GIG REVIEW – The Chain

On Saturday 3rd July I went over to The Elms Pub which is almost at my backdoor to watch a live band ‘The Chain’ who are a local West Sussex band from the Chichester area.

Now I knew two people from the band via websites such as Facebook, Myspace & Whotune but never heard the band live. So after talking to singer/songwriter Steve Christopher (lead guitar) & Dawn Gracie (vocals) it was time to let them set up, tune up & go live.
Now you can imagine as much as you like, second guessing how any band will sound live. I had seen videos & heard MP3 tracks of ‘The Chain’ but nothing prepared me for what I heard that hot summer night in Worthing.

My friends had arrived & just with a few short guitar rifts from Steve, Pete & Jo in a tune up they said “you know I’m happy already”. The girls came on Vibeke Huges (Vee) & Dawn and they (the band) went into a sound check by performing ‘The Chain’ a Fleetwood Mac classic from the album ‘Rumours’ and being a F1 fan too it has always been a favourite of mine.
This sound check or warm up call it what you like was just amazing the guitar work truly top rank & my friend Graham said “are your telling me THAT is just the warm?”

Well when The Chain kicked off into an action packed rocking few hours of non-stop classic tracks ranging from Guns n Roses, Bon Jovi to Lily Allen & Katy Perry to Alanis Morissette & Michael Jackson covers to name a few it all just blew me away.
One track ‘Copperfield Road’ a classic track by Steve Earle my friend Graham was forced to jump in air with excitement it being his favourite track and saying The Chain performed it with total class and said it left him with a buzz.

I was listening to comments from friends around who were commenting on everyone in band & all what they said I had to agree with.
Steve Christopher makes his guitar sing & BOY does he? You know his so humble that guy? In 5min break he was concerned due to extreme heat it was affecting his guitar well we as sure as hell could not tell as the sound was amazing like a craftsmen with his axe he cut through the tracks with sheer precession.
As for Jo Pritchard from Electric to acoustic man the sound was good. He changed instruments throughout the night to fit the tracks & played with perfection. A comment I heard was “I have never seen anyone play an acoustic & make it sound so amazing”.
As for Andy Bates on drums I really felt for this guy the heat was so bad that night with added stage lights no windows open talking extreme temperatures & the action, power & energy he put in every track it just kept on coming. We later found out his secret was a secret mini bucket of jellybeans.
Now as for bass guitar I always find in music throughout years that the bass player gets forgotten for example once heard Queen described to me as Freddy Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor & that bass guy but you cannot forget Pete (*surname withheld by request) his playing stands out so much especially in the big meaty rock tracks. For a small guy he packs a big sound.
Now the girls Dawn Gracie & Vibeke Huges (Vee) I thought for this review shall I mention them separate or together? Well thing is I heard from friends all night that “don’t they both work off one another so well?” and also “both their voices sound so right together” which I had to agree as you hear for example ‘Sweet Child Of Mine’ (as featured on CRMK Radio http://www.thegroover.net ) you hear both their voices sounding totally awesome together. As for Dawn someone said “doesn’t that girl stand still for five minutes” not saying Vibeke does it is just that Dawn jumps off stage running around singing among those enjoying the show true showmanship for sure. It sort of shouts at you loud that the band are having fun too. When you see the two girls go into their dance routine in instrumental breaks within tracks their timing is spot on & like everything to do with The Chain the routines are filled with high energy.
Dawn and Vibeke both sing as one with this equal sound both complimenting the other which makes their voices sort of blend together. Their true power behind each individually does come clear to you during the evening.

The whole evening was a fantastic joy for the ears and for the soul. After the gig had ended, everything packed away my friends talked and I remember one friend who had seen many big names in his time say “you know mate all the bands I have seen none have ever moved me to dance before like these did tonight they really rock”.

If I had to sum up The Chain and also that gig I would have to be forced to use my friend Baz comment THEY REALLY ROCK

They say they want to get into a party band …. Man I love to have them at any party

Check them out on
Official site
http://www.thechain.biz
Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/The-Chain/127749987768?ref=ts