Gig reviews Hollow Souls.Kris Barras Band Troy Redfern

Gig Review: Hollow Souls Live October 2025 – Chesterfield

October 18, 2025 rocknews

Hollow Souls Ignite UK Tour: The Blues-Rock Collective Delivers a Thunderous Chesterfield Masterclass

Real Time Live in Chesterfield was the ignition point for what promises to be one of the most talked-about tours of the year. Hollow Souls, the powerhouse musical collective forged by British guitar titan Kris Barras and producer extraordinaire Josiah J. Manning, launched their UK roadshow to a packed, utterly ravenous audience. The show is a definitive statement that the heaviest, most vital edge of modern blues-infused Rock ‘n’ Roll has a new flag bearer. There’s been a lot of anticipation for this Hollow Souls live gig, with fans eager to witness the live translation of their collaboration-heavy debut material.

The Barras Blueprint: How Heavy Rock Meets the Blues Soul

Kris Barras’ transition from the explosive hard rock of the Kris Barras Band back toward his foundational blues roots is the core inspiration behind Hollow Souls. However, the project is defined by its fusion, not its retreat. The sound permeating the air at the intimate Chesterfield venue was not a gentle acoustic stroll down memory lane. Instead, it was a heavy, granite-solid slab of rock music, underpinned by the technical complexity and soulful improvisation that only the blues can provide.

The full-throttle lineup of this Hollow Souls live gig featured Kris Barras on lead guitar and vocals, the phenomenal Phoebe Jane handling lead vocal duties, co-founder Josiah J. Manning on guitar and keys, the rock-steady bass provided by Leighton Allen, and the relentless rhythmic attack of Joe Harris on drums. Each member is a top-tier session player, but together they lock into a groove that feels less like a studio collective and more like a battle-hardened touring machine.

The dynamic between the dual vocalists, Kris and Phoebe Jane, was the true revelation of the evening. Barras brought his signature gravelly, hard-hitting vocal style, grounding the heavier sections and guitar work. Phoebe Jane, meanwhile, soared with powerful, dexterous, and soulful notes, injecting the classic Rock ‘n’ Roll swagger and melodic depth. This exchange prevented the extensive setlist from ever settling into a monotonous groove, constantly shifting the energy and texture of the performance.

Hollow Souls Live Gig Setlist – Designed to Break Down Barriers

The setlist was a marathon of modern classics and crucial catalogue pulls, brilliantly showcasing the collaborative spirit of Hollow Souls. They wasted no time hitting the audience with the immediate punch of ‘Borderline’. This track, one of the band’s breakout singles, immediately established the night’s theme: high energy, sharp guitar work, and that essential blues snarl.

The energy shifted gears with a fierce take on the Led Zeppelin classic ‘Rock n Roll’ followed by the grinding original ‘Bad Things’. This early mix of heavy influences and core band identity was crucial. The interplay between Barras and Manning on guitars was fluid and scorching. Manning’s contribution on keys added crucial texture, proving that Hollow Souls is far more than just a guitar-centric outfit. Allen and Harris formed a foundation so tight it felt seismically stable, a prerequisite for the sheer sonic weight Barras was throwing down.

The band expertly wove together their two identities. The pure blues core of the project shone through with standards like ‘I Don’t Need No Doctor’, ‘Rock Me Baby’, and the slow, grinding heartache of ‘Stormy Monday’. These classics were treated with a modern, heavier sheen. Interspersed with these blues staples were high-voltage pulls from the Kris Barras Band catalogue. The powerful, driving KBB cover ‘Tearing Me Apart’ and the hard-hitting ‘Propane’—another KBB track—were specifically where Barras and Phoebe Jane’s vocal trade-offs hit their heaviest peak, delivering the heavier rocking sound promised by the project.

Barras’ guitar solos were not museum pieces; they were fiery, contemporary reinterpretations, executed with a ferocious attack that belongs on the main stages of major rock festivals. This Hollow Souls live gig witnessed the full force of tradition being catapulted directly into the twenty first century.

