Skid Row / I Am I

With their return to London after a number of years, '80s hard rock veterans Skid Row have managed to sell out the O2 Academy Islington in advance of their performance. Tonight is sure to promise intensity.

Support comes from I Am I, the new band of former Dragonforce vocalist ZP Theart on their first jaunt through the UK since their inception last year. The London-based group deliver slick power metal with lashing of contemporary heavy metal served on top. A far cry from the hyperactive nature of Dragonforce, I Am I focus on emotion rather than dexterity and graft each song with its own personality. Theart's vocals have deviated from the power metal falsetto he has previously employed, which possibly marks this new band more accessible than his former. Opening with 'In the Air Tonight' from last year's debut 'Event Horizon', the audience are initially unanimated despite soaring melodies and professional showmanship. Theart's live experience shines through, interacting with the audience on an individual and group basis, in addition to gelling seamlessly with his band mates and maintaining a steady level of charisma throughout the set.

'Cross the Line', 'Stay a While' and 'Kiss of Judas' are pickings from 'Event Horizon' and despite the audience's limited familiarity with the quintet, the enthusiasm picks up drastically as the set progresses. A particular unusual point in the show arrives when one audience member opens up their umbrella, causing Theart to laugh mid-song. The umbrella is handed to the humorous frontman who continues singing while comically holding it above his head. In an effort to perhaps appease those with no prior knowledge of their music, the band launch into a cover of John Farnham's 'You're the Voice', which prompts a venue-wide sing-along. The only drawback to the performance is the mismatching equalisation of sound between the instruments but this fails to truly taint the show. Closing with the ballsy 'Silent Genocide', I Am I's London debut is a definite success and hopefully these local lads will return to their home city soon for a headlining performance.

The anticipation is thick in the air for Skid Row as The Ramones' 'Blitzkrieg Bop' plays over the PA, already instigating audience participation. Before long, the band explodes on stage with the violent title track of their second album 'Slave to the Grind'. Instantly, a mosh pit erupts in the centre of the venue as the aggressive hard rock song rolls over the venue. This is followed by the fun-loving 'Big Guns', the Americans enjoying the rabid reactions of the London faithful. Vocalist Johnny Solinger does not attempt to emulate original vocalist Sebastian Bach and employs less demanding vocal lines than his predecessor. He sounds more comfortable on the 'Thick Skin' selections – ‘New Generation’ and ‘Thick is the Skin'.

Naturally, the setlist is biased towards the first two full-lengths with 'Piece of Me', '18 and Lie', 'Mudkicker', ‘In a Darkened Room' and ‘Makin' a Mess' just a few of these choices. However, the night is not entirely nostalgia and the band takes the opportunity to demonstrate unreleased material from the forthcoming 'United World Rebellion' EP. Two songs entitled 'Let's Go' and 'Kings of Demolition' are dished up for audience consumption. The music is particularly heavy (growls included!) and certainly in the vein of Skid Row's later efforts. Solinger informs that the EP is released May 27th and the UK version will include two bonus tracks because, apparently, they love us that much.

Original bassist Rachel Bolan tells a story of his first time arriving in the UK with Skid Row before launching into a cover of the Ramones classic 'Psycho Therapy', providing the vocals himself and watching the sweaty audience leap up and down with surprising energy.

The final curtain call is near as the US rockers leave the stage after a particularly all guns blazing performance of the raucous 'Monkey Business'. Of course, their most popular anthem is suspiciously absent from the set. Returning to the stage, the encore begins with the defiant 'Get the Fuck Out' before the band launch into the beloved 'Youth Gone Wild'. At this point, the supporting band members join Skid Row on stage and I Am I's Theart does an excellent job singing the final chorus. This concludes a solid set with good sound and a great way to start Saturday night. It is a shame that the band had to play to a strict curfew but the smiles on their faces and the audience’s suggest that this was not an issue.

FUTURE GIGS

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