LIVE REVIEW & GALLERY: Big Country @ Epic Studios, Norwich l Corn Exchange, Ipswich l Junction, Cambridge

Epic Studios, Norwich 29th February

Corn Exchange, Ipswich 7th March

Junction, Cambridge 8th March

Support across all dates The Icicle Works

Photos taken at Corn Exchange, Ipswich

My love affair with Big Country has been a bit of a whirlwind. Other bands, including my beloved The Wonder Years, have been much more gradual, usually starting with hate, long periods of not revisiting them, and then a slow-burning journey to the top of my affections. But with Big Country, I saw them in 2021, enjoyed them, but they fell off my radar for all of 2022. I saw them again in 2023, and it's been the most intense ride ever since. They're a band I can really romanticise over—the battles through the press's disdain for them, the heartbreak of losing Stuart, the resilience to come back, and the sheer hard work they put into touring. To me, Big Country is one of the most admirable bands in the music industry. Nothing throughout their career has been easy, yet here they are still touring. Granted, not with the original lineup, but Bruce and Mark have been part of Big Country for more than my whole 40 years of life. I know bands like The Rolling Stones or Slayer and the like have been doing the same, but these have been the press darlings within their genre. When you've got praise at every opportunity, it's easier to push on.

For the run of Steeltown gigs, the band really spoiled us East Anglians, playing Norwich, Ipswich, and Cambridge. Of course, I had to do them all! Interestingly, it was the first time I've ever seen the same band two nights on the bounce, Ipswich and Cambridge, an interesting experience but maybe not one I'd repeat, simply because by the time they went on stage at Cambridge, I was ready to go to sleep. Although that was possibly my fault as I used both days to take a trip down memory lane and walk miles around both places beforehand.

Heading into the show, supporting were The Icicle Works, a band I must admit I hadn't heard of prior to them being announced for this tour. Listening to them beforehand, I enjoyed their accessible '80s sound with lots of shimmering, jangly guitars and elaborate production. So I was a little disappointed it was an acoustic set with vocalist Ian McNabb and bassist Chris Layhe, the pair having not played together in some 40 years. I'll even admit I didn't much enjoy them in Norwich, but they're definitely a grower, and by Cambridge, I was singing along to almost every word. Playing "the hits" as the band kept joking from the 1980s, their set was a picturesque collection of stripped-back sounds and a yearning bassline. I'm horrible at remembering song names, so forgive my ignorance for not including most of them. From fragile, more ballad-like tunes to the rocked-up-ness of tunes "Evangeline," it was actually rather delightful. "Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)," which was blended with excerpts from George Michael's "Faith" as the tunes are quite similar, was certainly my set highlight. It's a fantastic track and has been on my heavy rotation ever since.

I had to smile as Ian McNabb joked in his broad Liverpudlian accent that the crowd all looked much too young to have heard their music when it was released and it must have been passed down by parents or older siblings. Looking around the room at the sea of faces who were mostly all as old as the band themselves, I smiled at the fact that my rapidly approaching 40-year-old bones must have brought the average age down by a good few years!

Ending on their most popular track across all three nights, "Love Is a Wonderful Colour," it has been a real sing-along set that's left me keen to see them play with a full band.

Next up, the main event! Celebrating 40 years of the "Steeltown" album released October 1984. It centres around themes of an unshakeable belief in the integrity of the working man, beset on all sides by the hypocrisy, cynicism, and often blatant dishonesty of those in power. Big Country pride themselves on creating music for real people, revelling in their Scottish heritage, making music that's accessible and relatable to us normal folk. They don't try to over-intellectualise; they simply produce honest rock music delivered with integrity and pride.

I'll admit "Steeltown" isn't one of my favourite Big Country albums, but then I feel like I'm maybe a little strange in my choices, as I would choose "Driving to Damascus" and "Why the Long Face" even over "The Crossing." I like the more Americana sound and I enjoy the darker side of their lyrics that reflect the way Stuart has begun to view the world around him.

