacey riffs spat forth as his hands traced the frets. All lifted by the rich and smooth vocal delivery.

Philip has a new album ‘The Wolves Are Coming‘ slated for a February 2024 release and he treated us to a track from the album entitled ‘Oh That Bitches Brew‘. An instant hit, a real dirty driving hard rock number littered with fiery lead breaks over the pounding rhythm. This certainly augurs well for the album.

From the off the crowd were in the trios thrall but if possible we were drawn in deeper by the spellbinding instrumental ‘5:55‘ that eventually segued into ‘Alchemy‘. Sayce stood front and centre bathed in the backdrop of deep blue lighting and eased into a passage of illuminated notes that rang out before the rhythm section flowed in with empathic tones of their own, a preface to Sayce building the depth and volume of the music. And then a moment to savour as he took the volume right down to almost nothing picking out single notes that tumbled from the frets. There was a stunned silence before he built it back up to full volume for a furious outro.

One more punchy rocker brought a tumultuous set to a fitting close and with sustained applause the guys took their leave. Of course we demanded and the band deserved an encore and it was delivered with a triple shot that included a John Lee Hooker song where Troy returned to the stage and the pair of gunslingers traded hot and heavy licks.

As the notes died away in the final song we again showered the guys with cheers and applause and they took their final bows.

It has been some years since Philip Sayce has visited the UK and he seemed genuinely moved by the reception he had received. Let us hope he revisits our shores again soon!

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Set List – Troy Redfern:

Waiting for your Love

Dark Religion

Sweet Carolina

Sanctify

Set List – Philip Sayce:

Out of my mind

Steamroller / Powerful thing

Bitter Monday

Once

Blues ain’t nothing but a good woman on your mind

Standin’ round crying

Beautiful

5:55

Alchemy

Morning Star

Spanish castle magic

Encore

Slip away

This is hip (with Troy Redfern)