A week has passed since the enforced cancellation of a high-profile series of farewell concerts from one of the world's biggest stars, but scheduled for around the same time (and with a lot less hype) was this farewell tour from Thunder, one of Britain's best-loved rock bands. Fortunately all five guys were present and correct to be able to play this tour, and the Manchester Academy was packed out on this very hot summer night. Thunder announced they were to call it a day (for the second, and presumably now, final time) at around the start of the year, causing much disappointment to their loyal band of followers. After my own initial disappointment at the news, I dealt with it by regarding everything they did since 2002 (when they came back from an earlier split) as a bonus, and figuring that after 20 years as a band, they really do not owe us any more. So it was with calm acceptance that I booked tickets for this tour, and given that my own circumstances have changed substantially since then also, I can sort of understand where the band are coming from.
The audience in the Academy were out to have themselves a great time, the atmosphere was charged from first minute to last and when the band emerged (led by bassist Chris Childs) the newly-refurbished venue was in danger of needing another new roof. The set was substantially different to their previous visit only last Autumn, this time they rolled out many of their best-loved songs from across their back catalogue, rather than pushing the 'Bang!' album as they did last year. Surprisingly, it took until relatively late in the set before we got anything from their legendary first album; the fact that this did not affect their reception one jot shows the strength of the band's material. They could play for about four hours and still leave out somebody's favourite song, they have so many good ones. Once again it was singer Danny Bowes who conducted matters supremely well, he could come on and recite the telephone directory and still be cheered to the rafters! He sang well, as always, but to me not quite at the level he was last year, when he was in spine-tingling form. This time he was at around 80% but even at this level he is still a cut above many other rock singers. He will be a massive loss to the scene. The set seemed to be chosen with a party in mind, there was little respite in the form of ballads and instead it was mostly uptempo stuff delivered. My only real quibble was the out-front sound, I was dead centre about 30 metres off the front in a prime position, but even I found it LOUD in this fairly large hall. At times the sound simply bludgeoned the ears, it could have done with being a little less intense I thought, and I'm not having that I'm getting too old for all this (!) - it really was a bit heavy. The sound out front was almost matched by the audience noise however, they were really up for this and even Danny Bowes was forced to concede it was louder than Glasgow the night before!
Support came from the increasingly-popular Scottish band Logan; the venue was filling nicely as they played, and it was gratifying to see them get a good reception from Thunder's infamously partisan crowd. Vocalist Kenny Collins managed to squeeze in a slagging for Kerrang! magazine, winning some loud cheers (including one from your correspondent) - but it was their playing and especially the vocalist's performance, which won over the crowd. The guys are going places, whatever Kerrang! might think!
Good though Logan were, tonight was all about Thunder. Despite the sheer volume, this was a triumphant night, and definitely they are going out with the BANG! suggested by their last album. The rock scene will be the poorer for their demise, but they have given us a whole lot of studio and live material to enjoy in years to come.
Set list:
Loser
Dirty Dream
On The Radio
Low Life in High Places
Somebody Get Me A Spin Doctor
Empty City
The Devil Made Me Do It
Love Worth Dying for
River Of Pain
Just Another Suicide (You Wanna Know)
Love Walked In
I Love You More Than Rock 'n' Roll
______
A Better Man
An Englishman on Holiday
Dirty Love
Saturday, 4 July 2009
Saturday, 23 May 2009
Caught Live: Nickelback, MEN Arena Manchester 22 May 2009
Way back at around the start of this decade, you could not switch on your radio or put a music TV channel on, without hearing 'How You Remind Me', which introduced Canadian hard rockers Nickelback to the UK. It got pushed initially on Kerrang TV, before being picked up by many other outlets. I've often felt it's that which has caused the negative press the band has suffered here; that instead of them being played on 'rock' outlets and only being known to the 'Kerrang crowd', they broke free and crossed over, where their song instantly connected with a different audience. An older one. Once they were accepted by the 'older' crowd, the backlash began in earnest. Kerrang (the magazine) infamously branded singer Chad Kroeger a 'c**t' for having a heckler ejected from a show, something which caused resentment with the band, and only served to help Kerrang! paint them as 'uncool', in the process turning their backs on a band which their own channel broke over here. The further success of 'Rock Star', another song which lodged in the public mind for many months, did little to change that perception as once again, one of their songs crossed over and achieved mainstream success.
No doubt to the irritation of Kerrang!, and the rest of the UK press, Nickelback have achieved big, and consistent success in the years since. Their latest tour sees them once again hit British arenas, less than a year since last they played here. Clearly they're doing something right, as a large crowd showed at the MEN. They didn't sell it out, but made a good fist of it, with only the upper tier at the very back unused. Watching this band perform, I could find little evidence of 'c**t-ish' behaviour from the frontman, instead I saw a consummate professional easily take command of a big crowd, and connect with them as though it were a club gig. I was impressed with his live vocal, no croaking and no straining at the seams, although he is well backed by guitarist Ryan Peake and drummer Daniel Adair.
