The historic Empire is packed as San Francisco’s Night Ranger take to the iconic stage. The band ooze mature sunshine cool and their enthusiasm brightens up the rainiest of Sunday nights. The ever-smiling band swirl, smile and shimmy their way through an impressive sixty-minute set. ‘Somehow Someway’, ‘Touch Of Madness’ and the cruising majesty of ‘Sing Me Away’ keep the die-hards and first timers (like me) happily engrossed. The groups Damn Yankees connection is represented by the duo of ‘Coming Of Age’ and ‘High Enough’ while the ballad ‘Sentimental Street’ is pure Eighties cheese and some thirty years on is still a little hard to process. The band close with the mega-hit ‘Sister Christian’ along with a blistering ‘(You Can Still) Rock In America’. This is commercial American Radio soundtrack Rock at it’s purest level.
Skid Row is a band who will be forever linked with their original vocalist Sebastian Bach and the never-ending question of will they won’t they ever reform with the classic early line-up. The elephant, I’m afraid, just won’t leave the room. However the bands latest vocalist ZP Theart has the lung capacity and all round Rock ‘N’ Roll confidence to finally keep the ghosts of singers past, well, buried in the past. Opening with the monumental ‘Slave To The Grind’ was always going to be a test of ZP’s larynx credentials and he passes with flying colours, hitting notes that only canines can decipher with an ultra-enthusiastic gusto.
‘Sweet Little Sister’, ‘Big Guns’ and ‘Piece of Me’ are all devoured by the nostalgia-hungry hordes who feast on a show made up entirely of the bands first two albums. Skid Row is incredibly tight live and so they should be as their setlist hasn’t really changed in the three times I’ve seen them. It’s a tad lazy and uninspiringly shows a lack of setlist imagination that is desperately needed.However, all the hits are all delivered with pace, panache and pack a powerful punch. ‘18 And Life’ gets the loudest reaction before ‘Makin A Mess’ and ‘Rattlesnake Shake’ keep the party atmosphere cranked up to 11.Bassist Rachel Bolan takes over microphone duties to blast out The Ramones ‘Psycho Therapy’ before ZP takes a deep breath and expertly tackles Sebastian’s vocal masterpiece of ‘Quicksand Jesus’. Set closer ‘Monkey Business’ is still a monster of a song and it’s booming chorus coerces a huge Sunday sing-a-long. The encores are obvious, the smash hit MTV ballad ‘I Remember You’ is another examination of the new boy’s vocal dexterity before perennial closer and fan favourite ‘Youth Gone Wild’ sends the sold-out crowd smiling into the West London drizzle. Skid Row remains a stunning albeit predictable live band but now they’re armed with a frontman who can go toe to toe with the former’s crooners hair curling tuneful screeches. The monkey may finally be off the band’s Bach.
