Temperance Movement

It seemed like The Temperance Movement were all poised to be the next big thing when in 2020 singer Phil Campbell announced he was standing down and going his own way. Without their charismatic frontman the band decided to call it a day but here we are, five years later at Bristol’s Trinity Centre, the band reformed, and the UK tour kicking off in the city, and then London, Manchester and Glasgow before hitting mainland Europe.

Imagine Rival Sons and the intimacy and emotion of the lighter moments of early Black Crowes and Free and you have The Temperance Movement’s sound. But as with ‘Caught in the Middle’ they prove they have their own unique spin on making the best sounds of 70’s rock modern and essential again.

To say this phoenix-like resurrection has been greeted with enthusiasm is something of an understatement. The sold out shows and lively and loud reception the band have been getting tells its own irrefutable story. Bristol’s own rock royalty – blues/Americana singer Elles Bailey and Cardinal Black guitarist Chris Buck - were equally excited and turned out to see their return.

There is elements of both the Rolling Stones and Black Crowes here but the whole is dirtied up with a healthy amount of scallywag Glasgow grit, the band imbued with the freewheeling spirit of those two acts but also adding their own healthy big punch.

A bunch of 'journeymen' musicians who honed their skills through hard work and came together to take a well-deserved turn in the limelight. Their roots and influences are plain to see and hear: Small Faces, Zeppelin and the Jeff Beck Group,

The result is foot-stomping blues-rock with a southern-boogie groove and enough of a contemporary edge to keep them fresh and relevant.

With Jagger and Rod Stewart mannerisms combined with vocals that seem to combine Chris Robinson from the Black Crowes, Libertines’ Pete Doherty, and John Fogerty; a little southern rock, a little boogie, and a little blues. He really is a remarkable amalgamation of all those icons and yet he’s very individual – commanding an exquisite, compelling connection with his audience.

The Temperance Movement open their show with Chinese Lanterns. A minimalist ballad from their debut album and stripped it all the way back: an acoustic guitar; all five members singing into one microphone, arms around shoulders. The perfect symbol of a reunited band making a fresh start. Not only is lead singer Phil Campbell back five years after his departure put the group in a state of limbo; co-founding guitarist Luke Potashnick has returned following a full decade away.

And then the twin guitars of Luke Potashnick and Paul Sayer give us the familiar intro to the excellent Only Friend. With the sense that they’re making up for lost time, high kicking rock ‘n’ roll barnstormer Take It Back is an explosion of adrenaline and the funky dancing of Campbell during Built In Forgetter shows the effervescent frontman at his lithe and most joyous best.

Then comes a raucous one-two of Caught In The Middle and Pride. Bluesy, with some downright dirty guitar and powerhouse vocals.

A highlight of the set was the slow burner ‘Another Spiral’. Campbell, aided by tambourine, delivered an impassioned, swelling vocal line as the prelude to extended guitar fireworks from Sayer and Potahnick before Simon Lea on drums exploded into a rhythmic rampage.

They know the value of a good tune. What helps even more was singer Campbell, alternately sandpaper-rough and honey-smooth, slipping effortlessly from the

lung-busting Get Yourself Free to the restrained emoting of A Deeper Cut. It’s an approach that Paul Rodgers perfected 50 years ago, and few people have managed to pull off since. Campbell is a notable exception.

Guitarists Luke Potashnick and Paul Sayer tear into the riffs of Caught in the Middle to the smoky blues of Pride, showing their range of playing with heft and subtlety. Drummer Simon Lea and bass player Nick Fyffe add their own weight to the sound. Deep grooves and swing driving the engine on Be Lucky and the subtle playing on Smouldering lays a classy and soulful base.

Sure, they can do slow, but it is when they turn up the heat that they really prove their pedigree and the guitar wall of sound that’s Oh Lorraine races along to thrilling effect, the Stonesy feel of ‘Magnify’ impossible not to dance to.

The highlights come thick and fast and moments like Potashnick’s phenomenal solo on Another Spiral, the Rolling Stones influenced Magnify, a real barnstormer, and the epic main set closer Deeper Cut are all crowd pleasers. Confident, contemporary British rock music at its very best.

With the singalong encore of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Have You Ever Seen the Rain, a furious Midnight Black, and sensual blues ballad Serenity, with guitar and slide wailing like a lonely wolf sealing the night, this resurrection was complete.