The Mavericks performing their Brand New Day Tour at The Symphony Hall Birmingham on Thursday 8th February 2018.


Review by Kevin Cooper

Following a nine year hiatus, The Mavericks returned to the fray in 2012 with a revised line up and a new album which they showcased last night at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall.

They have always been a band that focuses on the joy of playing and performing their musical potpourri of country, Latin, blues, jazz, ska and rock, and last night was no exception as a plethora of instruments filled the stage.

With nine musicians on stage, they opened with tracks from their latest album, Brand New Day, with the likes of Easy As It Seems, and Damned (If I Do), which transported this packed Hall to more tropical climes.

With the group’s new material equally holding their own alongside their greatest hits of the 90s, The Mavericks delivered songs which got the feet tapping and the head nodding. The band belted their way through back tracks from their 25 year career, with focus on their latest three albums, In Time, Mono and the 2017 release, Brand New Day.

With Malo’s enormous voice, songs like What You Do To Me, Dance In The Moonlight and All Over Again went down a real treat, whilst covers of Bruce Springsteen’s All That Heaven Will Allow and the Bee Gee’s How Can You Mend a Broken Heart ? were real highlights.

The band gel so well together, you would think that they have been together forever. Their great stage chemistry and Malo’s powerful voice filled the room and throughout the whole show, his vocal control was unwavering. Guitarist Eddie Perez has both skill and flare in abundance whilst Jerry Dale McFaddon passionately grappled with both the piano and the keyboards and was often found dancing side stage or engaging with the audience. Meanwhile, Paul Deakin on drums drives the prominent Tex Mex rhythm which The Mavericks are renowned for.

The group closed their set with their first single, Dance The Night Away from their 1998 album, Trampoline, and immediately the crowd are up on their feet, singing and dancing and are transported back to the sun and sea in Miami.