They performed a set packed with singalong rock anthems, some semi-acoustic of the type that made them famous, others all-out Metal. Not being that familiar with the band's work myself, it was slightly surprising to hear them really rock out, but they do so with style and can kick ass with the very best of them. Their stage show skimped on absolutely nothing; all the lights you want, pyro and fireworks of the sort not seen since Rammstein last came to town, an elevated platform for the drummer to perform his solo (yes, they do a drum solo!) and the obligatory stage ramp extending deep into the arena floor. Only when the band came to the front of this ramp did they reveal a second drum kit which was hidden underneath, and a section of the ramp turned over with the kit in place! They even brought out their crew, armed with air cannons with which to shoot T-shirts into the crowd! Those things were incredibly powerful, as the band played, T-shirts flew high into the upper tiers of the arena. I feared a 'Maude Flanders' moment for a while there! Every arena rock cliché in the book was used by Nickelback during this show, but they would not be able to do any of it if they did not have the songs to back it all up. They do, and plenty of them. To my surprise, their two biggest hits 'Rock Star' and 'How You Remind Me' were delivered during the main set, not in the encores. A further example of non-c**tish antics from Chad Kroeger was given when he brought out Chris from openers Black Stone Cherry to play a cover of AC/DC's 'Highway to Hell'.
All in all then, almost the perfect arena show. They put only one foot wrong for me throughout the night, and that was when they played 'If Everyone Cared'. Accompanied by a preachy-looking slide show esposuing the humanitarian work done by the likes of Bono, Mandela and others, it was all a bit U2, a bit CNN, and not really in keeping with the rest of the show, which was pure rock 'n' roll entertainment.
Thankfully it was only for that one song, but that sort of thing is best left to Bono and co. What we hard rockers crave is escapism from the real world! I will forgive their other minor faux-pas, when during 'Photograph', their montage of slides on the video screen featured a girl wearing a 'Sun' t-shirt (but if you ever play the Echo Arena guys, leave that slide out - ta!)
Kerrang! will sneer, but Nickelback didn't get to this status by making their music for critics, and such press bashing didn't stop Queen, it didn't stop Kiss, and it won't stop Nickelback. An excellent show, and a great live band.
No doubt to the irritation of Kerrang!, and the rest of the UK press, Nickelback have achieved big, and consistent success in the years since. Their latest tour sees them once again hit British arenas, less than a year since last they played here. Clearly they're doing something right, as a large crowd showed at the MEN. They didn't sell it out, but made a good fist of it, with only the upper tier at the very back unused. Watching this band perform, I could find little evidence of 'c**t-ish' behaviour from the frontman, instead I saw a consummate professional easily take command of a big crowd, and connect with them as though it were a club gig. I was impressed with his live vocal, no croaking and no straining at the seams, although he is well backed by guitarist Ryan Peake and drummer Daniel Adair.
They performed a set packed with singalong rock anthems, some semi-acoustic of the type that made them famous, others all-out Metal. Not being that familiar with the band's work myself, it was slightly surprising to hear them really rock out, but they do so with style and can kick ass with the very best of them. Their stage show skimped on absolutely nothing; all the lights you want, pyro and fireworks of the sort not seen since Rammstein last came to town, an elevated platform for the drummer to perform his solo (yes, they do a drum solo!) and the obligatory stage ramp extending deep into the arena floor. Only when the band came to the front of this ramp did they reveal a second drum kit which was hidden underneath, and a section of the ramp turned over with the kit in place! They even brought out their crew, armed with air cannons with which to shoot T-shirts into the crowd! Those things were incredibly powerful, as the band played, T-shirts flew high into the upper tiers of the arena. I feared a 'Maude Flanders' moment for a while there! Every arena rock cliché in the book was used by Nickelback during this show, but they would not be able to do any of it if they did not have the songs to back it all up. They do, and plenty of them. To my surprise, their two biggest hits 'Rock Star' and 'How You Remind Me' were delivered during the main set, not in the encores. A further example of non-c**tish antics from Chad Kroeger was given when he brought out Chris from openers Black Stone Cherry to play a cover of AC/DC's 'Highway to Hell'.
All in all then, almost the perfect arena show. They put only one foot wrong for me throughout the night, and that was when they played 'If Everyone Cared'. Accompanied by a preachy-looking slide show esposuing the humanitarian work done by the likes of Bono, Mandela and others, it was all a bit U2, a bit CNN, and not really in keeping with the rest of the show, which was pure rock 'n' roll entertainment.
