Artist:  Mike Tramp, Deadline & Silverjet 

Venue: Trillians Rock bar, Newcastle

Date:  31 October 2004 

The first thing I noticed about tonight's gig is the poor turnout.  There must be only been around thirty to forty people in tonight.  I'm told this was due to the poor promotion of the show.  Apparently the venue wasn’t sent any posters or flyers to promote the gig and it wasn’t advertised in the local media. I myself only found out by word of mouth a few weeks ago that Mike Tramp was playing tonight. The poor turnout didn’t put off the bands and all three giving it 100%.

First band up were Silver Jet and although I only caught the last few songs of their set, I was very impressed.  They came across as a mix between The Black Crowes, The Quireboys and the Rolling Stones.  I was even more impressed when I found out that they had only played a handful of live shows before tonight.

The second band Deadline I have seen on a number of occasions over a span of a few years at different venues.  After each occasion I've been left with the feeling that this band will always be a bridesmaid and never a bride.  They seem to have settled into the support act slot and never seem to step it up a notch. Don’t get me wrong they aren’t a bad band.  It just seems such a pity that a band that's been going for such a long time don’t seem to want the fame and glory that other bands strive for.

And so to Mike Tramp who's opening few lines to the crowd was to ask if anyone had seen the promoter as he hadn’t been paid yet!

Then it was down to business.  With the band all sitting on stools, it somehow seemed appropriate tonight as it gave the show a more intermit feel.  It might not have been the way he visualized the last date of the tour going but it the small collection of diehard fans certainly made sure it was one he wouldn't forget for all the right reasons.

With a fairly large back catalogue he tried to shied away from the White Lion and Freak of Nature tracks and concentrated more on his solo albums.  This was with the exception of a small few which included 'Wait' and 'When The Children Cry'.  Which let's face it, really are the must play tracks of any set.

We might have been small in  number but we certainly weren't shy when it came to giving praise to the band for their mighty efforts tonight.  Especially when we found out that they'd had to change the guitarist just as they arrived in London as the original one booked for the tour arrived there just in time to change his mind and get on the next plane home!  Wow, I know the weather wasn't brilliant over here but I hadn't realised it was that bad! lol.

Luckily Mike was able to recruit at extremely short notice an old friend from Amsterdam who undertook the honours for the UK leg of the tour.  Well done that man.  Mike wasn't the only one who appreciated this as without you I have no doubt this tour would not have carried on.

Band problems and invisible crowd problems aside, the whole night was cosy but very much alive as every single person in the room sang their little hearts out to each and every song (well, maybe not quite every single song, but all the ones they knew they did).  Fingers crossed it won't be too long before the band return to these shores again and hopefully next time they might get a decent promoter who will supply the venues with posters, flyers and actually inform the local press so more people can enjoy the magic of Mike Tramp and his songs.

 

 

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