KIEFER SUTHERLAND + SARI SCHORR – CONCORDE 2, BRIGHTON 19.7.23
The following takes place between 6:00pm and 10:00pm on the day of the Kiefer Sutherland show at the Concorde 2 in Brighton. Events occur in real time.
‘24’. ‘Designated Survivor’. ‘Flatliners’. ‘The Lost Boys’. ‘Stand By Me’. These are just some of the crowning achievements that Kiefer Sutherland has amassed in his 40-year career as an actor; but Wednesday’s show at the Concorde 2 was just one of many stellar triumphs as a songwriter and performer within walls of folk and country music. Before I go any further however, I would like to commend everyone involved with putting the show on; firstly, this show was rescheduled from November last year due to Kiefer unfortunately having Covid. Secondly, the unfortunate fire that broke out in the Royal Albion Hotel led to the venue of choice moving from Chalk to Concorde 2, so I would briefly like to say well done and thank you to all the promoters, artists and venues that pulled together to get this gig on the road!
Considering Kiefer’s status as an actor, I was amazed to hear of his growing musical stature, having released three albums since 2016, the latest of which being ‘Bloor Street’, which dropped last January and was the centrepiece of this tour. Upon making my way down to Brighton’s Concorde 2, incidentally walking past the mid-construction of the On the Beach stage, the haze of Kiefer Sutherland devotees became clearer and clearer the closer I became. Awash in age group variety, it was incredible to see the effect that Kiefer has on his fanbase, whether it’s for his screenwork or his music (or both, of course!).
We were welcomed by the enigmatic opening act, American blues rock singer-songwriter Sari Schorr, backed only by her guitarist Jim Kirkpatrick, with a quietly-proclaimed “You’re a good-looking crowd…!”. The duo kick off the set with the track ‘Freedom’, off of her newest studio album release ‘Never Say Never’; this song sets a great tone right out of the gate with simple kick pedal action from Jim and slick rock ‘n’ roll chord progressions, not to mention Sari’s sensual vocal performance and fabulous leather jacket!
The second track of Sari’s set, ‘Back To L.A.’, takes more of a folkier turn with a simple chord pattern, but mystifying falsetto vocals; here, you can hear Sari putting power into every word she sings, something that remains a constant throughout her set. A mix of the atmospheres delivered on both songs so far comes together in a hybrid for the next song, a cover of Paul McCartney’s ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’, topped with a great ascending guitar riff, and a joyous stage presence from Sari. The following song ‘Where Have You Been, My Friend’ feels lovelorn in tone, making for a great comedown from the energy of the set so far.
Sari’s voice remained a stunning quality to the set, most notably on the track ‘Damn The Reason’, demonstrating her exceptional vocal range, reaching some tremendous highs and lows (Let’s not forget, of course, Jim’s smashing guitar work here!). Following a quick plug of the new album, we come to the heartfelt ballad ‘Beautiful’; considering I was near a group of chattering gig-goers, Sari’s voice completely overpowered them! A final message of thanks was delivered from Sari before entering the last song, a cover of Status Quo’s ‘Down Down’. Arguably the biggest sing-along of the set, Jim pays strong homage to the original with acoustic finesse underneath Sari’s vocals.
Sari Schorr’s setlist:
‘Freedom’
‘Back To L.A.’
‘Maybe I’m Amazed’ (Paul McCartney cover)
‘Where Have You Been, My Friend’
‘Damn The Reason’
‘Beautiful’
‘Down Down’ (Status Quo cover)
The departure of Sari and Jim leaves me in the space of a now packed out Concorde 2 with the sound of golden folk and country greats adorning the room. The final song played, and one of my all-time favourites, ‘Under The Pressure’ by The War On Drugs, acted as walk-in music for Kiefer Sutherland and his backing band of guitarists, bassist, drummer and keyboardist as they made their way on-stage. Being able to see this big, influential movie star take the stage of a seaside venue in Brighton was quite a remarkable thing… of course, we’re here to listen to his music, so I shall keep any references to any landmark moments in his filmography to a minimum…
20:30:18
The ambient drones that close off ‘Under The Pressure’ are halted immediately as the black shirt and balaclava-donning Kiefer kicks off the show with ‘Ole’ Lonely Life’, a track that makes use of a simple, yet wonderful chord progression and a dazzling energy. Kiefer’s stage presence feels so natural, something that carries over nicely to the slower and heavier cut ‘Can’t Stay Away’. Here, we are gifted with wonderful interlocking harmonies between Kiefer and his band, as well as stellar drum grooves and a virtuosic slide guitar solo towards the end. The next cut, ‘Chasing The Rain’, swings more to the country elements of Kiefer’s sound, with a marvellous demonstration of the band’s tight musicianship and sweet chord changes between verses, not to mention the great harmonising guitar work. Kiefer’s fantastic vocal performance comes into full force on ‘Going Down’, with a quivering “can’t you see the avalanche” lyric permeating through the song.