Unlike "The Crossing" tour in 2023, where the album favourites were dispersed within other hits, they opted to play "Steeltown" in its entirety, which I must admit I prefer. The show was more or less identical all three nights, same songs, same between-song banter and anecdotes, which I suppose some might say is boring or unimaginative, but I liked it. It shows consistency and means everyone gets to see the same show. As much as I like it when bands mix their sets up, it's always disappointing when one date gets your favourite song or some obscure rarity.

Kicking off with "Flame of the West," there's never any messing about at a Big Country show, straight into the hard-hitting anthems. The crowd, many of whom have seen the band hundreds of times, are as excited with anticipation as a teenage girl going to her first Taylor Swift concert. That's what I love—the enthusiasm of the fans is unlike any other I've experienced. There's a real community feel, a sense of being part of something bigger, a community with mutual respect for one another.

"Flame of the West" has a grand, anthemic sound; "East of Eden" is a fantastic singalong, and "Steeltown," a live favourite with its sweeping melody and elaborate vocals. Simon has now been with Big Country for just over a decade. He is now part of Big Country, previously I may have thought it's a bit like watching a cover band but Simon is not a tribute act trying to copy Stuarts delivery. He makes the lyrics his own delivering them with his own passion and sincerity. It's entirely authentic.

"Where the Rose is Sown" has a fantastic, true '80s sound, really highlighting the band's signature twin guitars with bagpipe undertones. It's a very complex sound with big shimmering riffs.

Next up was "Come Back to Me." I've got to be honest; I hate (yes, hate is a strong word, but I really do dislike it that much). Musically it grates, and the lyrics make me uncomfortable. It's like a drab funeral dirge. Doesn't matter how many times I hear it; I never warm to it. That, however, doesn't mean I don't sing every word!

"Tall Ships Go" is a track I can never remember the name of, no idea why. It's another classic '80s sound that really highlights the twin guitars. Next up were my two set highlights. Starting with "Winter Sky," which wasn't on the original full-length album, instead featuring as a b-side on “Just a Shadow”, coming in to replace "Girl with the Grey Eyes." It's a fantastic song, a much more delicate, somewhat Teenage Fanclub-esque jangle pop sound, a picturesque moment within a full blast set. A real working-class anthem too, the idea of living under a shroud of darkness waiting for the light, for the sun to shine through. "Rain Dance" is a song where certain lines just jump out at me and really touch a nerve. "It is the year to come, when this one's run," something about that line sends shivers down my spine; even typing it has given me goosebumps.

"Great Divide" is a tune where, however many times I listen, I just can't get the lyrics. I know the melody, but to actually sing along, no chance. While rocky, it has a more ethereal, dreamlike quality almost borrowing from the hypnotic quality of shoegaze within the chorus. Ending the "Steeltown" portion is fan favourite "Just A Shadow," a track always guaranteed to ignite the room.

Moving on to the Greatest Hits section, I was left wondering, what if they didn't play the hits and instead played some obscure rarities for the die-hard fans. Then from that thought, I got to thinking, how about a rarities tour? It worked for Therapy? a couple of years ago. Lads, if you're reading this2025 Rarities Tour - be great, trust me!

Anyway, "Look Away" unsurprisingly went down a storm with Simon telling each crowd he's been told people in their respective cities have the best singing voices, while that might have been true for Norwich and Cambridge, Ipswich did not have the voices of angels (sorry!). "Chance" again got the crowd in full voice. I did wonder how when Simon sings during the build-up, "Come on {insert place name}," how it works when they're playing somewhere with a name that simply doesn't fit. I can't imagine Wolverhampton working very well to the tune of "Chance"!

