Words by DJ Monk. Photos by The Dark Queen.
When this co-headlining billing was first announced, the Über Kingdom of Rock ‘n’ Roll nearly sank into the amount of saliva generated, with major flood warnings sounded in the cities which this titanic tour would be visiting. It certainly was a dream ticket, and it was no wonder they were flying out the door within days of the shows being put on sale.
For many, the addition of CKY was either an annoying addendum or the icing on the cake, and certainly the Limelight has plenty of gaps on the floor (although this could be due to the fact that they start at 6pm) as the band, currently stripped down to its core duo of frontman Chad Ginsburg and drummer Jess Margera, return to a Belfast stage for the second time in just 14 months. Events had conspired to ensure I missed their previous two visits to Belfast (although I had managed to catch a snippet of the start of their set during their headline show at the neighbouring, and much smaller, Limelight 2), and so I was looking forward to, hopefully, catching a full set.
And, I have to say that I was suitably rewarded, as the two musicians pumped out big, thumping grooves which immediately generated a very enthusiastic response from the small knot of rabid fans gathered in front of the stage – and got a few heads nodding around the rest of the room, from where people started to move forward to get closer to the action. Forty-five minutes is a generous allocation for an opening band, especially in light of the early curfews to which this tour has been subjected, and they make the best of it, cramming in ten songs and keeping the spoken niceties to a minimum. In fact, the set is played at such a frenetic pace that they actually finish five minutes early: nevertheless, it is a tight and impressive performance from two musicians who indeed seem to be ‘Attached At The Hip’, and it’s a more than appetizing warm-up for what is to come…
To say that I was looking forward to catching Backyard Babies live for the first time would be something of an understatement, especially as events had conspired against me catching both their last visit to this corner of the Überverse (way back in 2001) and their headlining performance at the 2018 iteration of HRH Sleaze. And, once again, they do not disappoint my expectations: in fact, if anything, they exceed them, and by a country mile!
Right from the off, it’s a high energy performance, with both the band and crowd bouncing in unison. Nicke Borg is a commanding presence, while Dregen is every inch the rock star, bounding about the stage with the energy of a four-year old on speed, jumping on and off monitors like they’re trampolines and pulling all the trademark guitar hero poses. The rhythm section of John Blomquist – who does his best to keep up with Dregen in the posing stakes – and Peder Carlsson are tighter than a Ballymena man’s wallet, totally on point, with the entire band most definitely in the zone.
Generating so much heat and smoke that they actually set off the venue’s fire alarms, and armed with a back catalogue of some of the finest sleaze/glunk anthems you’ll ever wrap your ears around (which they plunder extensively, with only three songs from the current ‘Silver And Gold’ opus magnificus included in the set), it’s a show which demonstrates passion, power and commitment in equal measures. Well worth the weight.
If BYB set the bar high, then The Wildhearts clear it with the ease of an Olympic champion, showing that 2019’s return to form was no fluke, but this is a band most definitely at the height of their powers, both in terms of recorded output and, more especially, and importantly, in the live arena. In regard to the latter, how The Wildhearts perform has often been predicated on where Ginger’s head is at: if he’s in a bad place, the show can be a car crash of epic proportions; but, if he’s in a good place, then look out ‘cos he and the rest of the ‘hearts are gonna light a fire under your ass and send you home smokin’ like a Norwegian church… Reports from the opening gig in Newcastle the previous evening suggested that the latter was very much the case, and so it proved to be again this evening, with the man in terrific form from the opening note to his last breathed lyric.
Opening with ‘Everlone’ from the classic ‘Earth vs The Wildhearts’ album – songs from which itself would dominate the setlist – it is clear from the off that this is a rock ‘n’ roll band who know how to deliver on each and every level. Ginger and CJ are, literally, bouncing off each other, their trademark stickered Gretsches in perfect synchronicity, with both men wreathed in smiles for the entire 85 minutes. It’s great to see Danny back on his feet again, standing stoically and authoritatively stage left, while Ritch lives up to his surname, battering the living fuck out of his kit while still keeping perfect time.
With the set only slightly spoiled by the (once again) needless overuse of strobes – those of us at the back of the room had to shade our eyes to actually see the band – the quartet are obviously determined to make amends for leaving it 16 years to return to this corner of the Überverse – and they most definitely do so in damn fine style. It’s a nigh on perfect performance: great musicianship, a good range of songs from their back catalogue, delivered with renewed passion and a dedication to their craft which is exemplary in every regard. A great performance from a great band who have rediscovered their fire. Just don’t make it another 16 years before you head back our way, eh guys?
- The tour continues tonight at QMU in Glasgow (Thursday 30 January) and moves on to the O2 Ritz in Manchester tomorrow (Friday 31), the O2 Forum Kentish Town on Saturday (1 February) and the Tramshed in Cardiff on Monday (3 February), finishing at the O2 Institute in Birmingham on Tuesday (4 February). They also have announced a “special homecoming show” at Hedworth Hall in South Shields on Wednesday 29 April.
- PHOTO CREDIT: All photos © The Dark Queen/Über Rock. You can view our full gallery of photographs HERE.
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