Thankfully it was only for that one song, but that sort of thing is best left to Bono and co. What we hard rockers crave is escapism from the real world! I will forgive their other minor faux-pas, when during 'Photograph', their montage of slides on the video screen featured a girl wearing a 'Sun' t-shirt (but if you ever play the Echo Arena guys, leave that slide out - ta!)
Kerrang! will sneer, but Nickelback didn't get to this status by making their music for critics, and such press bashing didn't stop Queen, it didn't stop Kiss, and it won't stop Nickelback. An excellent show, and a great live band.
Thursday, 21 May 2009
Caught Live: Stratovarius (& Firewind/Eden's Curse), Manchester Jilly's Rockworld, 19 May 2009
Most bands hate it when they are pigenholed into rigid 'genres' of music; I dare say the bands on tonight are no exception. That said, they are all firmly categorised as 'power metal' and that gives the listener a very good idea of what they will sound like, especially since your correspondent knew little about any of these acts. It mattered not, since the music was exactly what I'd come to hear; soaring vocals, speedy drumming, widdly guitar solos and lots of keyboards in the mix. Power Metal, as a genre, can be traced directly back to the glory days of Rainbow when Blackmore and Dio reigned supreme, so despite not having been well-briefed on any of the bands I expected to enjoy the fare on offer.
I had, however, reckoned without the venue's facilities! It's been a long time since I last visited Rockworld, and I soon remembered why once entering the venue. The view from the main floor is badly obstructed by a large pillar, the stage itself has little elevation, so unless you are Peter Crouch (or better, Reed Richards) you won't see a lot on the stage. In addition to this, when openers Eden's Curse were on, they were themselves cursed by a PA that was doing a passable impression of the Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town (google it, those of you who are not British/under 40 years old!). Every time a bassy bit kicked in... FRRRRPPPPP! It frustrated vocalist Michael Eden to the point where he and the band decided that enough was enough and abruptly ended their set, with an angry broadside at the sound system.
That was a shame, they were playing well and I thought he was a decent singer, when not being thrown off by the flatulent speakers.
Firewind were up next, it did appear that the sound system had improved for their set, but it was still hard to make out vocalist Apollo Papathanasio over the deluge. Once again, they played exactly what I expected, with lots of opportunities to break out the air guitar.
They were also experiencing technical difficulties though, and they also cut their set short. They promised to return soon and play a full show, if that happens let's hope it is at a different venue!
There was a long delay in turning the stage over for the headliners, a cynical observer (raises hand!) might have concluded that the venue management had gone back to Cash Converters to get a refund on their dodgy PA system! They did spend a long time in preparing things, so it was close on 10pm by the time Stratovarius came on the stage. As said at the top of this blog, I know little about the band, other than they feature one-time Yngwie (and Dio) keyboard player Jens Johansson, and that their guitarist and main creative source Timo Tolkki controversially exited the band a few years previously, not only that but he signed over all rights to the band name to the remaining members! To an outsider, that's akin to David Coverdale leaving Whitesnake and telling the other guys to get on with it! Nevertheless, what matters is the band today and so I settled into my spot close to the dreaded pillar, to watch the guys go through their paces.
Vocalist Timo Kotipelto had been suffering from illness during this tour, but sounded in good voice tonight. Not being familiar with their material, I found myself constantly searching for and finding reference points; e.g. the singer's moves were Dio-esque, but bassist Lauri Porra was reminiscent of Iron Maiden's Steve Harris, up at the front of the stage with the singer, getting the crowd going. Jens Johansson looked more like he should be lecturing a class of computer science students at Manchester University, but his playing is a large component of the band's sound. He and guitarist Matias Kupiainen added the 'nerd factor' to the stage, resplendent in their glasses (so speaks a nerd-fan, LOL!). Finland must have a factory somewhere which produces these lightning-fingered shred guitarists, it seems that they can interchange one for another and barely miss an arpeggio! There really does look like there's an endless supply of these guys coming out of the land of a thousand lakes, it's an air guitarist's dream!
The band played for just over an hour, mixing new songs from 'Polaris' with classics, but the only moshpit of the whole night came at the end, when they closed with 'Black Diamond'. I stayed well clear of it, not mixing it with that lot in this place where you're only one slam away from a concrete pillar, not at my age! They went off to big cheers, and as a parting gesture Kotipelto got the crowd to count to four... in Finnish! (I've forgotten the lesson I'm afraid, if any of my Finnish friends are reading!)
