Gig review: Cold Chisel, ABC, Glasgow

ALTHOUGH their success first time round – in the late 1970s and early 80s – was confined to their native Australia, hoary rockers Cold Chisel commanded a healthy crowd for this reunion show, thanks largely to their Glasgow-born frontman Jimmy Barnes, who is no stranger to raising the roof at Barrowland.

The irrepressible Barnes is from the Brian Johnson/Dan McCafferty school of squat, sandpaper vocalists who can still muster a powerful rock scream on cue but can also turn his voice to a gruff soulfulness and a sort of sweaty tenderness when required.

The pity is that this likeable character doesn’t have the same standard of material against which to rub his gravelly tone. “Here’s a song about cars and chicks,” he barked, summing up his band’s rudimentary, rather stagnant approach to rock’n’roll.

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Still, the band powered through what they had with a no-nonsense momentum. The meat-and-potatoes sound of this greatest non-hits set covered the classic rock spectrum, from pub rock to blues boogie with incursions into proto-metal and soft rock, such as the ploddy Saturday Night, its turgid nature only compounded by a sax solo.

The efficient roots pop of Flame Trees was pure 80s MTV fodder but at least hinted at a more specifically antipodean flavour, while the AOR ballad When The War Is Over was delivered with dignified restraint, in fitting tribute to its composer Steve Prestwich, who died last year shortly after the band got back together.

Rating: **

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