Erja Lyytinen Oxford Academy 2 02-04-2025

 

First up was Sunderland 5 piece Thieves Of Liberty who sadly for me had passed me by until now.

Their 40 minute set of classic rock had it all. Big riffs with a great rhythm section and great vocals and guitar solo's a plenty all played with a confidence and assurance that big things await them.

The band James Boak on vocals, Kieran Wilson on guitar, Liam Lindsley on guitar, Pete Kinmond on bass and Tom Bushby on drums released their debut ep in 2022 and debut album Shangri La in November 2024.

They really did have it all with mid set banger Smoke In The Air having all the ingredients with it's huge riff even bigger chorus that lead to a trading guitar solo's part that showed Liam and Kieran can do it all effortlessly followed by a Paradise City like band interplay with Pete and Tom showing a wonderful sense of timing.

Luminescent Daydream was the obligatory ballad with James showing tone and soul and melody in his vocal and then a guitar solo with held notes and melody and belying their tender years writing a song that good.

The title track of the album Shangri La finished a set that showed wonderful promise and really deserved a larger audience than we had but they played it like it was Wembley Stadium and I for one look forward to seeing them grow.

Erja Lyytinen has just released her excellent new album Smell The Roses and over the course of 90 minutes we were treated to 8 of the 9 songs from the album.

Backed by her band Heikki Saarenkunnas on bass guitar and Jesse Lehto on drums who both played superbly with poise and control to back Erja and their interplay was exemplary with some superb light and shade.

Ball And Chain from the new album started the show sadly with some issues with her pedal board but once sorted the big stop start riff and big chorus impressed and the slide guitar solo that Erja is best known for was perfect for the song as she danced over the fretboard.

Wings To Fly was next with some light and shade as the big stop start intro fades into a picked verse with some dextrous slide gentle strumming. In the mid song break the rhythm team shone with some fantastic drumming from Jesse with Heikki effortlessly on point.

Going To Hell with it's fast fingered riff and superb drum rhythm from Jesse had a real groove in the verse and Erja showed off her technique in the pre solo and the solo itself is delightful full of poise and melody and showing that she can really play it all and that this side of her work for me has developed in the last few albums superbly.

Dragonfly has more groove and light and shade with some ad libbed slide playing and the many worded chorus with melody shows Erja is a world class vocalist and effortlessly into a beautiful guitar solo without a breath taken.

The title track Smell The Roses took the pace up a notch with more band interplay in the verse and the big chorus eases the pace slightly and another non slide fiery guitar solo.

Next up was my favourite track off the new album. Abyss is a departure for Erja with a dropped D riff showing a heaviness that sees Erja plough a new furrow. The big riff starts the song before the first verse shows a restraint and wonderful bass work from Heikki with light and shade all over it and some Erja add libs too. Your waiting for the big riff to come back and after the second chorus it's back with a bang and Erja plays 2 totally different guitar solo's in the mid song section all held together by the rhythm team. Be interesting over the next few albums if we see more of this as it works wonderfully well.

Empty Hours takes it all stripped back with a breathless Erja vocal before it's back to the back catalogue and You Talk Dirty and its' pounding riff.

Stoney Creek sees the band evolve on a bluesy number with lots of slide guitar and again the rhythm team showing their class.

First single off the new album The Ring is next and it's fast paced riff and rhythm are perfect for the live setting and Erja excels vocally in the chorus and the slide guitar solo is a work of art.

Finishing the set with crowd favourite Wedding Day with lots of slide guitar over it's 15 minutes and enjoyed the interplay between Erja and Heikki with them trying to outdo each other.

Erja left the stage and straight to the merch stand as her night continued.

Smell The Roses sees Erja expand her repertoire and it worked so very well in the live setting but the small crowd on the night was a worrying sight for live music as a whole and both artists deserve full houses as both played their asses off.

All photos used with thanks and credited to Marty Moffatt.