All in all a good bill of Power Metal, but I really wish this gig had been held at the Academy 3 in the nearby University. The facilities there are infinitely better, their PA is reliable, and you can see the band from anywhere in the hall. Rockworld is totally inadequate as a music venue, and it does take away the enjoyment of a gig when you can't see properly and worse, suffer a sub-standard sound system. We pay enough to see gigs in this day and age, is it too much to expect we get a decent facility in which to see bands?
As a footnote, I grabbed a quick word with Eden's Curse vocalist Michael Eden while buying his band's CD; he once again apologised for the bad PA and also expressed a wish to play another show soon. Being cheeky, I told him to come to our end of the M62!! ;-)
I do recommend all three bands, but do not recommend Rockworld to see them in!
I had, however, reckoned without the venue's facilities! It's been a long time since I last visited Rockworld, and I soon remembered why once entering the venue. The view from the main floor is badly obstructed by a large pillar, the stage itself has little elevation, so unless you are Peter Crouch (or better, Reed Richards) you won't see a lot on the stage. In addition to this, when openers Eden's Curse were on, they were themselves cursed by a PA that was doing a passable impression of the Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town (google it, those of you who are not British/under 40 years old!). Every time a bassy bit kicked in... FRRRRPPPPP! It frustrated vocalist Michael Eden to the point where he and the band decided that enough was enough and abruptly ended their set, with an angry broadside at the sound system.
That was a shame, they were playing well and I thought he was a decent singer, when not being thrown off by the flatulent speakers.
Firewind were up next, it did appear that the sound system had improved for their set, but it was still hard to make out vocalist Apollo Papathanasio over the deluge. Once again, they played exactly what I expected, with lots of opportunities to break out the air guitar.
They were also experiencing technical difficulties though, and they also cut their set short. They promised to return soon and play a full show, if that happens let's hope it is at a different venue!
There was a long delay in turning the stage over for the headliners, a cynical observer (raises hand!) might have concluded that the venue management had gone back to Cash Converters to get a refund on their dodgy PA system! They did spend a long time in preparing things, so it was close on 10pm by the time Stratovarius came on the stage. As said at the top of this blog, I know little about the band, other than they feature one-time Yngwie (and Dio) keyboard player Jens Johansson, and that their guitarist and main creative source Timo Tolkki controversially exited the band a few years previously, not only that but he signed over all rights to the band name to the remaining members! To an outsider, that's akin to David Coverdale leaving Whitesnake and telling the other guys to get on with it! Nevertheless, what matters is the band today and so I settled into my spot close to the dreaded pillar, to watch the guys go through their paces.
Vocalist Timo Kotipelto had been suffering from illness during this tour, but sounded in good voice tonight. Not being familiar with their material, I found myself constantly searching for and finding reference points; e.g. the singer's moves were Dio-esque, but bassist Lauri Porra was reminiscent of Iron Maiden's Steve Harris, up at the front of the stage with the singer, getting the crowd going. Jens Johansson looked more like he should be lecturing a class of computer science students at Manchester University, but his playing is a large component of the band's sound. He and guitarist Matias Kupiainen added the 'nerd factor' to the stage, resplendent in their glasses (so speaks a nerd-fan, LOL!). Finland must have a factory somewhere which produces these lightning-fingered shred guitarists, it seems that they can interchange one for another and barely miss an arpeggio! There really does look like there's an endless supply of these guys coming out of the land of a thousand lakes, it's an air guitarist's dream!
The band played for just over an hour, mixing new songs from 'Polaris' with classics, but the only moshpit of the whole night came at the end, when they closed with 'Black Diamond'. I stayed well clear of it, not mixing it with that lot in this place where you're only one slam away from a concrete pillar, not at my age! They went off to big cheers, and as a parting gesture Kotipelto got the crowd to count to four... in Finnish! (I've forgotten the lesson I'm afraid, if any of my Finnish friends are reading!)
All in all a good bill of Power Metal, but I really wish this gig had been held at the Academy 3 in the nearby University. The facilities there are infinitely better, their PA is reliable, and you can see the band from anywhere in the hall. Rockworld is totally inadequate as a music venue, and it does take away the enjoyment of a gig when you can't see properly and worse, suffer a sub-standard sound system. We pay enough to see gigs in this day and age, is it too much to expect we get a decent facility in which to see bands?
As a footnote, I grabbed a quick word with Eden's Curse vocalist Michael Eden while buying his band's CD; he once again apologised for the bad PA and also expressed a wish to play another show soon. Being cheeky, I told him to come to our end of the M62!! ;-)
I do recommend all three bands, but do not recommend Rockworld to see them in!
