Artist:  The Glitterati & Red Star Rebels

Venue:  Purple Turtle, Camden, London

Date:  12 August 2006 

The Purple Turtle’s Saturday night get together turned out to be a hot bed of hard rocking glam fans tonight, with four bands on the bill for a measly five pounds you couldn’t complain.  Having arrived in the capital earlier that same afternoon we ashamedly missed the first band and only caught a little of the second bands set, but it was the two remaining acts Red Star Rebels and The Glitterati who were the main reason for coming out to party tonight.

Having now seen the Red Star Rebels on several occasions I have to admit the band have given 110% every time they've take the stage, so tonight's show was no different.  As the band took to the stage the partisan crowd made its way to the front of the stage to cheer on the local heroes, who have now become somewhat of a resident band in Camden with a number of gigs under their belts in the various establishments, the Purple Turtle included.

The band usually take to the stage from several points throughout the venues they play, but as I looked around the venue tonight I couldn’t see where the boys were going to start from.  However, as the boys came on they all clambered on top of the bar adjoining the stage in true Rebels style, and as drummer Steve started the proceedings in impressive style with flaming drums sticks, much to the delight of the hollowing crowd, the rest of the band leapt from the bar and joined him on stage.  Then it was straight down to business with ‘Another Heartache’. 

 To say the band have worked on their stage craft since the first time I saw them is an understatement, they seemed much more comfortable and confident on stage and worked well as a unit.  Then it was time for ‘Too Young To Care’, an obvious crowd favourite as they sang along with singer Blackie. 

The band then took on their full rock star persona’s as they gave on of the best renditions I’ve heard play of ‘Queen of Sin’.  Next up it was time for something new with ‘On My Way To Hollywood’ and I must say I was really impressed with this new song.

Giving the screaming crowd a chance to catch their breath a bit the bands brought things down a bit with the slower paced ‘The Fast And Young Die Pretty’, a song that I’ve commented on more than once as the boys “Home Sweet Home’, or ’Every Rose Has Its Thorn’, with its gentle melody and easy pace.  

Even as singer Blackie took to scaling up the DJ pit to swing off the lighting rig, the band didn’t miss a beat and weren't phased at all and just carried on like nothing was happening.

The bands somewhat short set continued with ‘Aint Love A Bitch’, another new one for me although the die-hard fans at the front of the stage knew every word.  The set can to a close with the band new single ‘Just Another Drug I Gotta Have’, which prompted a stage invasion by those said die-hard fans who sang along with the band and with the band relishing every minute of what was to be one of the best sets I’ve heard so far from the band.

Next up ‘The Glitterati’ who were late additions to the bill and were using tonight to try out some new material before jetting of the States for some shows.  The band were also late on stage by some 45 minutes from the published times, but as the bands intro ‘Rock n Roll’ the majority of the crowd forgave all.

The set opened up in emphatic style with ‘You Got Nothing On Me’ from the bands debut album.  Tonight we were in luck because the band were making full use of this gig to showcase some of their newer songs, the first of those being ‘Do What You Want’, a real rocker as are most of the bands songs.  If you liked the songs on their debut album then your gonna love their new material, it’s a little heavier but still good rocking tunes.

The band went back to the debut for the outstanding ‘Do You Love Yourself’ before returning to the new material with ‘Are You One Of Us’, which saw Paul Gautrey announcing the fact that the band new album would be out soon, much to the excitement of the crowd.

By this time they had won over the partisan Red Star fans who had started of heckling the band but now were singing along.  'Here Comes Another Close Up’ was next with the band now seeming more at ease on the Purple Turtle’s somewhat small stage.

Then it was back to the new material with the awesome ‘Cant Get Enough Of You’, before one of the bands best songs in my opinion ‘Back In Power’, then before I heard the next song, another new one ‘Nobody F**ks Me Off Like You Do’ (charming title) a great little rocker.

The band did away with the usual leaving the stage and coming back on for an encore and stayed on stage to finish with ‘I’m A Real Friend To You’ which rounded off an altogether great set by the band.  I found out later on the reason why the band were late on stage was due to the fact that singer Paul had pains in his chest which later turned out to be torn pectoral muscle, but despite this he still went ahead with the gig and I applaud him for carrying on like a trooper despite the discomfort.  Let's hope things go great for the band with their US dates.

 

 

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