Reviewed by Tony Cummings

When journos write about Larry Miller the phrase "paid his dues" is often rattled off their keyboards. Few can argue that this veteran of the British club touring circuit has built up his current level of popularity through sheer hard work. Not that sweat alone will enable you to deliver a top rate live album like this double CD. Larry today is, to my mind, the best blues rocker currently performing and has long since passed the time when critics were prepared to suggest he was merely aping Rory Gallagher while his covers of two Gallagher songs here, "The Girl That Got Away" and "Cruel World", show that he is as much an axe-toting talent as Rory himself. In fact, throughout Larry's guitar work is utterly breathtaking and one only has to listen to his version of Hendrix's "Voodoo Child" or his dazzling take on the old blues war horse "Messin' With The Kid" to recognise that here is a blues rocker at the very top of his game. The help Larry gets from drummer Simon Baker and bassist Derek White ensures that the atmosphere never lets up and when he finally rips into the closing nine minutes plus rendition of "Backstabber Blues" one is left as breathless as the audience no doubt was.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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