Monday, 4 May 2009
Caught Live: Limehouse Lizzy, St Helens Citadel 1/5/2009
One of the hardest-working acts on the tribute circuit, Limehouse Lizzy never seem to stop touring, bringing the music of the late Phil Lynott's band to fans the length and breadth of the country. It's been a while since I saw them last, so it's about time I did a write-up of one of their gigs! They played at the Citadel, a small theatre in St Helens (traditionally Lancashire, so it's a near-homecoming for Lancastrian frontman Wayne Ellis). The venue is cosy to say the least, a small standing area but with a seated balcony above, it probably holds about 400 people at the most. The evening started with support act Evenhand; just two guys, one on double bass, one singing and playing acoustic guitar. They went over well, and played great, but not really to my taste.
With it being such a small place, it was pretty easy to get right up to the stage. The guys came on and ran through a set of Lizzy favourites and hits, usually they do one or two more obscure numbers but on this occasion it was classics all the way. All played superbly well, although I was never lucky enough to see Thin Lizzy when Phil was around I can understand why so many say it's the next best thing.
Guitarist Greg Alcock nails Robbo's iconic solo in 'Still In Love With You'; frontman Wayne Ellis, although not looking particularly like Lynott, has that same easygoing stage presence. Having seen the 'other' Lizzy fairly recently, and noting that their drummer Tommy Aldridge tended to play so hard that it impacted on the Lizzy music, it is a pleasure to report that Limehouse drummer Andy Fox is more attuned to the true Brian Downey style. It's a far more natural groove. The only non-Lizzy song they do is 'Out In The Fields'; a hit for Gary Moore and Phil Lynott back in the mid-80s. Here, Tim Read sings the Moore parts, although the lead solo is handled by Greg Alcock.
They left to tumultuous cheers, high-fives exchanged between band and audience, although not before Wayne made sure we all remembered why we were here, namechecking 'one of the greatest rock 'n' rollers who ever lived' to another big cheer. Limehouse are doing a cracking job of keeping alive Lynott's music, long may they continue to rock!
Limehouse official site with tour info
Limehouse Lizzy on MySpace
With it being such a small place, it was pretty easy to get right up to the stage. The guys came on and ran through a set of Lizzy favourites and hits, usually they do one or two more obscure numbers but on this occasion it was classics all the way. All played superbly well, although I was never lucky enough to see Thin Lizzy when Phil was around I can understand why so many say it's the next best thing.
Guitarist Greg Alcock nails Robbo's iconic solo in 'Still In Love With You'; frontman Wayne Ellis, although not looking particularly like Lynott, has that same easygoing stage presence. Having seen the 'other' Lizzy fairly recently, and noting that their drummer Tommy Aldridge tended to play so hard that it impacted on the Lizzy music, it is a pleasure to report that Limehouse drummer Andy Fox is more attuned to the true Brian Downey style. It's a far more natural groove. The only non-Lizzy song they do is 'Out In The Fields'; a hit for Gary Moore and Phil Lynott back in the mid-80s. Here, Tim Read sings the Moore parts, although the lead solo is handled by Greg Alcock.
They left to tumultuous cheers, high-fives exchanged between band and audience, although not before Wayne made sure we all remembered why we were here, namechecking 'one of the greatest rock 'n' rollers who ever lived' to another big cheer. Limehouse are doing a cracking job of keeping alive Lynott's music, long may they continue to rock!
Limehouse official site with tour info
Limehouse Lizzy on MySpace
Saturday, 2 May 2009
Caught Live: Heaven's Basement, Liverpool Barfly 30/04/09
I never learn: whenever I go to the Barfly I always get there handy and drive down. I should get the bus, head for The Swan (a well-known real ale pub popular with bikers) and sink a few scoops instead, before heading into the venue. That way, I'd miss the support bands that they always have on, and they are nearly always utter cak! Tonight was no exception, I got in to find a bunch of kids on stage (they called themselves Tied Up - they should be. And shot!), attempting sleaze rock when they can barely string three chords together! They couldn't string much of a lyric together, either. Even an old sleazedog like me cringed in embarrassment at their effort which celebrated the well-endowed woman (chorus went: 'she's got tits, she's got tits, she's got GREAT BIG F**K OFF TITS!'). Have a listen to 'Whole Lotta Rosie' kids, and learn from the master how it should be done.
Mercifully that ended, and before long I had an Ashes To Ashes moment: looking up at the stage I could have sworn it was Vince Neil up there! With a band that all sported haircuts last seen on the Strip circa 1981, it really looked we'd gone back in time. I half-expected Gene Hunt to walk in! They went by the name of Hollywood Tease; although they were a vast improvement on what came before, it still wasn't great. All the right moves were made by 'Vince' and they did, to be fair, get a bit of a crowd going, but it was just clichéd trash rock of the kind that went out with spandex. I feared for the health of their guitarist, I think his instrument weighed more than he did and he looked like a tattooed toothpick! The timewarp only lasted around 30 minutes, before they took their coiffured barnets off the stage to make way for the headliners.
