A Wolfsbane show is always an event to look forward to! After the last EP release and tour it all went quiet for quite a while and I thought the band had all gone their separate ways to pursue their various other projects... Then earlier this year it was let slip that a new album was in the can. And a while later a tour was announced. I wasted no time getting a ticket.
And so I find myself at the newly reopened and refurbished Water Rats venue. It's several years since I've been here, and after past experiences with refurbed venues I am fearing the worst - remember how the Borderline was ruined? Actually, I needn't have worried. The front bar is virtually the same as before. Naturally the beer prices have increased, but since Covid everywhere is expensive and this isn't really any worse than anywhere else - I'm just cutting my drinking at venues down as a result. No more real ales at the bar at the Water Rats though, so I'll cut my drinking down even more - just to avoid thirst now.... Swings & roundabouts: Expensive and no real ales, but they have at long last fixed the stinky gents toilet downstairs - no more floor awash with pissy water and no more bad smells. The general layout of the toilet area has changed, and there is now a strange and disconcerting gradient in part of the floor area that I'm sure wasn't there before - I'm guessing covering up some new plumbing. Anyway, I didn't come here to piss and moan about generic keg beer...
Once again Runnin' Blue promotions have put a cracking bill together. Having witnessed the welcome return to action of Swampstomper just over a week ago now here they are again.
Their recent comeback show at the Hope & Anchor was good although the circumstances were rather sad. Tonight is better and more of a return to their normal form.
The Swampstomper brand of raw punk 'n' roll is well suited to venues and crowds like this - loud and in your face with frontman Paul singing straight from the heart.
Next up is an act I know nothing about, but have been told I must see. Daxx & Roxane? Sounds like a girlie pop duo. I couldn't have been more wrong!
Daxx & Roxane are a 4 piece (all male)
rock band from Switzerland, but now living in London. And they ROCK very hard indeed!They certainly don't
sound like they come from Switzerland either! Think AC/DC meeting Lynyrd Skynyrd down a dark alley and you'll get the picture.
The standard of musicianship is top rate. The level of performance and the energy the band put into their show is outstanding. People sometimes talk about bands being destined to play stadiums at some point in the future. Daxx & Roxane are ready to play stadiums now.
We are all used to various attention seeking journalists and rock stars proclaiming that 'Rock is dead' on a regular basis - here is the proof that it most definitely isn't. Daxx & Roxane have just been added to my list of bands I want to see again.
Wolfsbane don't play very often these days, so when a tour is announced it's a big event for the band's fans AKA
Howling Mad Shitheads. And not only is there a tour, there is a brand new album to promote as well.
The opening song is 'Spit It Out' (no - not a Whitesnake cover!) also the opening song from the new Wolfsbane album 'Genius'.
Blaze Bailey is still one of the best frontmen out there - I've never seen anyone else work as hard to get a crowd going. His voice is still great as well, and his self-deprecating humour really helps to win the audience over. Although with a back catalogue of songs as good as Wolfsbane and the great atmosphere in the room half his work is already done.
Unfortunately guitar wizard Jase Edwards has to play the show sitting down - it turns out he has a broken vertebrae in his back. Time has taken it's toll on 3/4 of the band, but bassist Jef Hately surely has a Dorian Gray type picture hidden in his attic!
There is some new material from the latest album in the set like 'Impossible Love' and 'Zombies', but tonight is mainly about banging out the hits - 'Steel', 'Ezy', 'Money To Burn', 'I Like It Hot', 'Temple Of Rock', and the newer 'Smoke And Red Light' from the previous album '
Wolfsbane Save The World' all get an airing. In an interesting link with the past the main character from the '
All Hell's Breaking Loose at Little Kathy Wilson's Place' mini album appears on the front cover of the band's new album - and also the stage backdrop on the band's current tour. In fact she has even appeared 'in person' at previous shows on the tour, but sadly not tonight in London. Needless to say the song 'Kathy Wilson'
does make an appearance tonight - always a fan favourite!
Hang on - what's this appearing on the right?
Yes, it's a wolf!
Some more classics like 'Man Hunt' and the brilliant 'Paint The Town Red' and all to soon the set is over. However, as always a
Wolfsbane show has been great fun and highly entertaining - made all the better by hanging out with great people!
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