Nine Below Zero turn 40 in Wolverhampton
Some 40 years since Nine Below Zero first offered a RnB alternative to the punk-pop of the mainstream, the south Londoners are coming to Wolverhampton.
Their Are We There Yet? tour is coming to Bilston's Robin 2 on November 8.
Founding members Dennis Greaves on guitar and vocals and Mark Feltham, providing harmonica and vocals, will be joined by Dennis’ son Sonny Greaves on drums, Ben Willis on bass, Tom Monks on keys and the impressive female vocals of Charlie Austen.
Formed in 1979 the band took their musical cues from the RnB greats of the 60s, with a harder-edged sound like Dr Feelgood and The Yardbirds. In a meteoric rise to prominence on the British blues scene, Nine Below Zero signed to A&M Records in 1980 and released the seminal Live At The Marquee album. By the end of that year, they had moved from selling out The Marquee to selling out Hammersmith Odeon, now the Apollo.
High profile tours with The Who and The Kinks followed, as well as regular TV performances on The Old Grey Whistle Test and The South Bank Show and a guest appearance on The Young Ones. However, although their musicianship was reaching new heights, 1982’s album Third Degree was the last album released by the classic line-up.
In recent years their diverse live act has ranged from a classic four-piece to the stripped-down acoustic duo of Dennis and Mark, as well as their eight-piece Big Band format – most recently seen with Squeeze on their UK tour - and this six-piece version comign to the Robin 2.
A spokesperson said: "This 40th anniversary tour is set to be a celebration of all things Nine Below Zero - from the adrenaline rush of Doghouse through to the soulful stomp of Don't Play That Song, and new live favourites like Ter Wit Ter Woo."
Tickets for the Robin 2 show, priced at £19.25, are available from See Tickets.
