Into Live Music Review: Spear of Destiny
Concert: Spear of Destiny
Venue: Glasgow King Tuts
Dates: 16 October 2025
With barely time to draw breath following the completion of a tour run with Theatre of Hate, Kirk Brandon was back out on the road, this time with his other prodigious band, Spear of Destiny. The line up has been settled for a number of years now and while there was no saxophone or keyboards on stage, the four-piece which also comprised Adrian Portas (guitar), Craig Adams (bass) and Phil Martini (drums) played a career defining set to a Glasgow crowd that lapped it up.
With doors opening at 7.30pm and the headliners on at 9pm it was a little disappointing to note there was no support act. That is a lot of “dead air” to fill which could have been used to supplement the night with perhaps a local band, established or up-and-coming to help whet the appetite for what was to come.
Over recent years, the band have set about re-recording a series of albums originally released in the 1980s (One Eyed Jacks, World Service and Janus (comprising tracks from The Price You Pay and Outland)) to deliver the sound and feel Brandon had always envisaged them to be, no compromise, perhaps less commerciality and certainly more oomph to capture a rockier and raw edge. Definitely worth checking out.
Two factors, being the longevity of the band and the strong back catalogue of songs brings a potent mix to the live arena. The tracks re-imagined are testament to Brandon’s vision but live there is so much more when the guitars are plugged in, the kick drum booms and the bass reverberates. And that is before Kirk sings……. A voice that is still more than capable of hitting the high notes, evident in particular on Strangers In Our Town where the twin guitars weaved sonic wizardry, Adams bass was teeth rattling and Martini’s drumming was off the scale as the band squeezed every last drop of angst and rhythm from the song.
Another point to make about live music and in particular at venues such as King Tuts is the ability to see up close the chemistry within the band. It’s clearly there with Spear of Destiny. Every now and then there would be a nod, a wink, a smile as the four played off each others cues, urging each other on to do what they do and to do it well. For the fan observing, this is great to see as it helps bridge and build the bond between the two. Of course, the hard work is done in rehearsals but on stage, when it all comes together like this, it is a joy to behold.
Early on in the set, Spirits was a true highlight, Portas zen-like, his guitar playing intuitively leading the track before Adams textured bass introduced Whole World’s Waiting, a song with a heavy sense of apocalyptic dread and impending doom which is shaped latterly around deft guitar licks that Tom Morello would tip his hat to.
A rare outing for Time Of Our Lives was exquisite, Brandon, Portas and Adams all singing along for what is a feel-good pop track. Martini’s drumming was urgent and loud on the post-punk Jack Straw while the band-crowd interaction took centre stage on World Service with Brandon leaving the chorus to the hoards who sang back at him with suitable gusto. A nod, a smile, you know the score…….
A set closing Mickey (one of the best written anti-war songs ever written) was as emotional as ever, before the band came back for a well deserved and well received encore, Liberator finishing off what was a great gig by a band who continue to connect with their fan base and who continue to deliver both on record and live.
To keep up to date with Spear of Destiny/Kirk Brandon, visit his website here.
Review by John Welsh
@welshjb
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