BY BILL HOLMES

With tenures in two of the greatest bands in rock history The Small Faces, The Faces) and sideman credits with everyone from Patti Griffin and  Izzy Stradlin to Bonnie Raitt and The Rolling Stones, McLagan is true rock royalty. Yet you'd be hard pressed to find a more humble and approachable man; his self-deprecating sense of humor and genuine passion for his music makes an audience feel like they're come to the corner pub for some pints and a bit of chat in addition to the great songs. No wonder that his peers still want him participating on their albums and tours; so do the next two generations of musicians who revere him as a Britpop legend.

On the road to promote his latest release Never Say Never, McLagan and The Bump Band nailed a wide-ranging set that included tracks from most of his solo albums as well as a couple of classic chestnuts from Faces days - both regular and Small. Introducing the rollicking "Get Yourself Together" as Paul Weller's favorite Small Faces track, "Mac" sheepishly admitted that when Weller first mentioned it he didn't recognize the title, as it was recorded to fill the B-side of a single. ("But I know it now", Mac impishly adds.). I was thrilled to hear the not-often-played "Cindy Incidentally", whose melody was apparently created when Mac was deconstructing Chuck Berry's "Memphis". Other highlights included "Little Girl" and "Little Troublemaker" (from early albums Bump in the Night and Troublemaker, respectively) and "I Will Follow" from the latest release.

Longtime Bump members "Scrappy" Jud Newcomb (guitar/vocals) and Mark Andes (bass/vocals) were joined by James McMurtry drummer Darren Hess, his first night temporarily stepping in for regular Bump man Don Harvey. Like Mac, their pedigree could fill volumes, but all shared the same unassuming airs as their leader. It's rare to see a band have that much genuine fun on stage just playing music. It's a vibe that the crowd bought into within the first few bars of the opening number, and neither band nor audience let go until the house lights were up. And the Bump Band knows how to swing as well as it does rock, consummate musicians plugged in and feeding from each other, locked into the groove. Mac's trademark Hammond B3 sound led the way, but Newcomb flashed impressive chops on lead and slide while Andes and Hess held the bottom with precision. The between-song banter was almost as much fun as the music; Mac's natural skills as raconteur having been ably documented in his book All the Rage.

If it's true that some people carry a torch for others, what McLagan brings with him is more like a beacon; two to be more accurate. His late wife Kim was killed in an auto accident in 2006, and he's written several songs to her and about her before and since. "When The Crying is Over", along with "Date With An Angel" and Never Say Never's title track will all put a lump in any throat, but the tone of the evening was joyous remembrance, not maudlin withdrawal. And as for his longtime friend and partner in crime Ronnie Lane, Mac says "I always feel like Ronnie's in the house because we play so much of his music". Indeed, Lane is all but onstage as the band rips through Faces classic "You're so Rude" and "Glad and Sorry" and closes the show with "Kutchty Rye". (Mac's prior album is Spiritual Boy, a tribute to Lane released on what would have been the latter's 60^th birthday).

If there is a downside to being "Mac", it's probably that he doesn't get to sit in his audience and experience the joy of watching the show from the other side of the fence. Don't miss them.

[Photo Credit: Theresa DiMenno]