I saw both bands at Download in 2012 (actually I didn’t see
Skid Row, but I saw Sebastian Bach perform 18 and Life so near enough!) and I
was excited to see them again, especially at this particular venue. Concorde 2
is a Victorian building, originally used as a tearoom in
the 1800s, that has retained a lot of its original character. It’s a nice size,
the sound is always incredible and although it doesn’t have any kind of camber,
it’s pretty easy to squeeze your way to the front for a good view. (Having said
this, a serious error in judgement meant we spent the first couple of songs
wedged in the entrance to the toilets…. Classy.)
First up were California boys Ugly Kid Joe sounding as good
as ever. For a band that hasn’t changed its style, and that garnered much of its
original following from a borderline gimmicky song, they are undisputedly
credible. Honest to God they sounded as good as you remember and belted their
way through a setlist that included So Damn Cool, Neighbourhood, Cats in the
Cradle and of course, Everything About You.
I think Whitfield Crane might have discovered the fountain
of youth, he really hasn’t aged much. He still has the long hair, the shorts
and the boundless enthusiasm of a puppy with ADHD, which was never more
apparent than during a frenetic cover of Motorhead’s Ace of Spades. Despite a
lengthy split from 1997 to 2009 they are back on form, and seeing them live
again has made me feel a bit guilty that I still haven’t listened to their 2012
release, Stairway to Hell. Time to dig that out me thinks!
Next up were Skid Row, or at least the current incarnation
of Skid Row. Although as lead singer Johnny Solinger pointed out, he has had
the job for 14 years now since Bach’s departure in 1996 and the brief hiatus
that followed.
Now Skid Row really is gimmicky – a living memorial of hair
metal’s eighties heyday – and honestly that’s fine with me. They have some
bloody great songs and if these come with a side order of long hair, bandanas
and theatrics then so be it. Anyway, if you can’t appreciate a genre that
encompasses Motley Crew, Van Halen and Poison then you’re probably taking life a bit too
seriously! So yes they are looking a lot older and yes it was a tad cheesey,
but I got what I came for – a good old singalong to 18 and Life, I Remember You
and Slave To The Grind. Sebastian Bach would be the icing on the cake, after
all, their best songs are arguably on their 1989 debut album, but credit to
Solinger – he’s doing Skid Row proud.
All in all it was a great night and a welcome blast from the
past. Hopefully this spells the end of the painful gig drought – up next are
Silverstein at Underworld, which I couldn’t be more excited about, and
Tenacious D.... and I’m very much looking forward to a date with KG and JB that doesn’t begin in Nando’s!
www.uglykidjoe.net
www.skidrow.com
www.concorde2.co.uk
www.uglykidjoe.net
www.skidrow.com
www.concorde2.co.uk
