Live Review: Larry Graham & Graham Central Station

The band is a little late arriving on stage tonight, but when Graham Central Station eventually do, they bring their A-game. A hearty guitar groove segues into James Bond Theme, before ramping up into a crescendo that draws cheers. Glittering diva, Ashling “Biscuit” Cole, welcomes Larry Graham to the stage and he approaches from the back of the room, walking through the crowd. Wearing his trademark white hat with feather, white shirt, pants and cape-like jacket, Graham pops and slaps his (white) bass as only he can.

Playing a mid-tempo version of the funk classic Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) by Sly & The Family Stone gets the show off to a solid start. The subsequent Throw-N-Down The Funk blends with the acappella We've Been Waiting and It Ain't No Fun To Me continues the good time vibes. Graham takes time out to praise Australia. “We've been waiting to come here and play for you for so long”, he enthuses. “It ain't a gig night tomorrow, so that means we don't have to hold back nothin'.”

Feeding off the cheers from the crowd, the band dish out Ann Peebles' classic I Can't Stand The Rain. The spotlight is now on Cole, who dazzles with her powerful pipes, the band lending a hand vocally to see the song to its conclusion. Graham follows this by charming the crowd with tales of afros and corn rows: “You should have seen my old Driver's Licence picture. There was no space in the picture, just hair and a face.” This beautifully sets up Hair, which gives Graham a chance to unleash his skills on the fretboard.

Both David “City” Council and Jimi “Joy” McKinney are dynamite on the keys, fleshing out the Stevie Wonder classic Higher Ground, and drummer Brian “Rio” Braziel is given a few bars to prove that he too ain't no slouch. A beefed-up version of Rufus' You Got The Love gets the crowd instantly moving again and A Family Affair is also lapped right up. After Graham and band have finished jamming with those brave enough to accept his offer of taking to the stage, Dance To The Music continues the funkathon, with Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) trailing out as the band leave the stage.

Prince's 1999 is a brilliant choice of encore to maintain energy levels and the keyboards do not disappoint. Encore number two sees the group sharing the stage with some lucky punters, and Graham's wife Tina joins in on the craziness, helping to bring tonight's grade-A gig to a close.