The Fabulous Thunderbirds, a blues band from the hotbed of Austin Texas, have been going in various guise since about 1974 and hence, when it was announced that they were playing in Glasgow, despite not knowing a lot of their material it was definitely going to be worth checking out, more so as these days they advertise themselves as “American music” rather than blues. Now The Ferry in Glasgow has to be one of the UK’s most unusual concert venues - it IS an old ferry boat now permanently moored on the River Clyde and used as a restaurant and club venue. Arriving in time to catch a healthy crowd watching support band The Alan Nimmo Band, you could guess they were a blues band by the amount of effort they put into thinking of their name, they proved pretty good, very tight and, professional with Mr. Nimmo himself having a rich, textured voice. The songs they served up were, for the most part, standard blues and soul covers but never-the-less they went down pretty well. 

Then it was time for the T-Birds themselves. The only original member in the current line up is singer and harmonica player Kim Wilson, now backed up by a young and pretty talented group of musicians. From the start the band were tight and together with both guitarists, Mark Keller and Johnny Moeller, proving to be fine players in the blues style. Kim Wilson himself delivered adequate vocals which, in the main, were tuneful enough though not particularly strong, although in his defence he he’s been touring for 30+ years. The biggest disappointment however was the material. The little I knew of the Thunderbirds material is upbeat and fun and the bands’ own website says that’s how they play live, but what they really are, despite suggestions to the contrary, is a blues band playing songs in a bluesy style and they rarely opened it up enough to satisfy my more rocky tastes. “Tuff Enuff” came close but by half the way through the set The T-Birds showed that basically they were a one trick pony, an old blues band and that’s all they were playing. Proof of this was Wilson’s penchant for pulling out and playing his harmonica at any opportunity which the audience, to give Wilson his due, lapped up however when he started on these third unaccompanied harmonica solo of the night then enough was enough and this reviewer left them to it. The Fabulous Thunderbirds are an excellent blues band playing for blues fans and If that’s your thing then you’ll love them!

Ian Sutherland