Bradford’s Chantel McGregor thrilled the packed crowds at the iconic 100 Club in London at her album launch party for her new album ‘The Healing’. This is her 3rd studio album, which her fans had been waiting for after a live album in 2019 and before that her last studio album ‘Lose Control’ in 2015.
The band line-up was Chantel McGregor (guitar & vocals), Colin Sutton (bass), Thom Gardner (drums) joined by Jamie Brooks (keyboards).
Before we had the album launch with Chantel, we had the UK Blues Awards Emerging band winner for 2025 Birmingham’s Blue Nation. Their line-up was Neil Murdock (guitar & vocals), Luke Weston (bass & vocals) and Nick Sharman (drums).
After a holiday break following their successful headline show in Sheffield, the band were raring to show the London crowds why they won the award, with their riff based blues-rock style.
The band powered through their songs which featured the title track of their last album ‘Ordinary People’ with an energetic performance from Neil on vocals and guitar backed by the great rhythm section of Luke & Nick. ‘The Ranger’ has become a band favourite even though it is a song with lots of high held notes for Neil to hold!
As Neil chatted to the crowd in normal style, he commented that the band had benefitted for a break to the sun to recharge the batteries and in Nick’s case to get over his illness from the Sheffield gig (which he manfully completed).
‘Time is a Thief’ was next up which was written for a cancer suffered who sadly didn’t make it. After which Neil pointed out that their producer Trevor Gibson was in the crowd and involved him in some banter about the next song ‘Run Straight Ahead’ which he said was a lived story, including a sitar on the recorded version, brought into the session by Luke.
Neil is always trying to catch Nick out on the next song ‘For Once in my Life’ with its fast drum tempo, but after a holiday it was a breeze for Nick. This was immediately followed by ‘Strangers’ with the great vocals from Neil.
To finish Luke brought up men’s mental health and how important it is to have the support where needed, which is why the band support a mental health charity, and played the very relevant ‘Echoes’ about those that we have lost.
Neil then before the last song thanked the support from artists like Chantel McGregor, you had brought them on tour as a support act, when others wouldn’t with the vital exceptions of Laurence Jones and Dom Martin.
The set was finished with audience participation with the great song ‘Down By The River’ with its heavy drumming, great beat and excellent harmonies.
After a short break Chantel McGregor and her band took to the stage to wild applause, thrilled to be hearing her new album ‘The Healing’ live for the first time along with some of her earlier well-known songs. The band had been practicing for 6 hours for over a week before the launch to perfect the live performance of both new and earlier songs.
She kicked off with new song ‘I Will Breathe’ with its great guitar breaks, heavy drumming and keys backing to Chantel’s distinctive vocals, followed by another of her new songs ‘Broken Heartless Liar’ with its raunchy guitars and passionate vocals from Chantel.
As Chantel said before the next song, she was very nervous with this album launch, and playing her new songs not only to her fans but her parents too for the first time. Hosted by the iconic 100 Club in London with the support from Solid Entertainments Stephen Stanley made it all worthwhile.
Next up was one of her earlier songs with ‘Eternal Dream’ with its eerie echoey guitars and slower place which moves into a heavier sound and more guitar riff breaks. This was followed by the second single from the new album with ‘Stand On My Own’ which is an upbeat song with great guitar riffs, solid rhythm section with Chantel’s lovely vocals.
As Chantel next explained that she had been surviving on nerves or maybe it was the three protein shakes she had consumed!
This was followed by a crowd favourite with ‘Walk on Land’ with its plaintive start, passionate vocals before getting heavier with excellent vocals from Chantel. After this song she thanked Blue Nation for supporting her and they are such cool guys to be around. Neil makes a good Yorkshire tea for Chantel’s Mum and they are her favourite support band.
The next couple of songs were from early albums including ‘Your Fever’ with its raunchy guitar heavy drums and strong vocals and ‘Take The Power’ with its drum and bass start, heavy guitar from Chantel and keys from Jamie. It has powerful rhythms, Chantel’s strong vocals with its offbeat rhythms
Another new song with a slower mellow pace to start with was ‘Tears’ which evolves into a heavier tempo with great guitar work from Chantel showing her virtuosity.
Being an organised girl Chantel had brought a portable thermal printer to print changes to setlist and merchandise, which will be needed as this tour goes on as the setlist will evolve and become more unpredictable.
‘Burn Your Anger’ thrilled the crowds with its great passionate vocals and great blues guitar and was followed by another new song ‘Echoes’ with its slow mellow start, offbeat drums & bass with plaintive vocals from Chantel. It then gets heavier before changing back to a slower mellow song before guitar breaks from Chantel. This was followed by more upbeat new number ‘Undercover’ with its raunchy guitars.
Then as a change of tempo Jamie on piano & Chantel on guitar gave us ‘Creep’ a very heartfelt song. Then with the full band back they kicked into ‘April’ which is a massive prog rock classic with echoey guitar, massive guitar breaks, heavy drums and bass supported with keys layers from Jamie.
As Chantel explained her boyfriend Jamie had got her mentally and emotionally through the new album, which was a major project to get over the finishing line with a packaged product.
The slinky vocals and funky tune of ‘Truth Will Out’ thrilled the audience who wanted more. While Chantel then was introducing the band Chantel got diverted from introducing Thom with talk about donuts being delivered to rehearsal rooms!
They finished as an encore with the title track from the new album ‘The Healing’ with its added keys & bass but no drums to start, but then breaks into a heavier tempo with drums and great guitar work from Chantel. She finished to wild applause and thanked the audience for coming and supporting her on the first night of her new album tour.