Michael Monroe

The undisputed king of glam punk Michael Monroe returns to Glasgow after last year’s appearance supporting supergroup MC50. Tonight, this infinitely talented Finnish rock star comes equipped with a new slice of rock ‘n’ roll delicacy, ‘One Man Gang’. This Finn’s career has been going full speed for more than four decades. He’s most celebrated for leading the highly influential glam metal vanguards Hanoi Rocks but his enduring solo career justifies his permanence in the hard rock world today.

The Glasgow date of Michael Monroe’s UK tour takes place in the G2 of the Garage. As a testament to his electrifying performances, the venue is understandably busy despite Monroe including Glasgow in his touring plans many times in recent years. After a taped intro of Ennio Morricone’s ‘Navajo’, Monroe and his backing band explode on stage with the title track of ‘One Man Gang’. At 57 years old, Monroe’s hyperactive stage presence puts most rock ‘n’ roll frontmen in their twenties to shame. He’s constantly on the move, a presence that corroborates his bad attitude fusion between dirty hard rock and punk. Visually, he cuts an unforgettable image with his bright blonde mop of backcombed hair, piecing blue eyes encircled by smudged eyeliner and his very slim frame hitting 100mph, whizzing around the stage. The beginning of the show is all new tracks: ‘Last Train to Tokyo’, ‘Junk Planet’ and ‘The Pitfalls of Being an Outsider’ rock the crowd with high energy guitar and punk-infested drumming.

The nostalgic ‘Ballad of the Lower East Side’ from 2013’s ‘Horns and Halos’ goes off like a glam punk firework, rattling the walls and hyping the fans. As is customary, Monroe revisits some Hanoi Rocks numbers. ‘Motorvatin’’ is impossible to stand still to, one of Hanoi Rock’s finest moments. Monroe dedicates the touching ballad ‘Don’t You Ever Leave Me’ to Hanoi Rocks’ drummer Razzle, who died in a car crash in 1984 while riding with a drunk Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe. The enchanting ‘Malibu Beach Nightmare’ almost makes you want to dance. Former Hanoi Rocks bassist Sami Yaffa provides bass duties for Monroe’s solo project, his meaty basslines underpinning the music with a subtle wilderness. Yaffa also used to perform in New York Dolls, alongside Monroe’s current guitarist Steven Conte. Being a multi-instrumentalist, Monroe himself does not just confine himself to his unique snarled vocals but also indulges in saxophone and harmonica.

A cover of Credence Clearwater Revival’s ‘Up Around the Bend’ is followed by the proud ‘Dead, Jail Or Rock and Roll’, a declaration the venue certainly audibly supports. The band leaves the stage promptly, suggesting an encore awaits and this is confirmed when Monroe and his band of merry men return with the Demolition 23. song ‘Nothin’s Alright’, one of Monroe’s finest efforts. This is chased with another Demolition 23. song ‘Hammersmith Palais’, an ode to London. Monroe loves climbing onto precarious surfaces and structures and tonight is no exception as he tip toes along a ledge to land on the bar at the back of the venue. Finally, the curtain calling song is a cover of The Stooges ‘I Feel Alright’, flowing with rock ‘n’ roll decadent swagger. The show goes past in the blink of an eye and Monroe’s tireless dynamisms make the price of admission seem like a bargain. There are still heroes rocking like it’s still the ‘80s and it’s criminal Monroe’s reputation isn’t as lofty as his music and stage presence.