Magnum — Live At KK’s Steel Mill (Steamhammer/SPV)
Twelve months ago the melodic rock world was reeling at the news that the man behind many a Magnum opus had tragically passed way.
Tony Clarkin was a true titan of the genre — a guitarist and songwriter whose talents knew no bounds.
And as Magnum continued to enjoy a sensational Indian Summer, it seemed the band’s co-founder still had so much more to give.
Clarkin’s untimely death on January 7, 2024, was announced just days before the release of Here Comes The Rain — another sparkling example of the six stringer’s enduring creativity.
The 12th studio album since 2001’s ‘comeback’ included a bonus DVD of their December 2022 gig at KK’s Steel Mill.
But a pin sharp record of a band still, remarkably, at the peak of its powers finally gets a standalone audio release ahead of a brief run of dates celebrating Clarkin’s legacy.
That this was a truly joyous occasion paced by a classy ensemble of peerless professionals will come as no surprise to Magnum’s loyal fans.
Such occasions had become par for the course as Clarkin constantly fuelled band mate and buddy Bob Catley with classic rock anthems par excellence.
But if you’d somehow lost touch with Magnum during the last 20 years — or never got the opportunity to catch this line-up’s killer shows — then Live At KK’s Steel Mill is a long overdue chance to right that wrong.
Clarkin and Catley bounce off each other like two starry eyed kids trading riffs and choruses in their bedroom.
That boyish enthusiasm never waned for two masters of their craft and it’s what made every Magnum show incredibly special.
Magnum Force
A career-spanning set closing the door on 2022’s European tour proved to be as endearing as it was emphatic.
Whether rolling back the years to the late 70s, and killer debut Kingdom Of Madness, or revelling in the glory of new tunes from The Monster Roars, this was the very epitome of a crowd-pleaser.
Of course a fifth of the set focused on On A Storyteller’s Night — the emotive All England’s Eyes, daring Les Morts Dansant and steepling title track never grew old.
But on this night of all nights all three tracks were elevated to a dizzying new level with Catley, in particular, never sounding better.
Magnum always took pride in their burgeoning back catalogue and never shied away from the band’s commercially focused late 80s work — even if some fans failed to embrace the chart-busting Wings Of Heavenand Goodnight L.A.
Reassuringly, those Top 10 albums made their presence felt in the heat of the Steel Mill with set opener Days Of No Trust, the Zeppelin-esque Wild Swan and rousing Rockin’ Chair three of the standout tunes here.
Across all 16 songs Clarkin’s fretwork was fabulously effortless.
Perfectly suited to fusing glorious sweeps of progressive rock with radio-friendly AOR, Magnum’s driving force was an intuitive as he was inventive.
And from start to finish Live At KK’s Steel Mill is a fitting celebration of a fabled musician, magical performer and a life well lived.