THUNDER have a reputation, earned over thirty years, as a rock band that never deliver a bad show.

Last month, they shook things up somewhat by releasing 'Please Remain Seated', a dramatic re-examination of some of their best loved material, giving selected songs from their career an acoustic, bluesy, and occasionally jazzy makeover.

At the Sage on Wednesday, the band began in low key fashion with vocalist Danny Bowes and guitarist Luke Morley sauntering on and taking seats to perform ‘Love Walked In’. It was a serene start to their set during which you could have heard a pin drop and it was clear that this was not to be a typical Thunder show. They did genuinely want the audience to remain seated and experience their music in an alternative way.

Joined by the rest of the band and two backing vocalists it was on to ‘Stand Up’ and ‘Miracle Man’. Bowes distinctive vocals shone throughout the show, but particularly on ‘Fly On The Wall’ and the bluesy ‘Loser’.

The jazzy intro and treatment of ‘Girl’s Going Out Of Her Head’ totally transformed the normally foot to the floor rocker rendering it poles apart from the original.

Encoring with ‘She’s So Fine’ and ‘Resurrection Day’ the band finished with ‘Low Life In High Places’ accompanied by a choir of recruited fans. A potentially risky undertaking but at the Sage it worked a treat, and was a glorious way to close the most untypical Thunder show any of us are ever likely to see.

DAVE LAWRENCE