Nine Below Zero - Live At The Marquee
Occasionally we get news of something which I get really excited by, the sort of thing which really makes me sit up and take notice, the sort of thing that I know is going to be a moment which I’m going to remember for a long while to come, and when we were sent through a copy of the Nine Below Zero Live At The Marquee album, I knew this was going to be one of those moments. Formed in 1977 originally, Nine Below Zero are legends on the blues scene, effectively a Cult British Blues Band that play the music they love, stick to what they do well, and do what they do damned well.
Recorded across two nights at The Marquee in London, this live album doesn’t just show off a band that play the blues, it shows off where the band came from, where they started and where their sound has developed from. Originally released in 1980, this is a gem of an album which you need to own if you’re a fan of the band, simply because it brings back the memories of them on the live front, but also because it also features previously unreleased bonus tracks AND a bonus DVD – which has to be pretty good doesn’t it? Add into that a liner sleeve full of notes from band members and those associated with the band as well as rare photos and this is the complete package for the fan of Nine Below Zero, one to make sure you’ve got.
Track after track seems to flow out of this album, from the opening moments of Tore Down through to I Can’t Help Myself, on to Ridin’ On The L&N, each track reminding us why these guys were as popular as they were in their day. There’s got to be something special going on when you recognise pretty much every track that’s played on an album, and that’s what’s going on here. Further to that, the quality of musicianship on offer from the band is quite frankly stunning, the tracks sounding easily as accomplished as modern recordings done in a studio, and this is recorded live.
There’s always something special about live albums from bands as they manage to capture the feeling of the venue when they were playing, and with Nine Below Zero Live At The Marquee that’s definitely the case, it’s almost like being there if you crank the volume up and close your eyes. Stand out moments for me were I Can’t Help Myself, I Can’t Quit you Baby (talk about some real blues riffs and guitar work!) and Hootchie Cootchie Coo, all tracks which seem to epitomise the sound of the band. Add in the banter between the band and the audience in the venue at the time and you can’t help but feel a part of the show, almost like being there and feeling what it was like to be part of such a historic album.
The DVD which accompanies the album in the new reissue is also something to make sure you check out, recorded at the show and showing exactly what it was like to be at that gig. It’s striking how much of a presence the band command on the stage, owning the venue from the word go and belting out their blues orientated tracks with aplomb, each one sounding as fresh as the day it was written and showing just how timeless good music can be when it’s done as well as this.
Definitely an album you need to get out and purchase if you’re a fan of Nine Below Zero or just the blues in general, check out some of their website HERE to get hold of it for yourself!
Words: Dave Nicholls
Recorded across two nights at The Marquee in London, this live album doesn’t just show off a band that play the blues, it shows off where the band came from, where they started and where their sound has developed from. Originally released in 1980, this is a gem of an album which you need to own if you’re a fan of the band, simply because it brings back the memories of them on the live front, but also because it also features previously unreleased bonus tracks AND a bonus DVD – which has to be pretty good doesn’t it? Add into that a liner sleeve full of notes from band members and those associated with the band as well as rare photos and this is the complete package for the fan of Nine Below Zero, one to make sure you’ve got.
Track after track seems to flow out of this album, from the opening moments of Tore Down through to I Can’t Help Myself, on to Ridin’ On The L&N, each track reminding us why these guys were as popular as they were in their day. There’s got to be something special going on when you recognise pretty much every track that’s played on an album, and that’s what’s going on here. Further to that, the quality of musicianship on offer from the band is quite frankly stunning, the tracks sounding easily as accomplished as modern recordings done in a studio, and this is recorded live.
There’s always something special about live albums from bands as they manage to capture the feeling of the venue when they were playing, and with Nine Below Zero Live At The Marquee that’s definitely the case, it’s almost like being there if you crank the volume up and close your eyes. Stand out moments for me were I Can’t Help Myself, I Can’t Quit you Baby (talk about some real blues riffs and guitar work!) and Hootchie Cootchie Coo, all tracks which seem to epitomise the sound of the band. Add in the banter between the band and the audience in the venue at the time and you can’t help but feel a part of the show, almost like being there and feeling what it was like to be part of such a historic album.
The DVD which accompanies the album in the new reissue is also something to make sure you check out, recorded at the show and showing exactly what it was like to be at that gig. It’s striking how much of a presence the band command on the stage, owning the venue from the word go and belting out their blues orientated tracks with aplomb, each one sounding as fresh as the day it was written and showing just how timeless good music can be when it’s done as well as this.
Definitely an album you need to get out and purchase if you’re a fan of Nine Below Zero or just the blues in general, check out some of their website HERE to get hold of it for yourself!
Words: Dave Nicholls