Where most bands endure line-up changes, Heaven's Basement endure name changes! Known previously as Roadstar, and before that Hurricane Party, they have demonstrated commendable resilience in the face of some trying times. Effectively they started over after a managerial split, with a harder-hitting sound and less emphasis on the 'glam rock' image. Tonight they were in great form, I was especially impressed by vocalist Richie Hevanz. He is singing well (ably backed by guitarist Jonny Rocker), and is now a far more accomplished frontman than he was in the Roadstar days. Whereas before, he came across as looking pleased even to be on a stage, he is now more commanding, more assertive, in short he looks the part! The band played a short set of around 45 minutes, during that time they easily won over the small crowd and displayed poise and professionalism, something that only comes with extensive gigging experience.
Heaven's Basement and in particular their singer, are already stars. They just have to show it to everyone else now!
Mercifully that ended, and before long I had an Ashes To Ashes moment: looking up at the stage I could have sworn it was Vince Neil up there! With a band that all sported haircuts last seen on the Strip circa 1981, it really looked we'd gone back in time. I half-expected Gene Hunt to walk in! They went by the name of Hollywood Tease; although they were a vast improvement on what came before, it still wasn't great. All the right moves were made by 'Vince' and they did, to be fair, get a bit of a crowd going, but it was just clichéd trash rock of the kind that went out with spandex. I feared for the health of their guitarist, I think his instrument weighed more than he did and he looked like a tattooed toothpick! The timewarp only lasted around 30 minutes, before they took their coiffured barnets off the stage to make way for the headliners.
Where most bands endure line-up changes, Heaven's Basement endure name changes! Known previously as Roadstar, and before that Hurricane Party, they have demonstrated commendable resilience in the face of some trying times. Effectively they started over after a managerial split, with a harder-hitting sound and less emphasis on the 'glam rock' image. Tonight they were in great form, I was especially impressed by vocalist Richie Hevanz. He is singing well (ably backed by guitarist Jonny Rocker), and is now a far more accomplished frontman than he was in the Roadstar days. Whereas before, he came across as looking pleased even to be on a stage, he is now more commanding, more assertive, in short he looks the part! The band played a short set of around 45 minutes, during that time they easily won over the small crowd and displayed poise and professionalism, something that only comes with extensive gigging experience.
Heaven's Basement and in particular their singer, are already stars. They just have to show it to everyone else now!
Thursday, 23 April 2009
Caught Live: ASIA, New Brighton Floral Pavilion, 22/04/09
Sorry, no pics! In my dash to get out I left the camera at home... doh!
By way of complete contrast to the night before, the four original members of Asia returned to this area, appearing at the newly-rebuilt Floral Pavilion. New Brighton is more associated with sticks of rock than rock legends; the UK tour was dubbed 'A Night At The Theatre' with the band playing all-seater venues. With the venue being so new, I half-expected to have to wipe my feet at the door (!)
Although I've seen this band a few times now, and know that they come on early, I still was caught out by the start. After a quick dash through the Wallasey Tunnel, I got there bang on 8pm. I got in to find them already on and playing the Yes song 'Roundabout'. I reckon I missed about ten minutes of the show then, and as I didn't hear the parp-tastic 'Only Time Will Tell', I'm assuming it came very early in the set! Still, all things considered, I'm not complaining ;-)
I do find seated gigs are harder to get into; I much prefer to stand in a crowd, and it does have a completely different atmosphere. After each song, the guys were given generous applause then it was total silence, as though everyone thought that they had to be on their best behaviour in a posh new theatre! Not quite the rock 'n' roll experience of the previous night's AC/DC gig then, but the sheer quality of the music more than made up for that. The set I saw was a similar structure to that played on last year's tour, broken into two parts with a short intermission. As with last year, the Asia favourites were interspersed with one song from each of the four members' previous bands. There was one surprise when it came to Geoff 'Buggles' Downes's turn; I expected the lamé jacket and shades for 'Video Killed The Radio Star' but instead, they chose to play 'Living In The Plastic Age'. Some songs from the recent 'Phoenix' album were played too, and as ever, both Steve Howe and Carl Palmer were given extended solo spots. One highlight for me was that they chose to play 'Don't Cry' from the 'Alpha' album semi-acoustically, in a format similar to that performed in 2006. I like the 'full' rendition too, but this version does work well live, involving the crowd in the chorus.
When I saw the band last year I raved about their musicianship and the way they seemed to enjoy playing off each other. It was the same this time around, they just belong together on stage. Bassist/vocalist John Wetton looked and sounded in great shape, now totally recovered from his heart scares he is probably playing and singing better than ever.
