Review of gig at
"Past It MCC Xmas Bash"
November 2004
Taken from the Past It MCC Web Site
Next up are ‘Strangers’ who are described as a tribute to ‘Stadium’ rock so this should prove interesting as I’ve heard they’ve been around a while playing the ‘Chestnuts’ in Sheldon Birmingham regularly? Seeing the stage, it’s well equipped as their line up includes a few banks of keyboards, well equipped drum kit plus Marshall and Ashdown Amplification stacks for guitarist/bassist to compliment their lady singer who’s equipped with a ‘Shure’ radio mike. So startin off the set was an old blast with Bon Jovi’s ‘Runaway’ off their 1st ‘1984’ album backed up by Queen’s ‘Don’t stop me now’ got everyone up quickly! I noticed the sound was very much lighter but ‘slicker’ than ‘Hollows’ rawer sound and wondered how they’d follow ‘Hollow’ – so to speak! But next up an excellent choice of Blue Oyster Cult’s ‘Don’t fear the Reaper’ backed with The Darkness’s ‘Thing called love’ both startin to change my opinion of whether the bands were the wrong way round especially the heavy solo bit in The Reaper! Two more to come are Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Go your own way’ and Stranglers ‘No more Heroes’ totally change my mind as being so refreshing, showing the choice and capability of what has to be said are far more than a bikers cover band!! The singer by now well into it walkin amongst the dancing crowd launches into ‘Sweet child of mine’ then keyboard guy ‘Keef’ takes off the intricate intro to Ozzy’s ‘Mr Crowley’ and we’re back into the stadium rock with ‘Bat out of hell’!! Whatever next we’re wondering as Bon Jovi’s ‘It’s my life’ fills the floor with metal heads and their gals then to the announcement that ‘You’re’ nearly 40! If you remember this one – a jaw dropping version of Spark’s ‘This Town aint big enough’ has everyone or most thinking I know this! So as the floor empties a little, whilst folk’s go to the loo to think bout who the hell wrote that song, the band launch into a ‘fun rock’ version of Abba’s ‘Mamma Mia’. So then all the bikers’ molls come charging out of the loo onto the dance floor going wild, singin every line like in a video!! Whilst the place is going nuts, it’s a local nutters song next up with Ozzy’s ‘Crazy Train’ backed with an alternative segment with Cranberries ‘Zombie’ and The Cult’s ‘Sanctuary’. By now the band’s well wound up as is the crowd, both enjoying the parties’ goings on especially an impromptu strip tease during the next crowd pleaser – ‘Sandman’ done by one of the crowd! Another high point next up joins ‘Bohemian/Vision’ or was it ‘One/Rhapsody’ together done really tastefully as a tribute to Queen’s Freddie! The set’s done now but no ones letting the Strangers go!! So after a brief breather it’s ‘Doctor Doctor’ a real prescription for rock!! By now its well after time and the lights are up in the club but they can’t go!! ‘Love in an Elevator’ and Van Halen’s ‘Jump’! Collide together for a grand finale!! A fantastic finish to 2004, we’re bound to see these guys again- so they wont be ‘Strangers’!!
Lee Man (Past It MCC)
Strangers on stage If you know of any other reviews please e mail us here. |
