The Maudlin Hounds - Campsie Memorial Halls, Lennoxtown (UK) - 11th May 2012
Flying in all the way from Norway to Lennoxtown in the Campsie Fells on the outskirts of Glasgow, power-pop trio The Maudlin Hounds not only turned in a stunning set of hook infested good time rock ‘n’ roll, but undoubtedly made some new friends in the process. Organised by Steven Craven - the powerhouse drummer of support act Crackerman - tonight’s show was meant to be a little gig for some local bands. However pulling some strings via facebook Craven managed to get The Maudlin Hounds to agree to visit Scotland to add a little more glitz, experience and genuine rock star attraction to the occasion.
Happy to oblige, the trio of guitarist and singer Alf Vesterelv, bassist Tommy Granli and drummer Nikolai Haugstad Medgard turned up, plugged in and played as though their lives depended on it. The little hall and local audience maybe weren’t prepared for it (judging by the early feedback problems, the soundman was caught out anyway), but The Maudlin Hounds were in no mood to take any prisoners. Highlighting the heavy rocking, yet irresistibly catchy tracks from their excellent new album ‘The Roaring Season’, we were treated to glorious versions of ‘Hello, Hello’, ‘The Roaring Season’ and ‘Skyfire Lightning’, the latter of which featured some of the best three part harmonies I’ve ever heard.
Changing tack, the trio then began to fire out a few cover versions to ensure that the less erudite music lovers in the audience didn’t lose interest, with their version of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s ‘Fortunate Son’, being a sure fire winner. A quick medley of Zeppelin numbers was then given new life, before the band returned to their own impossible to resist compositions. ‘Foul Beneath The Sun’ changed the pace, with its staccato thump, before the best song the band have produced so far, ‘Bring On The Band’, which tells of the Maudlin’s first, disastrous gig - something that was never likely to be repeated tonight - giving Alf the chance to mesmerise with his captivating voice and Nikolai to belt seven shades of hell out of the drums!
It maybe wasn’t the most obvious of locations, and the audience wasn’t made up of the sort of folks that this trio would usually entertain, but in any situation a good band is a good band. Are The Maudlin Hounds good? No, they’re bloody great! Release the Hounds!!
Steven Reid
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