So, although it could not have been more different a gig experience to the raw AC/DC show of the previous night, it was just as enjoyable.
Another high-quality performance from an excellent band made up of top-drawer musicians, ignore the other high-profile 80s stars who are reforming for one last hurrah and go and see a proper 80s band!
By way of complete contrast to the night before, the four original members of Asia returned to this area, appearing at the newly-rebuilt Floral Pavilion. New Brighton is more associated with sticks of rock than rock legends; the UK tour was dubbed 'A Night At The Theatre' with the band playing all-seater venues. With the venue being so new, I half-expected to have to wipe my feet at the door (!)
Although I've seen this band a few times now, and know that they come on early, I still was caught out by the start. After a quick dash through the Wallasey Tunnel, I got there bang on 8pm. I got in to find them already on and playing the Yes song 'Roundabout'. I reckon I missed about ten minutes of the show then, and as I didn't hear the parp-tastic 'Only Time Will Tell', I'm assuming it came very early in the set! Still, all things considered, I'm not complaining ;-)
I do find seated gigs are harder to get into; I much prefer to stand in a crowd, and it does have a completely different atmosphere. After each song, the guys were given generous applause then it was total silence, as though everyone thought that they had to be on their best behaviour in a posh new theatre! Not quite the rock 'n' roll experience of the previous night's AC/DC gig then, but the sheer quality of the music more than made up for that. The set I saw was a similar structure to that played on last year's tour, broken into two parts with a short intermission. As with last year, the Asia favourites were interspersed with one song from each of the four members' previous bands. There was one surprise when it came to Geoff 'Buggles' Downes's turn; I expected the lamé jacket and shades for 'Video Killed The Radio Star' but instead, they chose to play 'Living In The Plastic Age'. Some songs from the recent 'Phoenix' album were played too, and as ever, both Steve Howe and Carl Palmer were given extended solo spots. One highlight for me was that they chose to play 'Don't Cry' from the 'Alpha' album semi-acoustically, in a format similar to that performed in 2006. I like the 'full' rendition too, but this version does work well live, involving the crowd in the chorus.
When I saw the band last year I raved about their musicianship and the way they seemed to enjoy playing off each other. It was the same this time around, they just belong together on stage. Bassist/vocalist John Wetton looked and sounded in great shape, now totally recovered from his heart scares he is probably playing and singing better than ever.
So, although it could not have been more different a gig experience to the raw AC/DC show of the previous night, it was just as enjoyable.
Another high-quality performance from an excellent band made up of top-drawer musicians, ignore the other high-profile 80s stars who are reforming for one last hurrah and go and see a proper 80s band!
Caught Live: AC/DC, MEN Arena Manchester 21/4/09
In this day and age, a 54-year-old bloke dressed as a schoolboy, doing a striptease, would normally be arrested on the spot.
Not so for Angus Young, whose antics are a regular part of any AC/DC concert along with the Hell's Bell and the cannons, and of course the massively inflated 'Rosie' figure (!)
AC/DC have been away for far too long, and there have been strong hints from 61-year-old vocalist Brian Johnson that he is ready to call it a day. After this terrific show, let's hope he is reconsidering! He was in magnificent form, putting to shame many much younger guys. There was tremendous excitement in the MEN Arena this night, it had been the best part of a decade since last they visited the venue and demand for this show, as with all the others on the tour, far outstripped supply. I was fortunate enough to be able to buy tickets immediately when they went on sale last autumn, so avoided any dealings with scalpers. The atmosphere was charged further with an animated film, showing a 'runaway train' driven by a devilish caricature of Angus, heading at great speed towards the city. It being AC/DC, this film was packed with saucy innuendo which I won't describe here, but wouldn't have been out of place in a Benny Hill sketch (!) The film ended, the screen parted and revealed a large 'locomotive' which served as the main stage prop for the night. Of course, they then opened their show with 'Rock and Roll Train'!
From start to finish there was an atmosphere of celebration in the crowd, the band played a set which included (by my reckoning) FIVE songs from the current album 'Black Ice'; that's unusual for AC/DC who normally play two or three new ones, then pack the set with classics and a few from more recent albums. This time, with the exception of 'Thunderstruck' and finale 'For Those About To Rock', everything else played was from the albums up to and including 'Back In Black'. Even so, with a set so packed with familiar material, they still left out such gems as 'Sin City', 'Bad Boy Boogie' and 'Touch Too Much'. This was probably my only issue with the show, that even approaching two hours, it wasn't long enough! All the usual boxes were ticked, the aforementioned strip from Angus (including flashing the 'AC/DC' emblazoned boxer shorts), the Hells Bell descended from the ceiling for Brian to swing on, the cannons fired, and when it came to 'Whole Lotta Rosie', there she was, larger than life, actually sat astride the 'Rock 'n' Roll Train'! There was an enormous stage ramp for Brian and Angus to run up and down on, the end of which elevated for Angus to do his lying down soloing bit. Needless to say, the other three (rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young, bassist Cliff Williams and drummer Phil Rudd) were stationed at the back 'all night long', providing the solid platform for the two frontmen. The only real evidence of the passing of years was with Cliff Williams, whose long brown hair has now turned completely grey!
