After a gruelling 16 date UK tour, the last gig finally arrived for Glenn Hughes and his band (Soren Andersen guitar, Anders Olinder, keyboards and drummer Pontus Enborg) at the Brook.

From the opening notes of Muscle & Blood, which kicked off a electrifying two hour set, it was evident that the ‘Voice of Rock’ was not going to let the fatigue of the road get in the way of a good time.

The capacity crowd were treated to a varied and enthralling musical retrospective, from the former Deep Purple and Trapeze bassist/vocalist. Right from the off, Hughes moved around with plenty of swagger and Black Country grit, at times it seemed that the Brooks stage was too small to contain the shear power this band was generating.

With great interplay between Hughes and Guitarist, Andersen each song was delivered with more than a classic rock touch. Soul Mover, the Way it is and Medusa all confirmed why Hughes is the ‘Voice of Rock’. With a bass style and vocal delivery clearly showing his Motown and R&B roots, the whole set was laced with a heavy yet funk laden groove.

Looking like a young Scott Gorham, from Thin Lizzy, Andersen’s playing and stage presence, personified the rock guitarist image, while Engborg’s solid and heavy back beat, gave Hughes the space in which to shine.

With plenty of audience interaction, it was clear that Hughes was enjoying his first visit to Southampton in 15 years, cracking jokes, telling stories and delivering a heartfelt roll call of friends no longer with us, including Ronnie James Dio and Quite Riot’s singer Kevin DuBrow.

The set ended with the emotionally delivered Addiction before the band ripped into a solid and rousing rendition of Deep Purple’s Burn. As Hughes and the band left the stage the crowed were left to contemplate the Harley Davidson type backdrop, which confirmed that the music they had just witnessed was indeed ‘Made in the Black Country’

Richard Bennett