Richie Kotzen Islington Academy London 2024 – review and photos by Dawn Osborne

There’s no support tonight and the show is slightly earlier than usual. Richie Kotzen is here with the bassist that he uses in America on the Monsters of Rock Cruise Dylan Wilson and new hire Kyle Hughes (Bumblefoot). But that’s not the extent of the talent on the stage tonight.. do read on.

Kicking off with ‘Losing My Mind’ from 2004’s ‘Get Up’ album, it’s amazing falsetto from the off, appropriate for a song about getting high. How many notes can you fit in between the line of a verse while still sounding in total control? I am not sure, but for ‘War Paint’ from 2014’s ‘Essential Richie Kotzen’ it’s a lot and its masterful solo always makes it a set piece. On into ‘Fooled Again’ from ‘Go Faster’ (2007) even the licks between lines of the verse once again seem like mini solos in their own right.

In a heavier section, ‘Dogs’ from 2020’s ‘50 for 50’ album seems a bit angry. While Wilson gets funky on bass in ‘Bad Situation’ from 2011’s ‘24 Hours’ Kotzen does another amazing solo over the top.

The stage goes infernally blood red for ‘Fear’ (‘Into The Black’ 2006). Impossibly high vocals and a very very fast guitar and bass duet ensues, almost jazzy while remaining rocky before we get back into the climactic verse. There’s a pared back almost acoustic sounding start to  ‘Doing What the Devil says to do’ also from ‘Into The Black’ showcasing the stunning vocal. Wilson gets to do an amazingly accomplished bass solo at the front of the stage that gets huge cheers. White spots of light like a glitter ball swirl around the venue as a light jazzy solo gives way to an intensely fast shred that leads into a rockin out section of the song which ultimately gives way to a quieter end with fantastic long and high vocal notes showing the beautiful melody of the song, quite a journey within one song.

We get some lovely vocal harmonies in 2011’s ‘Love Is Blind’ (’24 hours’) and a soaring rock solo. Kotzen doesn’t need finger tapping as he’s so fast anyway, but unusually we get just a little bit tonight. Just when you think that Kotzen has already sung impossibly high, he effortlessly goes even higher for ‘Help Me’ (also from ’24 Hours’) and its dancier beat means we get a little bit of hip shimmying while he plays, with an impromptu de- tune to bend a note. Its funky feel is another opportunity to show off Wilson’s skills in a bass solo before Kotzen joins in again for a heavy funky duet with still the opportunity for some very fast notes.

 ‘Remember’ from 2004’s ‘Get Up’ has a soft start and is slow and passionate with its moody bluesy feel, Prince like vocals and searing solo. Richie’s not a big one for talking between songs, but after the screechy squeal note that sounds like a racing car burning rubber at the end of ‘Go Faster’ (from the 2007 album of the same name) he paused to say it’s the last night of the tour and that a new album ‘Nomad’ will be out in September, before launching into rocker  ‘Cheap Shots’, the single which has already been released.

To roars from the crowd Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden (who works with Kotzen on their Smith Kotzen project) joined Richie onstage for ‘Shapes of Things’ (Yardbirds, but also famously covered by Gary Moore). Awkwardly at first Smith’s guitar doesn’t work. Not waiting for a roadie, Richie gets hands on and fixes it quickly telling the audience emphatically that “it worked earlier”. Its all smiles and cheers from the audience when it does work with only a short delay. Richie shouts “he says ‘it is too loud?’, I don’t think so”. A few further adjustments with effects pedals and we’re off again in a version where Smith gets to do a much more bluesy solo that he would ever do with Iron Maiden which is one of the reasons he has an outlet in Smith Kotzen for his other side. The men hug at the end before taking their leave.

Kotzen is an uncommon guitarist, but he’s an even more uncommon vocalist and that is why I come just as much to his concerts for his vocals, if not more than for his guitar, which, in itself, is exceptional. Just two small complaints, there is never any excuse for not playing ‘You Can’t Save Me’ and I always weep a little inwardly when he doesn’t play it, and I would love to hear some ‘Forty Deuce’ my favourite album of all he has done, just pipping ‘Into The Black’. But as Forty Deuce was a collaboration with some Japanese I am not sure he will ever play any of it live which is a pity. Small gripes though, as when you come to see Kotzen you know he will not disappoint.

Dawn Osborne