All in all, this was an exhibition in how to do an arena rock show. I've seen many bands on the MEN arena stage, and plenty pack the place out, but very few can exhiliarate a crowd so totally the way AC/DC can. They're the ultimate stadium rock act, and it is to be hoped that this is not quite the 'end of the line' for the 'rock & roll train'.
Support was provided by Downpatrick's finest, The Answer. They've done pretty much this whole tour with the Aussie legends, gaining more valuable exposure along the way. They played this show with a stand-in drummer, as regular sticksman James Heatley is sidelined with a tendon injury. Considering that he must have only had a day or so to prepare, he did well. The band only get half an hour and I was just getting started, when they ended their set! The Answer are starting to look more at home in the big venues themselves, with the support slots they've had allied to their strong work ethic, I see no reason why they should not be playing such venues in their own right within a few more years.
Not so for Angus Young, whose antics are a regular part of any AC/DC concert along with the Hell's Bell and the cannons, and of course the massively inflated 'Rosie' figure (!)
AC/DC have been away for far too long, and there have been strong hints from 61-year-old vocalist Brian Johnson that he is ready to call it a day. After this terrific show, let's hope he is reconsidering! He was in magnificent form, putting to shame many much younger guys. There was tremendous excitement in the MEN Arena this night, it had been the best part of a decade since last they visited the venue and demand for this show, as with all the others on the tour, far outstripped supply. I was fortunate enough to be able to buy tickets immediately when they went on sale last autumn, so avoided any dealings with scalpers. The atmosphere was charged further with an animated film, showing a 'runaway train' driven by a devilish caricature of Angus, heading at great speed towards the city. It being AC/DC, this film was packed with saucy innuendo which I won't describe here, but wouldn't have been out of place in a Benny Hill sketch (!) The film ended, the screen parted and revealed a large 'locomotive' which served as the main stage prop for the night. Of course, they then opened their show with 'Rock and Roll Train'!
From start to finish there was an atmosphere of celebration in the crowd, the band played a set which included (by my reckoning) FIVE songs from the current album 'Black Ice'; that's unusual for AC/DC who normally play two or three new ones, then pack the set with classics and a few from more recent albums. This time, with the exception of 'Thunderstruck' and finale 'For Those About To Rock', everything else played was from the albums up to and including 'Back In Black'. Even so, with a set so packed with familiar material, they still left out such gems as 'Sin City', 'Bad Boy Boogie' and 'Touch Too Much'. This was probably my only issue with the show, that even approaching two hours, it wasn't long enough! All the usual boxes were ticked, the aforementioned strip from Angus (including flashing the 'AC/DC' emblazoned boxer shorts), the Hells Bell descended from the ceiling for Brian to swing on, the cannons fired, and when it came to 'Whole Lotta Rosie', there she was, larger than life, actually sat astride the 'Rock 'n' Roll Train'! There was an enormous stage ramp for Brian and Angus to run up and down on, the end of which elevated for Angus to do his lying down soloing bit. Needless to say, the other three (rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young, bassist Cliff Williams and drummer Phil Rudd) were stationed at the back 'all night long', providing the solid platform for the two frontmen. The only real evidence of the passing of years was with Cliff Williams, whose long brown hair has now turned completely grey!
All in all, this was an exhibition in how to do an arena rock show. I've seen many bands on the MEN arena stage, and plenty pack the place out, but very few can exhiliarate a crowd so totally the way AC/DC can. They're the ultimate stadium rock act, and it is to be hoped that this is not quite the 'end of the line' for the 'rock & roll train'.
Support was provided by Downpatrick's finest, The Answer. They've done pretty much this whole tour with the Aussie legends, gaining more valuable exposure along the way. They played this show with a stand-in drummer, as regular sticksman James Heatley is sidelined with a tendon injury. Considering that he must have only had a day or so to prepare, he did well. The band only get half an hour and I was just getting started, when they ended their set! The Answer are starting to look more at home in the big venues themselves, with the support slots they've had allied to their strong work ethic, I see no reason why they should not be playing such venues in their own right within a few more years.
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