Walking into the OVO Hydro tonight, it’s clear the venue isn’t packed to capacity, but the crowd are still buzzing with anticipation for a great night of rock.
Kicking things off with fan favourite ‘Me And Mary Jane’, Black Stone Cherry take the stage with explosive energy. From the start, guitarist Ben Wells is bounding about and feeding off the crowd’s enthusiasm. It’s not just him, though—every member of the band seems animated, fully locked into the performance.
After a superb rendition of ‘Again’, frontman Chris Robertson pauses to speak to the crowd, sharing how much the band loves playing in Glasgow. It’s a city they always make a point to visit multiple times on every tour, a sentiment that resonates deeply with the fans.
One of the standouts of the night comes with ‘The Mess You Made’ from their latest album ‘Screamin’ at the Sky’. Punchy and powerful – it’s a clear reminder that the band still has plenty of fire in their music.
Midway through the set, things take an emotional turn with ‘Stay’, delivered with heartfelt intensity, before a rip-roaring ‘Cheaper To Drink Alone’. This becomes a showcase for the band’s technical skill, complete with extended guitar and drum solos, plus an electric crowd call-and-response led by Chris.
The most poignant moment of the evening arrives when Chris takes the stage solo for ‘Things My Father Said’. With the lights dimmed and a sea of phone lights illuminating the room, Chris shares a moving thought: he sees those lights as reminders that the people we’ve lost still shine on.
The mood is quickly lifted back up with ‘In My Blood’, followed by a brilliant cover of The Cult’s ‘American Horse’, featuring guest appearances from Ayron Jones and John Cooper of Skillet.
Ben takes a moment to connect with the crowd, joking about being from Glasgow, Kentucky, making the band feel at home despite being over 3,000 miles away.
The main set wraps up with a triple hit of ‘White Trash Millionaire’, ‘Lonely Train’, and “Blame It On The Boom Boom”, each song pushing the crowd’s energy to its peak.
For the encore, the band strips things back with ‘Peace Is Free’. Chris and Ben begin the song together, before Chris ventures into the crowd to connect with fans while bassist Steve Jewell and drummer John Fred Young rejoin on stage to bring the performance to a rousing close.
Black Stone Cherry have long been hailed as one of the best rock bands around, and tonight’s performance at the Hydro only cements that reputation further!
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