The Dead Daisies @ Robin 2 Wolverhampton, 9 April 2018
The queue tonight is phenomenal as is the weather, the rain is coming down heavy enough to make everyone wet even before the show.
To start us off we have the Scottish trio The Amorettes. This band already has some great support slots under their belts including slots with the legendary Black Star Riders, Europe, W.A.S.P and Black Stone Cherry to name a few. Its clear that many came to see the headliners and that doesn’t stop the few from cheering along and having a great time from Born To Break to finishing with Everything I Learned, I Learned From Rock ‘N’ Roll. aIt is quite clear The Amorettes know how to use that stage, the instruments and put on a show I felt it was a great opener with a good sound and a captivating performance.
The Dead Daisies are now up on stage, what can be said that already hasn’t been said, not a lot I will guess. Not only do each of the band members have a sustainable career history (each being a rock god) now they combine to form a group of super humans, or rather a super combination. What they have created in a short time, is helping them solidify themselves and push forwards to bigger venues, bigger stages and of course bigger crowds. These UK venues are already bursting with all of the dates being fully sold out for months in advance, that is the Dead Daisies.
Opening tonight with Rise Up, immediately fans hands are raised high and the venue is rocking. People much older than me are jumping with excitement, knowing this is a fairly new act, that has a tasty appetite for older sounding Rock hits. This combined with adding a tweak on the sound and revitalising that with some fresh enticing riffs, is sure to keep lots of old fans of the previous generations onside and create younger newer fans for their future.
Each time the Dead Daisies play,a little like the Black Star Riders, their fan base grows, mostly down to the fact people talk, there is no campaign that would seem to work for these guys, you just need to see them once – you will be hooked.
Atmosphere in the venue is on point, high energy and that imaginary sun is beaming down on us and those Daisies, and there are smiles, jokes and energy on stage with little intimate moments which are plentiful. I absolutely love watching chemistry on stage this is the major highlights of gigs for me with that personal element that you cannot fake or replace.
We get a set list just under 30 tracks, played over a hour and a half. From start to finish the band played with real confidence, for a band that have been together as long as these have been, though they may be rock gods individually when together they have immense chemistry.
There are moments of humour such as Bitch Oozes Sass and Devil Out of Time which Corabi tells us is most definitely about his ex wife as everyone laughs. Followed by Mexico and the crowd jumping wildly.
Each of the bands members get their chance to shine, doing solos with an introduction to each member and different tracks rocked out to. Solos are not overplayed, they are kept short, sweet and to the point with Lowry and Aldrich (dressed and having the energy of someone half his age) shining throughout many of the songs. Newly acquired Castronovo end 2017 (previous line ups with Revolution Saints, Journey and Ozzy) even puts in a decent solo without it going over the top from his throne.
The main set finishes on Midnight Moses, as the crowd applaud the odd few leave (maybe an early start tomorrow). Despite the set on offer we all still want more and they come back for the encore, Judgement Day much softer calmer of the two songs and parts remind me of the band Inglorious. To finish tonight is Creedence and Clear Water cover Fortunate Son.
This was an absolutely fantastic show. I hope to be seeing these guys at festivals near us this year, in addition to watching them upsizing into academy level venues, and good arena support slots. Great bands like this need a break and it shows name alone isn’t enough alone – so here’s to the future, with Sun, Rain and lots of wind to spread those Daisies around.
Photographs and Review: Chris Bowley