Robert Jon & the Wreck at the Trinity Centre, Bristol - review

Some bands arrive in Britain to promote records. Robert Jon & The Wreck arrive to remind us what rock'n'roll used to feel like.

I've lost count of how many times I've seen the California quintet over the years. The remarkable thing is that every tour leaves exactly the same impression: they are better than the last time. Tighter. More adventurous. More confident. More formidable. What was once a very good Southern rock band has evolved into a genuinely great live act.

All photos by Laurie Monk and Marty Moffatt.

At their very best, there is no one to match Robert Jon & The Wreck among the myriad southern-influenced classic rock acts treading the stages today. More importantly, they proved yet again in Bristol that they are not merely one of the best Southern rock bands around, but one of the best live bands, full stop.

Inside Trinity Church, a packed crowd gathered beneath the vaulted ceiling of one of the city's most atmospheric venues. It proved the perfect setting for a band whose music often feels less like a concert and more like a revival meeting.

They hit the stage with "The Devil Is Your Only Friend", immediately locking into the effortless groove that has become their trademark. "Stone Cold Killer" and "Blame It On The Whiskey" followed, showcasing the band's ability to move seamlessly between hard-driving rock, country soul, and blues-infused swagger.

What sets Robert Jon & The Wreck apart from the increasingly crowded Americana scene is their complete commitment to the song while simultaneously allowing themselves the freedom to stretch out. There are no wasted notes, but there is plenty of room for exploration.

The heart of the band remains the partnership between frontman Robert Jon Burrison and lead guitarist Henry James, whose playing borders on the astonishing. James is one of those increasingly rare guitarists who understands that technique only matters if it serves emotion. One moment he's delivering soulful, lyrical phrases; the next he's unleashing a torrent of notes that would leave most modern guitarists gasping for air.

If James supplies the fireworks, keyboard player Jake Abernathie provides the colour and texture. Throughout "Long Gone", "Dark Angel" and "Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes", his Hammond swells and piano flourishes filled every corner of the old church. James and Abernathie are brilliant together, instinctively bouncing off each other in waves of free-flowing improvisation. It's one of the defining strengths of this line-up. Meanwhile bassist Warren Murrel and drummer Andrew Espantman formed a rhythm section so locked in they could probably navigate these songs blindfolded.

The middle section of the set elevated proceedings even further. "Life Between The Lines", "Don't Let Me Go", "Glory Bound" and "This Time Around" demonstrated the band's growing maturity as songwriters while giving them room to stretch musically.

The biggest singalong of the night belonged to "Oh Miss Carolina", a modern Southern rock anthem if ever there was one. By the final chorus, Trinity Church had become one giant choir. Then came "Cold Night".

Always a highlight, the song began with its now familiar extended introduction. Bass and drums laid the foundation before Abernathie's keys slipped into the groove and the whole thing blossomed into glorious twin-guitar harmonies straight from the Allman Brothers playbook. What followed was nothing short of spectacular.

The version of "Cold Night" performed today is so far removed from the song that appeared on Glory Bound in 2015 as to be almost unrecognisable. It has grown into an instrumental mini-opera and become a rite of passage for anyone attending a Robert Jon & The Wreck show. James and Abernathie sparred, traded, and complemented each other in equal measure, surfing wave after wave of inspired improvisation. James' solos became increasingly breakneck and adrenaline-fuelled before Robert Jon and Henry locked into soaring twin-guitar lines that carried the song to a breathless, exhilarating conclusion.

For anyone wondering why Robert Jon & The Wreck have become one of the hottest live tickets on the circuit, the answer was contained in those glorious minutes. It was impossible not to think of the great Southern rock giants of half a century ago. Watching them felt like stepping into a time machine and finding yourself face-to-face with peak-era Allman Brothers or Lynyrd Skynyrd.

There was never any chance the Bristol audience were heading home without an encore. The band duly returned for "Rager", which hit with all the subtlety of a wrecking ball. The interplay remained exceptional and Henry James cut loose once again, producing a solo that was simply a joy to behold.

The evening closed with "Do You Remember", bringing band and audience together in one final communal celebration.

Robert Jon & The Wreck are not merely paying tribute to the tradition of Skynyrd; they are carrying it forward with remarkable authority. They offer something special : five exceptional musicians standing on a stage and playing their hearts out.