Uriah Heep just wrapped up its 2019 North American tour and my husband and I had the privilege of attending two of their shows: Knuckleheads in Kansas City and the Portland, Oregon gig, where they opened for Judas Priest. Knuckleheads was a Heep only show between stops on the Priest tour, so we were fortunate to experience their new full set. Fans planning to see Uriah Heep headlining as they continue their Living the Dream tour around the world are in for a real treat! The full set is an awesome mix of new and classic Uriah Heep, honoring both the heavy and quieter moments. But don’t get me wrong. The shorter set was amazing as well, showcasing many of the heaving hitting songs from Living the Dream.
The Heavy
Both gigs opened with the fever pitched Grazed by Heaven. Although it’s not my top pick on the new album, I do love its intensity. It was an effective way to quickly pump up the crowd, and grab the attention of diehard metal fans there for the Judas Priest tour, especially since many may not be familiar with Uriah Heep’s recent work. The Priest gig continued with other heavy fast-paced songs including Take Away My Soul, Knocking at My Door, and Rocks in the Road. Old favorites like Rainbow Demon, Stealin’, Gypsy, Look at Yourself, and Easy Livin’ also made the set list. With only an hour to play, it must have been tough to squeeze both new and old favorites from their massive catalog into a one hour show.
The Heart
At Knuckleheads in Kansas City, we were treated to about half and hour more, including fan favorite July Morning. They pretty much hit every one of our classic favorites. They also had time to give us more from the new album, like the title track and the gorgeous Waters Flowin’. I love these more subdued moments in a Uriah Heep concert and really missed them in the Portland gig. These tracks are among my favorites on Living the Dream. I love that the title track starts at a more mellow pace. It really highlights Bernie Shaw’s beautiful tone. But then the song builds brilliantly in intensity. By the end, you can clearly hear the strength of each of the instruments, and each musician has a space to shine.
Waters Flowin’ was absolutely fantastic live. Mick Box started out on acoustic guitar, and the heavenly sound filled the room, nearly bringing chills to me and probably many other sweltering Knuckleheads guests. The harmonies on this song are lovely, and Bernie brings such depth and feeling to the lyric. The crowd really seemed to enjoy this one.
Knuckleheads
Overall, the crowd at Knuckleheads was a real stinker. Knuckleheads is quite the quirky venue and the Garage where Heep played was like a sauna that evening. Although parts of the walls opened up, and in theory there should have been some outside airflow, the air was still and sticky. Large tables with folding chairs filled the center of the room and old theater seating on raised platforms lined the perimeter. A tiny area for standing bordered the stage. I love to be up front if possible, but it was not meant to be. The crowd was mostly unenthusiastic to say the least. Barely anyone stood. Sadly, I was among the seated that night. I had an unscheduled minor medical procedure on my foot earlier that day and at one point wasn’t even sure I could make the three hour trip to KC. Who am I kidding. Of course I was there! But my numb foot meant that all I could do was barely hobble into the venue, plop myself in the chair, and soak in the energy from this remarkable performance. A feeling that carried me through the massive throbbing that luckily waited to begin until after the concert concluded. What crazy stupid things have you done to get to a Heep concert? Really. I want to know!
Although I stood for the encore, it was mostly a sedentary affair, and the guys didn’t have a lot of crowd energy to work with. Despite this, and the horrendous heat, they worked their butts off, giving us a fantastic show. They were soaked, and must have been extremely dehydrated after that one.
PDX was Pumped!
While the KC crowd was reserved (to put it politely) the Portland crowd was extremely pumped to see Judas Priest. We had screamers behind us whose mission was to try to get everyone else in the venue to scream until the show started. Priest fans are dedicated and apparently not afraid to show their emotions. As much as I’ve said that I always wanted to see Heep in a large venue to feel the energy of a big crowd, this particular experience wasn’t as powerful as I would have liked. The fans around us were there for Priest, not Heep, and although they cheered and gave them a good reception, it just wasn’t the same as going to a Heep show with awesome Heep fans. I love hearing others talk about their memories of other concerts or their first album. Midwest Heep fans can be super friendly and often we have a fun exchange or two with people that are soooooo excited to see them perform and share with others. PDX Priest fans had a different kind of edge, and frankly Judas Priest isn’t really my thing, but that’s okay. I give Judas Priest and their fans mad respect for their devotion and exuberance, and I hope a bunch of crowd became fans or renewed their interest in Uriah Heep as well.
I’m sure it’s invigorating for Uriah Heep to play some larger North American venues. But does the average Priest fan get Heep? In my (very biased) opinion, Uriah Heep is just so much more multifaceted in their sound and lyric. The mood varies in intensity, and it has more ebb and flow. There is less production, but more of a musical journey. A perfect mix of heavy and heart. Even in a song with darker undertones like Take Away My Soul, there is optimism and empowerment in the lyric. I love that dichotomy in Uriah Heep’s music.
Talent and Tenaciousness
I’m sure many Priest fans also recognized the talent and passion that goes into a Heep show, and the reputation of the band proceeds them. I heard one fan in Portland say something like Uriah Heep is supposed to have an amazing drummer. Indeed! Russell Gilbrook is spectacular to watch in these live shows. If you aren’t following him on social media yet, do it! He shares video from behind the kit, which will make you even more in awe of his craft. It’s physical work, and I don’t know how he was able to play in that miserable heat of Knuckleheads.
Mick Box got a big cheer from Priest and Heep fans. There’s nothing like watching this wah wah wizzard’s fingers fly. He exudes so much passion for his work and love for the fans. Mick and Phil wrote some stellar songs for the new album. It must be a fantastic feeling as Box slides into the band’s 50th year. Perhaps slide is not the right term. In no way do I mean to infer that this band is coasting. They work hard, and if anything this band is climbing and intensifying. They are tenacious, forceful, and cohesive.
Bernie Shaw was the charismatic frontman as always, playing the small venue with the same energy as the stadium. His voice is strong and has such lovely tone on the softer tunes. He guides the audience on a blissful journey through nearly 50 years of rock.
Phil Lanzon brings the Hammond organ to Heep’s unique sound and along with Box, writes the majority of Heep’s music today. He’s also an author. I started reading his new fantasy novel, Curse of the Mudchalk Devil, on the plane ride out to Portland. Music plays a large role in this story, and it was a fun read with lots of imagination and a positive message for young people.
Bassist Davey Rimmer helps bring cohesive intensity to Uriah Heep’s sound. He co-wrote Grazed by Heaven with Jeff Scott Soto, which sets the vigorous tone for their live shows and the new album. At the Portland show, we were on the Davey side of the stage, so it was fun to see more of him live.
When you go to a Uriah Heep show, you know you will see passion, hard work, superb talent from each member of the band, and a lot of love given back to the fans. The past few years, we have tried to make holidays around Heep concerts, and coordinate trips home to Oregon to visit family, or take a short vacation at the same time. We look forward to these trips for months and we are never disappointed. Uriah Heep puts on stellar live shows. They are invigorating, energetic, passion filled extravaganzas, and they seem to only get better with time. We had a blast seeing them at Knuckleheads in Kansas City and the Portland Moda Center. Go see Uriah Heep in 2019 if you can.
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