20:46:21
The following track, the similarly-titled ‘Going Home’, was introduced as a drinking song, but more of an epiphany than a celebration; Kiefer regaled a story of after 25 years of drinking in his local bar, he realised no one was going to come through the door for him… clocking that the pub wouldn’t think him rude for leaving early! The performance plays around with gnarly guitar work and a constant in-the-zone look of confidence from the drummer. The show picks up some pace on the life-affirming ‘Something You Love’, inundated with great dynamic changes and a slight twang in Kiefer’s vocal inflection, making for a great atmosphere. Kiefer introduces the next track ‘Reckless & Me’, as a song about his days as a rodeo cowboy, something I did not know about him, with Reckless being the name of his horse. Out of lyrical context, the song feels quite misanthropic with its slower 6/8 groove and a heavy instrumental backbone.
21:01:16
After the propulsive and Dolly Parton-esque ‘Two Stepping In Time’, came a cover of what Kiefer stated to be a perfectly-written song: Patty Loveless’ ‘Blame It On Your Heart’. Packed with a smooth walking bassline and an Elvis-like delivery from Kiefer, this song was certainly a highpoint of the set. Now, it was always great to hear Kiefer deliver tales of his youth and young adulthood before kicking into the songs those respective tales are about, and ‘Bloor Street’ was certainly a beautiful one, detailing reminiscences of important moments in Kiefer’s life happening at the intersection of this one street; whether it was where he first kissed a girl or got into a fight, among other things. ‘County Jail Gate’ sees the piano play a more fundamental role in the set, as well as the powerhouse of the two guitarists (and Kiefer at the frontline, naturally!) maintaining full force.
21:16:53
The second out of three covers from Kiefer, ‘Ways To Be Wicked’, also happens to be the first of two Tom Petty covers. Here is where Kiefer solidified my thoughts on how stellar of a musician he is, keeping a distinctively original sound within a cover! He eventually takes a moment to address the situations leading up to this show, namely unfortunately testing positive for Covid leading to its rescheduling. He reflects on how the fear and the politics everyone had to contend with during the pandemic and his realisation on just how lucky he was, not just during Covid, but through his whole life; this reflection was the core subject of the gloriously catchy ‘So Full Of Love’. The next track, ‘Set Me Free’, described by Kiefer as “feeling like a good deal on a used car”, imbibes the sound of the 50s with a slight echo on his vocal, as well as a playful aura from the performers.
21:29:32
A round of cheers is proposed by Kiefer, instructing the crowd to raise their drinks before depicting the topical backdrop that makes the next song ‘This Is How It’s Done’. Chronicles of 15-year-old Kiefer walking into a bar for the first time to the encounterment of drunken fights between middle-aged men, before the arrival of dancing girls made his eyeline. This new world he walked into was complimented nicely in song with some funky guitar work and powerful vocal deliveries. The second Tom Petty cover in the set is from his solo 1994 ‘Wildflowers’ album, ‘Honey Bee’. Kiefer’s energy with his backing band here is stellar with tight interplay between everyone, and a fantastically fiery ending. This energy stays intact in the final cut of the main set, the titular track from his debut record ‘Down In A Hole’. This song comes complete with wild groove changes and emotive performances from the band! The elation in both Kiefer and his crowd is high as they depart the stage, before persistent cheers and stomping come into play begging for an encore.
21:44:19
The sextet make their way back onto the stage before Kiefer thanks the crowd “for turning a Wednesday night into a Friday Night!” With gritty vocal inflections and a playful yet controlled stage presence, it was this particular track in the set where I realised that it completely slipped my mind that Kiefer was a film star; I just naturally felt that I was in the presence of a superb folk and Americana singer-songwriter! By the time we reach the final song of the night, ‘Agave’, Kiefer has let his hair hang out, jumping around the stage in ecstasy, and dancing a little bit like a drunk dad…! This track was a strong finish to the set with its shimmering organ sounds, galloping drum grooves and duelling electric guitar solos.
