Ian McLagan & The Bump Band
Ian McLagan & The Bump Band
Lucky Lounge
Austin, Texas
Ian McLagan, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, put on a warm performance in Austin’s Lucky Lounge. His band, made up of a drummer, bassist, guitarist, and himself, was spectacularly talented. Their long set was filled with diverse songs and heavy blues and classic rock influence. McLagan was also a charismatic speaker, and the audience appeared to enjoy the time in between songs almost as much as they enjoyed the music.
Near the beginning of the set, Ian McLagan & The Bump Band performed the bluesy “Been a Long Time.” This song captured the blues and rock fusion that defines the band. McLagan’s proficiency on the keyboard created a luscious texture to which the rest of the band added the rhythm and accompaniments. His vocals were always precise and driving, and each song took breaks from the vocals for strong guitar and keyboard solos. The band members had a light-hearted attitude; for example, McLagan commented that it was “just the right price” at the free show, and if the audience didn’t like the show, they could “just walk out.” Later in the set, the band played “Never Say Never.” This song had interesting changing time signatures that displayed the musical prowess of the band as well as an impressive extended guitar solo. “Date With An Angel,” which also featured the organ, was a beautiful ballad displaying the band’s more quiet side. Another great aspect of the band was the musical noodling between songs. The drummer experimented with different noises, such as the scraping of his sticks against his cymbals. The other members of the band performed different sounds that all fit together in an artful way.
McLagan is able to bring his years of working with acts such as The Faces, The Small Faces, and The Rolling Stones to his current band. He captures the energy and sounds of 1960’s classic rock in an interesting and different way. The talent of each musician on stage was very apparent, and McLagan was able to connect to the audience throughout the performance.
by Hunter Tolbert
Lucky Lounge
Austin, Texas
Near the beginning of the set, Ian McLagan & The Bump Band performed the bluesy “Been a Long Time.” This song captured the blues and rock fusion that defines the band. McLagan’s proficiency on the keyboard created a luscious texture to which the rest of the band added the rhythm and accompaniments. His vocals were always precise and driving, and each song took breaks from the vocals for strong guitar and keyboard solos. The band members had a light-hearted attitude; for example, McLagan commented that it was “just the right price” at the free show, and if the audience didn’t like the show, they could “just walk out.” Later in the set, the band played “Never Say Never.” This song had interesting changing time signatures that displayed the musical prowess of the band as well as an impressive extended guitar solo. “Date With An Angel,” which also featured the organ, was a beautiful ballad displaying the band’s more quiet side. Another great aspect of the band was the musical noodling between songs. The drummer experimented with different noises, such as the scraping of his sticks against his cymbals. The other members of the band performed different sounds that all fit together in an artful way.
McLagan is able to bring his years of working with acts such as The Faces, The Small Faces, and The Rolling Stones to his current band. He captures the energy and sounds of 1960’s classic rock in an interesting and different way. The talent of each musician on stage was very apparent, and McLagan was able to connect to the audience throughout the performance.
by Hunter Tolbert
