Planet RockRock Tours Gig GuideThe CommonersTroy Redfern

From Broken Strings to Rocking Harmonies: The Final Show of Troy Redfern and The Commoners’ UK Tour at The Bodega in Nottingham

Troy Redfern

The Bodega in Nottingham is the final venue of the successful joint headline tour of the UK’s King of slide guitar Troy Redfern and Southern Rock sounding quintet The Commoners.

Up first is Troy Redfern who set the speakers alight with a brand-new song “All Night Long” from his upcoming album which is due to be released in September. Just moments into the song Troy had a guitar malfunction as one of his strings snaped. Without a pause he pulled the broken string away and continued his way through the opener with only the fans on the front row witness to the incident.

Swapping guitars Troy and the band went on to perform “Sweet Carolina”. The popular toe tapper went then went straight into “Come On” which is from the same album “The Wings Of Salvation”. Providing great backing to Troy’s gravelly vocals was Kiera Kenworthy, the talented Scottish bassist.


Troy informed the Bodega audience That “Dark Religion” was his favourite track off “Wings Of Salvation”. For the song drummer Finn McAuley swapped his drumsticks for mallets and thumped out the slow backing beat to the song.

Two more songs off the soon to be released studio album “The Native” and “The Fever”. Both songs allowing Troy to demonstrate his guitar mastery as he picks and slides his way along the neck of his guitar whilst using the plethora of pedals at his feet to make it sing.

With two songs left Troy plays “Waiting For Your Love”, his favourite song to play live before he completes his set with the fast paced “Sanctify”. Both Troy and Kiera rocking out to the songs with the high energy rifts with the crowd providing the enthusiasm as they dance along to the songs.

The last few times I have seen Troy Redfern he has been a solo performer. Tonight, Kiera and Finn’s addition to the line-up provides a heavier sounding which was brilliant to hear.  The new songs that made it into the set sounded great and are surely going to help the new album a hit.

**All Night Long

Troy Redfern Setlist

*Sweet Carolina 

*Come On

^Getaway 

*Dark Religion 

**The Native 

^Scorpio

*Down

**The Fever

**The Strange 

^Waiting for Your Love 

^Sanctify 



You can check out more from Troy Redfern here.

https://troyredfern.com
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Samantha Fish announces new album with Jesse Dayton ahead of October UK Tour.


The Commoners

The Commoners are completing their 15 show UK tour at the Bodega before flying back across the pond to their hometown Toronto. The Canadian band consisting of Chris Medhurst (vocals/guitar), Ben Spiller (bass), Ross Citrullo (lead guitar), and Adam Cannon (drums) are also joined by Miles Evans-Branagh on the keyboards. 

The Commoners arrive on stage looking like they have just stepped of the cover of an Allman Brothers LP. Playing their first song, the upbeat and catchy “More Than Mistakes”, sees Chris Medhurst playing along on his guitar. The five musicians looking like they are really enjoying themselves.

Now without his guitar and hat Chris takes up his position to perform “Find A Better Way” the passion he puts into his singing sees him reaching out with his hands to the crowd in front of him grasping the air tightly in his hands as he sings. 


Teasing the fans tonight with a few new tracks which included “Devils Teasin Me”, Who Are You” and “Body And Soul which saw Ross Citrullo open the intro to the song by playing his guitar with a violin bow. 

Clearly feeling like the last day of school drummer Adam Cannon urged the Bodega Crowd to come and meet them at the Merch Stand after the gig. Jokingly he announced the band like drinking by telling the crowd “We have that skill too!”. Chris then announced the next song which is “Naturally” and dedicated it to Adam. The Commoners showed how tight they are as performers with their fantastic harmonies that Chris Medhurst, Ben Spiller and Adam Cannon sang throughout the song.

“Deadlines” had an extended keyboard intro allowing Miles Evans-Branagh, who was at the back of the stage, to stretch his fingers across the keys and be heard throughout the venue even if it was a little difficult to see him behind the speaker stack to the left of the stage. 

The Commoners throw in an excellent cover of The Allman Brothers “Melissa” which is clearly a song that has some significance to the band. The bands faithful reproduction of the classic song saw Ross Citrullo sliding the melodic tune on the guitar strings.

“Shake You Off” is the last song of the set and is introduced by Chris as a track that may or may not make it to the album. I think the reason that they left it till last is due to it being a great rock tune and another song that clearly shows how good the music the Canadians are producing.

It’s been easy to enjoy The Commoners gig tonight. Their music has a classic familiar sound and is expertly performed by everyone on stage. They are a band that I’m looking forward to seeing again which fortunately for me is only a few months away as they will be back in the UK touring in October. Get yourself a ticket for a gig near you it’s a great night of music.

The Commoners Setlist

(Intro/More Than Mistakes Jam)

More Than Mistakes *

Find A Better Way *

(Devil Jam)

Devil Teasin Me 

(Body And Soul Intro Jam)

Body and Soul 

Who Are You? (Ain’t Knocked Down)

Naturally *

(Deadlines intro jam) 

Deadlines *

Sweet Melissa 

Hangin’ On Again *

Fill My Cup *

Encore – Shake You Off



You can check out more from The Commoners here.

https://thecommoners.ca/
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