25/9/2008 Love/Hate & LA Guns @ Islington Academy

Subject	Love/Hate & LA Guns @ Islington Academy
PostedDate	9/25/2008
	It's a strong bill tonight at Islington Academy, but unfortunately I didn't realise New Generation Superstars were on the bill and arrived as they were playing their last song.  There's a good crowd in, but I didn't expect anything less for the two main bands. Love/Hate are on next. They were last in London about a year ago after reforming for a short tour playing their first classic album 'Blackout In The Red Room' in full. Last year's was a pretty good show, and the setlist tonight is largely the same - but no one is complaining as most their best songs are on the first of their four albums. Naturally we get some other choice cuts like 'Wasted In America' though, and I don't think anyone goes away disappointed. The band are on good form and certainly look like they are still enjoying it. I've only seen LA Guns once before, and that was rather a weird show. It featured the two main original members Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis, but there were a lot of covers in the set that night.  Tracii Guns is missing from this lineup (he now plays with his own 'LA Guns') Phil Lewis is back in the band again now and this show is much better than the last one I saw. This band looks far more like the stereotype LA glam/sleaze act than Love/Hate, but I wouldn't say they sound any better and Love/Hate definitely have the best songs.  Mr Lewis is certainly an excellent frontman though, and has an entertaining line in banter along with plenty of charisma. Both bands play well and the crowd lap it up so it's a good night.