The crowd reaction was ecstatic. Real Time Live is an intimate venue with a capacity that ensures a close connection between band and audience. The energy feedback loop was instantaneous. By the time the band ripped into the high-octane ‘Shotgun’ and ‘Burn It To The Ground’, the room was a unified mass of head-nodding enthusiasm. These tracks, featuring the contributions of guest artists on the studio recordings, lost none of their collaborative power in the live setting, demonstrating the immense talent of Barras, Jane, and the core touring band to fill those massive sonic spaces.

Hollow Souls Live Gig – High Octane Finish and The Final Word

As the night approached its climax, the band launched into a run of tracks showcasing the power of the Barras-Manning partnership. The original ‘I Need The Fire’ provided a deep, driving rhythm section workout, followed by the compelling narrative arc of ‘Chasing Ghosts’. The true moment of fusion arrived during the final run, as Hollow Souls powered through the heavy, anthemic Kris Barras Band cuts ‘My Parade’ and ‘Hail Mary’. For ‘My Parade’, Barras personally engaged the crowd, inviting them to sing along but with a clear instruction to wait for the opportune moment, explaining he was starting the song with an unconventional approach and did not want their enthusiastic anticipation to fuck it up. By claiming these tracks, the collective demonstrated that their vision encompasses the entire spectrum of Barras’ career. The volume levels peaked, pushing the venue’s sound system to its limits in the best possible way. This segment of the Hollow Souls gig proved the band’s mastery of pace and dynamic range.

Just before the final track, Kris Barras paused to humbly thank the capacity crowd for having faith in the new band tonight, noting the immense support felt even though Hollow Souls only has six original songs released to date.

The choice of the classic rock anthem ‘Going Down’ as the final song became a perfect, unforgettable climax. The band welcomed supporting act and blues sliding guitar wizard Troy Redfern to the stage, who immediately took the lead, trading explosive solos and powerful vocals with Barras and Jane. This collaborative moment was a spectacular ending to an unforgettable evening, leaving the Chesterfield faithful hoarse and grinning.

The sheer quality of the musicianship was undeniable, but what elevates Hollow Souls beyond a mere jam session is their cohesive vision. They successfully combine the authenticity of classic blues-rock with the high-gain aggression of contemporary hard rock. This project is a deliberate, brilliant move by Kris Barras to reclaim and redefine the sound he loves most, backed by players who are equally invested in the musical journey.

Hollow Souls Live Gig Dominates – Rock News View

The start of a UK tour is always a measuring stick for a new project, and the Chesterfield show confirms that Hollow Souls are not just a side project or a temporary distraction. The Souls are a serious, compelling force that demands attention from anyone invested in the future of blues-rock. The entire evening, from the first riff to the last cymbal crash, was a masterclass in performance and power.

The band’s ability to seamlessly transition between the gritty, heavy rock elements provided by Barras and the soaring, blues-tinged soul delivered by Phoebe Jane is their unique selling point. It elevates the experience far above standard genre expectations. Every single musician on that stage played with precision and passion, feeding off the capacity crowd’s energy and multiplying it tenfold.

The Hollow Souls live gig at Chesterfield has set an incredibly high bar for the rest of the tour. Rock News highly recommends catching this collective at one of their forthcoming dates. They are delivering pure, unadulterated rock ‘n’ roll with a depth of soul that is genuinely rare. The buzz generated tonight is well deserved. The Hollow Souls gigexperience is simply mandatory viewing for fans of high-energy, technically brilliant rock music. Kris Barras has proven himself to be a creative powerhouse, and with Josiah J. Manning and the phenomenal backing band, Hollow Souls is ready to conquer the scene. Every minute of this intense Hollow Souls gig confirmed their status as a major touring attraction. This was the night the Hollow Souls live gig secured its reputation and will be remembered as the moment the new sound arrived. Make sure you are there for the next stop on the itinerary.

Get tickets for the remaining dates here

Hollow Souls – Fun Fact #1

Prior to their UK tour this month the very first performance that Hollow Souls ever played was a secret gig at Maid of Stone Festival earlier this summer.