Foghat — Slow Ride – Live in Concert( CD/ DVD)

Recorded live at the Plaza in Houston, Texas on the 9th and 29th September 1999 This dual media set features 10 tracks from classic 70s Brit rockers, Foghat. This release from Cleopatra Records features an elegantly designed digipak rammed with band photos, posters and a brief history of the band, as well as the live video and audio recordings compiled from the two concerts at the Plaza.

The set opens with "Drivin’ Wheel", an up-tempo rocker co-written by guitarist/ vocalist Lonesome Dave Peverett and former guitarist, Rod Price. Peverett sounds in fine voice and it’s easy to forget this was recorded just months before his passing from liver cancer. "Somebody’s Been Sleeping in My Bed" is an old RnB track that the band originally recorded for the Boogie Motel album in 1979. Foghat has taken the song and put their own stamp on it, seamlessly blending in alongside their own compositions in this setlist. "Stone Blue" is up next and is another good-time, bluesy rocker written by Peverett. One thing that is evident to this point is that the band sound like they’re having the time of their lives, whilst Peverett and Bryan Bassett; 's guitar playing seems to drive, what is a pretty tight-sounding blues rock band. "It Hurts Me Too", the old Elmore James standard features some absolutely killer guitar work from Peverett and Bassett, two hugely underappreciated guitar players, who are on fire here. Track 5 is "Rock Your House", which has the feel of a 70s ZZ Top track and features yet more terrific slide guitar work. This is followed by Robert Johnson’s "Sweet Home Chicago", the blues standard that has been recorded numerous times by blues rock bands of this type. It’s a good performance with yet more excellent slide guitar work. This followed up with "Angel of Mercy", which bares more than a passing resemblance to early Lynyrd Skynyrd, particularly "Tuesday’s Gone" from their debut album, Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd. Track 8 is "Fool For the City", one of the rockier numbers on the album, which is followed by Willie Dixon’s blues standard "I Just want to Make Love To You", which kicks off with some really tasty dual guitar work before descending into a hard rocking version of the track made famous by Muddy Waters and Etta James, who both recorded well-loved versions of the song. The album closes with the band’s most celebrated song, the driving 70s hard rock classic that is "Slow Ride".  A song that has become as synonymous with that period in rock history as Lynyrd Skynyrd’s "Sweet Home Alabama", Deep Purple’s "Smoke on the Water" or ZZ Top’s "Tush". 

Both the CD and the DVD feature the same tracklisting, however, the DVD features some snippets of interviews with the band during the titles sequence, as well as in between tracks. The picture quality of the DVD is decent enough and the sound is pretty good too. Overall, this is a solid little set that reminds us of the power of one of the most underrated British blues/rock bands. Everyone is more than likely familiar with the song Slow Ride, however this album is a good way to familiarise oneself with the band’s other output, featuring a smattering of songs from across their career, mixed with great versions of a couple of well-loved blues standards. Great stuff!