After the sad passing of founder member, guitarist and songwriter, Tony Clarkin last year, singer Bob Cately, after a period of reflection, decided to play a select few shows for his band mate of over 50 years calling the tour, A Tribute To Tony Clarkin – A Passage In Time.
With a handful of shows booked for January of this year, the hand of fate scuppered things with atrocious weather leading to the cancellation of the show in Glasgow. After what felt like an eternity to Magnum fans, the Glasgow date was rearranged along with a few other dates starting with tonight’s show in the rather stunning Picturedrome, in the beautiful Yorkshire village of Holmfirth, the setting for BBC’s Last of the Summer Wine TV show.
Bob Catley, joined by Dennis Ward from Pink Cream 69, keyboardist Rick Benton and former Paradise Lost drummer Lee Morris, who together have formed the bedrock of Magnum for the last six years, had the unenviable task of finding a guitar player who could step into Tony Clarkin’s large shoes and deliver a tribute fitting for a musician and creative force of his stature.
A fair few big names were touted yet Catley pulled a masterstroke by keeping it in-house. Who could possibly know Clarkin so well; know his guitars and settings and the flow and passion of a Magnum set? Brendon Riley, Clarkin’s longstanding guitar tech proved to be an inspired choice by Catley and more than justified his selection over the course of the evening with a tasteful and respectful performance.
Catley really pulled out all the stops across two sets covering songs from right across the Magnum catalogue from “How Far Jerusalem”, “Wild Swan”, “Need A Lot of Love” and stunning renditions of “Soldier of the Line” and “The Spirit” from the classic Chase The Dragon album; a deeply emotive “Les Morts Dansant” with a show stopping epic “Don’t Wake The Lion” proving major highlights.
He may be 78 years old but Catley’s passion and love of Clarkin’s music has never wavered and his voice was the perfect foil to bring Clarkin’s musical vision to life. Catley was outstanding throughout.
With Catley and many in the crowd moved to tears at the end of an emotional night, it was a moving end and a fitting tribute to his lifelong band mate and friend, Tony Clarkin.
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