Smith/Kotzen
- Rock Metal Machine
- 3 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Artists: Smith/Kotzen
Venue: Shepherds Bush Empire (London)
Date: 21st February 2026
"They close the evening with ‘Solar Fire’, and I doubt that anyone left that venue feeling disappointed or short-changed. We’d witnessed a world-class band, and it was a privilege to watch them perform."
When I received the email asking if I would like to take pictures and review Smith/Kotzen, I immediately said yes. The opportunity to watch two musicians that I highly respect performing together isn’t something I would turn down without good reason. For me, Adrian Smith is one of the most underrated British guitar players and songwriters ever. His name should be spoken alongside Kossoff, Green & Gilmore. Iron Maiden are unquestionably one of the most important bands of all time. Their music has been inspiring musicians from around the globe for generations. The albums from ‘Number of the Beast’ to ‘Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son’ marked a period of unparalleled consistency, and Adrian Smith was a big part of that. ‘Stranger In A Strange Land’, ‘Wasted Years’, ‘Two Minutes To Midnight’, ‘Flight Of Icarus’, ‘The Prisoner’, and ‘22 Acacia Avenue’ are just some of the many classics this man has written or co-written. The pairing of Dave Murray and Adrian Smith created some of the most instantly identifiable guitar melodies and solos of all time. He has earned the title of legend.
The other half of this fascinating partnership is Ritchie Kotzen. A terrifyingly gifted musician. If the devil had chosen Kotzen to represent him in the movie ‘Crossroads’, I think Ralph Macchio would have lost. He was once a member of Mr Big, a position that only a handful of guitar players on the planet would be capable of filling; he was also a member of the Winery Dogs, another band that features some of the world’s most elite musicians. He has released many stellar solo albums, and possibly the most unusual part of his CV is that he was once a member of Poison. A transatlantic pairing of musical talent that, on paper, looks like a breathtaking combination. I made my way through the wind and rain to one of my favourite music venues, the Shepherd’s Bush Empire, to see if this dream team would live up to their great expectations.
If this show wasn’t sold out, then it was pretty damn close. The lights went down, and ‘Bad Company’ by Bad Company rang out through the PA, setting the tone for what was about to follow. The stage production could be described as minimalist. A Smith/Kotzen backdrop, two Marshall stacks, a bass rig, and a drum kit. Nothing fancy, just a let-the-music-do-the-talking approach to the proceedings. The band took to the stage to huge applause. Adrian comes across like an East End version of SRV, with black jeans, a feathered hat, and his signature green Jackson Soloist. Ritchie Kotzen was on stage right, dressed in black, playing a sky-blue Fender Strat. Adrian’s demeanour is calm and relaxed; Ritchie has a ferocious intensity about him. Together they have a good cop/bad cop dynamic. Bassist Julia Lage is not only an accomplished musician, but she also brings a huge amount of glamour and star quality. The quartet is completed by Bruno Valverde on drums.
They open with ‘Life Unchained’, and within 30 seconds you know you are watching pure class. Smith and Kotzen share lead vocal duties; both have great voices and complement each other without either one trying to dominate the other. Kotzen unleashes his first lick, which sweeps aside 99.9% of all guitar players on the planet. The fluidity of his playing is breathtaking. It would be a daunting prospect for most guitar players to go head-to-head with Kotzen, but Smith is so self-assured in his ability and style that there is no place for competitiveness. It looks like a relationship built entirely on respect. That said, Kotzen’s first solo was absolutely mind-blowing. With casual nonchalance, he plays with a level of dexterity that mere mortals could only dream of. As the first song came to an end, the audience made their appreciation abundantly clear.
The first thing that jumps out at you is how happy Mr Smith looks. Within Iron Maiden he is possibly the most understated member, but in this environment he positively thrives. The second song on the set list is ‘Black Light’. They have contrasting singing styles; at times, Smith has phrasing similar to Paul Rodgers & Phil Lynott, and Kotzen is like a funkier version of Chris Cornell, but their voices harmonise well together. This is an incredibly tight band; the rhythm section is rock solid, never missing a beat. The pair are flawless throughout the entire set. I could go through a song-by-song analysis, but Smith/Kotzen is all about a groove and a vibe. Unashamedly old school, real musicians playing well-constructed songs, performed with the immaculate precision that you would expect from world-class musicians. If I had to categorise their style, “Power Blues” sounds about right. Like many others, I grew up idolising Iron Maiden. I learned the guitar solos to ‘The Trooper’, ‘Aces High’ and ‘Number Of The Beast’ note for note. It’s fascinating to hear Adrian Smith play within a completely different musical framework. Fundamentally, he’s a Blues guitarist. You can hear influences that are almost undetectable within his work with Iron Maiden.
As the show progresses, Kotzen’s playing becomes more and more outrageous. Even with 50 years of guitar practice, you are unlikely to get anywhere close to a single lick he will throw away for fun. Another interesting contrast between the two players is that Smith is known for being in a band where improvisation isn’t really a part of the Iron Maiden experience. In fact, many would see any variation as sacrilegious, as each song is revered as a religious artefact. Kotzen, on the other hand, is all about the improvisation. You can’t confine genius to a rigid format. But within Smith/Kotzen, you see Adrian in a more natural habitat and clearly enjoying the freedom. Conversely, Kotzen looks more than comfortable as a team player, with some of the pressure taken off of him, still knowing he can produce brilliance at any given moment.
Midway through the set they perform ‘Taking My Chances’; to my ears this is a standout song which features some incredible musicianship. There was a brief interruption when the bass rig went down. There had been an ongoing technical issue for a couple of songs. Lage continued to smile in the face of adversity until Kotzen made a collective decision for everyone to leave the stage until the problem was fixed. Thankfully normal service was quickly resumed.
There is a lot of love on the stage, and you can see that there is genuine affection for each other, and it flows through the music. The dynamic between Kotzen and Lage is entertaining. Kotzen has very few musical peers, but the husband and wife are clearly equals on that stage. They closed their main set with ‘Running’, my personal favourite. As they left the stage, rapturous applause filled the air.
For the first encore, they were joined onstage by Bruce Dickinson for a welcomed version of the Iron Maiden classic ‘Wasted Years’. The singer has such a dominating stage presence that Smith took a step back and adopted his more familiar role. The audience are loving it, and a sea of mobile phones are held aloft to capture every moment. It becomes a hard moment to follow, but cometh the hour, cometh the man. Ritchie steps up and begins one of his own compositions, ‘You Can’t Save Me’. One man and his guitar emotionally connected to the entire audience. Music in its purest form.
They close the evening with ‘Solar Fire’, and I doubt that anyone left that venue feeling disappointed or short-changed. We’d witnessed a world-class band, and it was a privilege to watch them perform.
Review: Myke Gray
Photos: Myke Gray
Gallery: All photos © Myke Gray (used with kind permission)
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