By the time Robin Trower shuffled onstage at Ventura Music Hall Monday night, the crowd was already reverent—a sea of fans clutching pints and Bridge of Sighs memories on vinyl. Just blocks from the Pacific, the 800-capacity hall felt like the ideal setting for the British blues legend: a restored brick-and-wood space with warm acoustics, vintage charm, and seaside intimacy that made the concert feel more like a private communion than a rock show. The stage glowed amber, the air thick with ocean salt and anticipation.
Trower, now 80, still moves with the calm confidence of a man who knows every note has its own gravity. His white Stratocaster—an extension of his soul—shimmered under the lights as he opened with “Too Rolling Stoned.” The first notes hit like a revelation: fluid, thick with feeling, alive in a way few ever achieve. Each bend seemed to summon a lifetime’s emotion. The Ventura crowd swayed in quiet awe.
Behind him, his trio played with restraint. Richard Watts, on bass and vocals, filled Dewar’s shoes with smoky, soulful grace. Chris Taggart’s precise, sensitive drumming gave Trower space to paint with tone; the drums served as pulse, not just percussion.
Midway through the set, Bridge of Sighs unfolded like a slow-motion prayer. Trower closed his eyes, letting each sustain linger in the humid air, suspended between heaven and heartbreak. The audience scarcely breathed, then erupted as the final chord faded into silence.
Newer material from his 2022 record No More Worlds to Conquer proved the master still has plenty to say. The title track carried the weary beauty of reflection, while “The Razor’s Edge” and “Clouds Across the Sun” shimmered with luminous tone—the kind that seems to glow from within.
By the time he returned for the encore, the night had transformed into something near spiritual. “Day of the Eagle” hit with muscular drive, and finally, “Little Bit of Sympathy” closed the night with a slow, soulful blaze. When it ended, Trower simply nodded—no words, just quiet gratitude and a knowing smile.
More than fifty years after Bridge of Sighs, Robin Trower remains a conduit between blues, soul, and the infinite. In the warm glow of Ventura Music Hall, his music felt less like nostalgia and more like revelation: timeless, untethered, utterly human.
Setlist — Robin Trower, Ventura Music Hall (October 6, 2025)
Too Rolling Stoned
The Razor’s Edge
No More Worlds to Conquer
Somebody Calling
For Earth Below
Clouds Across the Sun
Fallen
Bridge of Sighs
The Fool and Me
Confessin’ Midnight
Hannah
Day of the Eagle (Encore)
Little Bit of Sympathy (Encore)