Into "In A Big Country," the only song to start anything that resembled a mosh pit, always a good fun sound explosion. A nice extra in Ipswich was when the band invited a young, budding guitarist onto the stage to have a jam along with them. The crowd loves it, the band loves it; it's just a great fun live anthem. "Wonderland" is much the same, and "Fields of Fire" is just, as Simon's tee always says, iconic! They mixed the latter with "Whiskey in the Jar " interludes which was fun, to be honest I would have perfer the song as is.

I'll still never get the going on and come back on for an encore; it's a little old schooL. If they didn't faff about; they could play another tune! Anyway, once back on stage, they treated us to an unexpected twist in "Restless Natives," which was a nice rocked-up ending to what had been three excellent shows!

The thing that always gets to me with Big Country, right from the first show back in 2021 even when I didn't quite "get it," is their onstage dynamic. Gil pulling faces at Jamie, Jamie and his Dad pulling poses and messing about—the clear rapport Simon has with them all (Mark's sat behind the biggest drum kit I've ever seen, so tends to miss out on the onstage silliness). It's clear that while the band takes the music seriously, they don't take themselves too seriously. Even on the mega 30+ date tours that would have much younger musicians proclaiming fatigue and bailing after 10 nights, the Big Country boys always look like they're having fun and enjoying what they're doing.

The gags each night might have been the same, the guitar tech being introduced as the Drummer from Bon Jovi, Bruce telling us how blind he is and needs his pedals in braille and the costume changes which involved them all taking their jackets off, as well as the same descriptions when introducing the band members. The story of Benny and Bjorn from Abba letting them use their studio to record "Steeltown" featured at every date. Cambridge did get treated to a rendition of "Happy Birthday" sung to one of the chaps of the merch stand, but for the most part, the shows were identical, but I didn't mind, I enjoyed the consistency. What I did find charming was that on this tour, Simon took on more of the talking role, which is interesting given the first time I saw them he barely spoke, and I went away thinking "he's a miserable sod!" so it was nice to get more of an insight into his personality. Simon even introduced Stuart Adamson, which at Norwich, I thought was a little strange, but by Cambridge felt it was a fitting tribute.

The last thing I must mention is the fans, the family feeling you get at a Big Country show, camaraderie like no other I've experienced. On arriving at Norwich, I met John, someone I know of from his prolific posting on social media. I said hello, plonked myself down, and started chewing his ears off like I'd known him for years. This newfound friendship lasted for the whole run of shows I attended. I'm not sure you'd get that at other bands' gigs. At the Cambridge show, I was introduced to a couple of other die-hard fans, in particular, Neil, who had sadly recently lost his wife of 40+ years. What really struck me was during the show each one of the band at some point, knowing his news, gestured to him to make sure he was okay. Sure, I know you could argue this is good for PR, but having hung about after the Ipswich show to kill time waiting for my train and briefly speaking to Jamie and having a lengthy conversation with Gil, I can assure you Big Country are some of the nicest, most authentic people in rock. They genuinely value their fans and treat the ones who go night after night more like friends than fans. I admire the fans who can do most dates on a tour, travelling up and down the country. I did two nights at Big Country and then went to another gig on the third night, and by Sunday, all I wanted to do was sleep!

To conclude, an excellent run of three shows I enjoyed every minute. From the performance itself to the fans to the choice of venues. Big Country is an interesting band that needs to be unpacked to be understood. A lot of what at first glance could appear to be sappy love songs unveil so much more when deconstructed. Love songs to their working-class roots, protests towards the government and treatment of people, tales of lost love converse themselves to be the loss of belief in oneself. There's so much more darkness in their words than reveals itself with a casual listen. There's a reason James Dean Bradfield of the Manics cites Big Country as one of their biggest inspirations.

That's me done with shows for now. I may do London, but with Kirsten Adamson in Leicester a few days before and an in office day the next day, I'm contemplating how wise that would be. I'll definitely be at Peterborough, another old stomping ground, and will likely do another date before that. It will be interesting to see Mike Peters support. I wonder if they’ll join up and play any of their largely shunned "The Journey" album? Anyway, until later in the year...