Irish tours by Albert Lee have become infrequent in recent years, not surprisingly due to his 81 years and the fact that he lives in California, so the ‘sold out’ signs on the Empire tonight were to be expected. The ‘guitarist’s guitarist’ hadn’t played in Belfast since 2016 (with Hogan’s Heroes in The Spring & Airbrake) so anticipation was high as he took to the stage with his British three piece band and proceeded to play for almost two hours. But first off, an explanation as to why he was sitting down to play tonight, rather than standing as usual. He had slipped backwards in the shower three hours earlier and had a very sore back.
Thankfully, the injury didn’t stop him from putting on a powerful show, with songs ranging across his long and varied career.
Kicking off with the Mark Knopfler-penned Setting Me Up, a favourite since Lee recorded it back in his time with Eric Clapton, the full house visibly relaxed with the realisation that all was well with both his guitar playing and his vocals. Then it was quickly into Gram Parson’s country rock classic Wheels, followed by the rocky Spellbound, which Lee told us had been written by Emmylou’s ‘last husband’, Paul Kennerley. Next we were treated to some rockabilly, in the form of Carl Perkins’ Restless, with Lee explaining that he was very taken with Gene Vincent etc. when he was a teen. He slowed it all down then with a sublime version of his Hot Band colleague Rodney Crowell’s song from the 70’s, the wonderful Sundown. Despite the fact that Albert Lee’s Telecaster playing in the Hot Band days was unique in style and has been very influential on country guitar playing ever since, he now primarily plays his signature red Ernie Ball Music Man guitar on stage, as he did tonight.
His accompanying musicians/backing vocalists - Scotsman Ali Petrie on keys, brother Ian Petrie on bass and Englishman Tim Allston on drums - were smiling throughout like the cats that got the cream - and indeed it must be a dream tour for them! They were not found wanting and the tightness and trust between them and the hallowed band leader was a joy to behold. After a Hogan’s Hero classic, Runaway Train, Albert told the story of how he became a member of Emmylou Harris’s legendary Hot Band in 1976, after being asked to fill in temporarily for James Burton when he returned to play with Elvis Presley. Burton then decided to stay with Elvis (which probably tuned out to be a mistake, as Albert implied!) and Albert got to stay with the Hot Band. The first song he recorded when he went into to the studio with them was Gram Parson’s Luxury Liner, which he then treated us to, complete with his extended breathtaking guitar solo, closing out the first set.
The sound problems which had slightly marred the first half of the show were thankfully resolved for the second set, which began with Lay It Down, another slow burner. Albert told us about his first meeting with The Everly Brothers when they came to England in 1952, and then how they eventually became friends in 1970 when he was playing with Hands, Heads and Feet in LA’s famous venue, The Troubador. He became their regular guitar player much later, when they reunited in 1983. Although they have both now passed away, Albert assured us that he intends to be around for a while longer, as he launched into a blistering version of The Price Of Love. Ray Charles’ Leave My Woman Alone was an excuse for another extended solo. Next he switched to piano for two Jimmy Webb numbers, Too Young To Die and Highwayman. Again, we were in awe of both his mastery of the keyboard and the strength of his vocals, despite his advanced years. Another early Rodney Crowell composition, Til I Gain Control Again, was movingly played on the piano before he returned (still moving gingerly around the stage) to the guitar for a raucous version of Richard Thompson’s Tear Stained Letter, with extended interplay between himself and the dynamic keys of Ali Petrie.
Lee’s time with The Crickets was remembered with his version of Sonny Curtis’s I Fought The Law, amazingly written while Curtis was still a teenager. He closed out with the one everyone had been waiting for - the still thrilling Country Boy, with it’s extended guitar solo that has been covered by many artists, but none as effecting as the playing of the man himself. For the encore, he returned to the piano for a poignant rendition of Glen Campbell’s A Better Man and said goodbye with the rockabilly barnstormer, Tear It Up, leaving the stage to a much deserved standing ovation.
Review by Eilís Boland Photo by Julie-Ann Rouquette