Mike & The Mechanics & Paul Carrack - Live At Shepherds Bush London [2005, Rock, Blu-ray]

It was full of confidence and in buoyant mood that MIKE + THE MECHANICS arrived in west London on 7th September, 2004. The celebrated pop-rock band had already completed a string of dates opening for Phil Collins, playing just nine songs each night. So the prospect of a headline date of their own must have set some nerves jangling. Ever the professional, guitarist Mike Rutherford pointed out from the stage that one of the evening's choices had never even been performed in public before, telling the crowd: "We've been out touring around Europe for the last few months, so we should be rehearsed - hopefully." Mike had no need to worry, the band sounded as good as they'd ever done before.

This gig at the Empire in Shepherds Bush - a quaintly ornate theater once owned by the BBC - was set up to benefit the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy charity. It saw the Mechanics dotting 'i's and crossing 't's as they closed the latest chapter in a fascinating tale that had begun back in 1980s as a solo vehicle for then Genesis man Rutherford. Issued in March 1986, the 'MIKE + THE MECHANICS' album became instantly popular, though when it turned out to house the hits 'Silent Running' and 'All I Need Is A Miracle' nobody was more shocked than the group themselves. "We just lucked out," Mike later admitted. "I never thought we'd have that kind of success, though I wasn't complaining."

Two years later, 'The Living Years' fared better still, reaching Number Two in the UK album chart and peaking at Number 13 in the USA. MIKE + THE MECHANICS were about to set off on an astonishing run, though the tragic demise of co-vocalist Paul Young in July 2000 had seemed likely to draw a line under their achievements. Also a member of Sad Cafe and Queen offshoot the SAS Band, Manchester-born Young had unexpectedly died of heart attack at his home in Cheshire. For a while, it seemed that 1999's 'MIKE + THE MECHANICS' album (this second eponymously titled disc is often referred to as 'M6') would also prove to be the group's epitaph.

"I was a bit uncomfortable about doing anything [again] as MIKE + THE MECHANICS," Carrack has since admitted. "I didn't think we should go on regardless, as if nothing had happened. Paul was an integral part of the band, and a reason why a lot of people liked it. But at the same time I did feel some responsibility towards Mike, in keeping the thing going. But the question kept coming up, what were we going to do? And the idea formed that as long as it was different to what I was doing [with my solo career], and to what we'd done before, and that we involved other people, it would be okay."

Which brings us nicely back to the Shepherds Bush gig. Back in September, the new-look Mechanics -with the highly regarded co-frontman Carrack (of Ace, Squeeze, Nick Lowe, Frankie Miller Band and Ringo Starr's All-Stars fame) installed as their sole lead vocalist - were busy promoting a collection of songs called 'Rewired', their first since Young's demise. Released under the slightly amended and suitably respectful new handle of Mike + The Mechanics + Paul Carrack, 'Rewired' had been well received by the fans. As well as being more "sonically adventurous" than usual (Rutherford's own description), it saw a resumption of Mike's writing partnership with B.A. Robertson, a teaming that had previously paid dividends in the shape of 'The Living Years', 'Silent Running', 'Nobody's Perfect', 'Seeing Is Believing' and 'A Beggar On A Beach Of Gold' among others. It also included Mike's latest collaborations with Chris Neil, co-composer of the much-loved 'All I Need Is A Miracle', 'Word Of Mouth', 'Taken In', 'Nobody Knows' and many more.

Original Mechanics drummer Peter Van Hooke had since become a producer in his own right, and working alongside Rutherford on the new album, he had encouraged the introduction of programmers and new collaborators. Mike: "Will Bates, who co-wrote a couple of songs, is young and adventurous - very filmic in his approach. By not doing it all yourself, you create a different platform."

Having attended the Shepherds Bush Empire concert myself, I can attest that it was a pleasant reminder of the group's many strengths, thoroughly vindicating their decision to continue in the most difficult of circumstances. Carrack has a voice like a faithful old friend, brimming with personality and emotion. The assembled musicians - who included Van Hooke - were tight, effortlessly proficient and keen, seeming to bounce the crowd's enthusiasm right back at them.

The night's 14-song set-list included no less than four choices from 'Rewired' (namely 'Falling', 'If I Were You', 'Perfect Child' and 'One Left Standing'), plus three from 'M6' ('Now That You've Gone', 'Whenever I Stop' and 'All The Light I Need'). The rest of the night's repertoire came from the band's earlier catalogue. 'Get Up' and 'Word Of Mouth' were both selected from the latter album of the same name, issued in 1991.1995's highly rated third release, 'Beggar On A Beach Of Gold', was plundered for its title track, plus 'Another Cup Of Coffee' and 'Over My Shoulder'. There was hardly a dry eye in the house during the title track of 'The Living Years' album, while 'Silent Running' represented 'MIKE + THE MECHANICS'. Quality stuff!

DAVE LING Classic Rock magazine London, December 3rd, 2004