27/6/2012 Dave Evans, Damn Dice & Stereo Juggernaut @ The Boston Arms Music Room

Subject	Dave Evans, Damn Dice & Stereo Juggernaut @ The Boston Arms Music Room
DateCreated	7/1/2012 4:11:00 PM
	Wednesday night and an interesting mix of bands on the bill at the Boston Arms Music Room. Unfortunately, the running order isn't as I expected and I miss most of Stereo Juggernaut. I think I am liking this band more as a 3 piece. Although the keyboard player has gone, there is still a laptop at the side of the stage triggering a few bits and pieces. This techno element to the band's sound seems be be taking more of a back seat now and I think Stereo Juggernaut sound more powerful as a result. Next up are Damn Dice. It's only a few weeks since I saw this band at the first night of the new Sequin Studded Bitch club. It's back in a timewarp to 1983 with these Hollywood sleaze styled glamsters - both in look and sound. Not only do they appear to be trying to be Mötley Crüe, but the singer even sounds like Vince Neil. Which is unfortunate. Still, I've got to give them full marks for effort in putting on an entertaining show - if not for originality. Unfortunately none of the bands tonight have brought many people.  Stereo Juggernaut are missing their usual hardcore fanbase who turn up at every gig and were mainly playing to their families tonight, while Damn Dice appear to be playing to just their girlfriends and one of their mates - a bit of a change from a few weeks ago. Said mate get's up to join Damn Dice for their final song - a Skid Row cover, and he's actually a better singer than the band's proper vocalist. And so, onto the headliners. As some of you will know, Bon Scott wasn't AC/DC's original singer - that honour falls to this man. Dave Evans appears on vocals on AC/DC's earliest recordings, but was ousted in favour of the late Bon Scott - and the rest is history. I saw this man play at The Gaff about three years ago and was impressed by how good his band was as well as his own performance. It's a different touring band this time round, but still a good one. Not surprisingly, Dave Evans own material is in much the same vein as AC/DC. Understandably, he does trade somewhat on his old band from back in the day - not mentioning them so much this time round in between songs, but adding more of their material to his set than the couple they were playing last time they toured the UK. To be fair, I think most people attending would have been disappointed not to hear some AC/DC classics - although nothing comes close to seeing the real thing. When I saw Dave Evans at The Gaff the place wasn't sold out, but it was reasonably full even though it was virtually just a pub venue. I was expecting a bigger crowd at this much larger venue tonight - and so was Dave Evans according to one or two of his comments on stage. The turnout to see an ex-member of one of the biggest rock bands in the world is pitiful. This is a great shame, because what we got tonight was a pretty good full-on ROCK SHOW by a good band with an excellent frontman with great stage presence - and some AC/DC songs performed by a genuine ex-member of that band. So where was everyone? OK, so it was a 'School night' - but the venue is virtually right next to a tube station and easy to get to, and the show was over by around 10.30 so it wasn't going to be a late night. The touring band this time round seem a bit more tightly structured around a concept than previously. Now everyone is dressed all in black - almost a uniform. And both guitarists now also sport black Gibson SG guitars - surely another nod to AC/DC. (OK, I know Malcolm Young plays a Gretch) In spite of the feeble attendance, the singer still seemed determined to enjoy himself! Dave Evans is a pretty good rock frontman and knows how to give the audience what they want - this guy is a seasonned pro and no mistake. He really knows what he's doing when he gets on a stage and is younger and in better shape physically and vocally than Brian Johnson is. I wonder if after Bon Scott's tragic death they ever considered giving him a call? You can only wonder what might have been... This was a cracking show for only a tenner, featuring four bands (Swanee River were on first but I missed them and know nothing about them) and Newcastle Brown is only £3.30 a bottle here so all the ingredients are in place for a good night out - and that's what those few of us who made the effort got. This was a good bill, and all three bands that I saw put in plenty of effort to give a good show and entertain the crowd - it's just a shame there wasn't an actual crowd to entertain. Apparently on Facebook over 120 people had said they were 'Going' to this gig, but I could count the actual amount of people watching each band on my fingers - and judging from the very few ticks on the band list at the door quite a few of those didn't even pay to get in. That leaves over 100 people who should be ashamed of themselves for not bothering to go to a show they claimed to be going to. Most of them must have known full well that they weren't going to go - do they just say they are 'Going' to try and look cool? I don't think the bands or promoter would think these losers are cool - misleading them into thinking this would be a well attended gig. This sort of behaviour doesn't support bands or the live music scene - it just makes it more difficult for those involved to judge if gigs like this are actually worth putting on. I would be surprised if Dave Evans would bother to play here again after the 'big' London show of his tour was so poorly attended by those lightweights who claimed to be going. And those 100 losers missed a great show as well. Why say you are 'Going' to a gig when you aren't? Why not just say 'Maybe' if you aren't sure? Or just be honest and say 'No' or don't say anything at all?