Miller arrived with the successful “Fly like An eagle” album in his back pocket from six years ago and the UK music scene  adjusted to the reset that punk, New wave, Ska and the New Romantics. He was almost 40 years old and looked overweight, unfit and unhealthy in unwisely tight black leather trousers.

He was best known to UK audiences via clever animations of his songs on “The Old grey !whistle Test”. For some reason, Steve has never been a fan of touring thr UK and this was a rare appearance.

His antecedents are impressive, Les paul was a family friend, he jammed with Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and Buddy Guy. His roots have always been in the Blues but his late sixties/ early 70s output was unmistakeably psychedelic before finding mainstrem success with Rock and pop.

His setlist reflected that diversity and was uneven and patchy before the hits run in at the end, with an overreliance on obscure covers The latter was great for die hard aficionados of the American 50/60s Blues scene, but not engaging for the rest of us. I am glad that I was able to see live a legend of the American music scene, but it is the man, and not his music which made the evening for me.

Aged 81 in 2024, he is till touring and a contemporary of the Rolling Stones.

Swingtown

Get on Home

Gangster of Love

Living in the U.S.A.

Mercury Boogie

Just a Little Bit

Look on Yonder Wall

Sweet Sixteen

Fly Like an Eagle

Wild Mountain Honey

Winter Time

The Joker

Give It Up

Something Special

Heart Like a Wheel

Keeps Me Wondering Why

Macho City

Jungle Love

Jet Airliner

Abracadabra

Take the Money and Run

Space Cowboy

Encore:

Rock’n Me