Artist: Logan, Crimes Of Passion, Remedy

Venue: 02 Academy, Newcastle 

Date:  19 May 2009 

It's not very often that I have encouraging words to say on the state of the British Rock scene but tonight I witnessed three (count them), three top notch home grown Rock bands who all delivered great sets which again rejuvenated my faith in the Rock scene in the UK.
 

Opening up tonight were Newcastle’s own Remedy, a band that until now had been an unknown quantity but after tonight’s show this wouldn’t be my last encounter with the band. 

The band led by vocalist Jenn Cherene are a hard rocking quartet with Graham Haswell on guitars, Lee Tuck on bass and completing the line-up Mark Dodd's on drums. The band opened up their account with the impressive "In Dreams" and instantly I thought to myself this band rocks and with Jenn doing a damn fine job on the vocals, coming across as a mix of Pat Benatar and Janis Joplin, it was clear this little lady was here to rock.

The band continued to impress with ‘Chasing Traffic’, again another great hard rocking song with Jenn pulling no punches vocally and the rest of the band weren’t too shabby either, with Haswell shining on the guitar and foundation of the band the rhythm section of Dodds and Tuck keeping it tight throughout.  Not bad for a song the band had only finished writing the Saturday before, with the finishing touches to the lyrics completed only this afternoon.  Now that's confidence in your band!  

As the band continued their set with ‘Am I Designed’ and ‘Learn To Speak’ it was clear that this band have a great future ahead of them.  They continued to produce some great stuff and finished off the set on a high with ‘Last Demand’ and song of the night the excellent ‘Desire’, which again powered through and rounded off what was a short but very impressive set from a band.  I look forward to catching this band in action again soon.  

Now on to a band who are definitely no strangers to me Crimes Of Passion, a band who have gone from strength to strength over recent years.  This band really have developed into a creature of power and great melody led by the larger than life persona of frontman Dale Radcliffe, who has stamped a harder edge on the band and has lifted the band from bridesmaid status to bride, with not just his vocals but his whole stage presence.  The band has finally found their forte with this heavier sound, while still remaining that modern melodic metal and this is the direction the band should take from now on in my eyes.

But back to the set which opened up with the bands own interpretation of Dio’s ‘Holy Diver’ and sent ripples around the venue, as the crowd seemed to come out the woodwork to watch this band.  They continued to rock big style with ‘Die Alone’, again with Dale in fine form but equally superb was guitarist Andy Lindsay who just threw out lick after slick lick, whist Kev Tonge power-housed his way though the song on drums.  New bassist Simon Fearn seemed well at ease in the band and also did a great job.

They continued with ‘God Me Your Angel’, which really got the crowd going once more as they clapped along and really were getting into the band, many of which I think hadn’t heard the 

band before tonight.  It was time for one of my favourites from the band the excellent ‘Unbreakable’, during which Dale really had the crowd in the palm of his hand by now and was loving every minute of it.  As Dale announced that the band were half way through writing the next album it was time for a taste of what’s to come with ‘Careful What You Wish For’, a real cracker and if this is a taste of the new album then I for one can't wait.  This was pure Melodic Metal class and a real step forward for the band.

It was back to the familiar favourites with ‘Fight You On My Own’, which again the crowd was singing along with the band before the band finished off with ‘The Me I Lost’, which wrapped up what has to be one if the not the best set from the band I’ve seen and I’ve seen a few. 

Now to the main event and the final band of what was turning out to be a great night, Scottish legends Logan, a band who I must say deserve to be headlining much larger venues as both their delivery on stage and the response from the crowds of fans who had turned up to see them more than proved their ability to give a top notch performance.  However, their day will come.  The band really came here to put on one hell of a show tonight and the crowd were 100% behind them from the off.  I really can't help but wonder why this band aren’t playing arena shows as headlining act because they sure do have the songs and the talent to do so.

Tonight’s set was one of sheer power mixed with more than a dash of class, with towering tracks like ‘Stand To Reason’, chunky riff filled melodies like ‘Gone’ and the superb Lost And Found’, which went down a storm with the crowd.  Even the newer songs like ‘Brother’ and the excellent 'The Rock n Roll Way’ were just spectacular arena anthems and deserved a larger stage.  But it was crowd favourites like ‘Hallowed Ground’ and 'When I Get Down’ that really set the place on fire as the crowd just erupted and rightly so as the band really pulled no punches here tonight.   

Logan are a band that I would highly recommend anyone to go and see live at these smaller venues because next year for 

sure the arena dates will come and you’ll have to pay a lot more than few pounds they paid tonight to see this band live again.

To round up this was a great night for British Rock and I only hope this is an up turn for a country that was once famous worldwide for it's ground breaking rock.  It's the home of bands such as The Beatles, The Stones, Black Sabbath and many more, so let's hope Rock is making a come back here, because like me many of you are sick of being second class citizens when the rest of Europe is bathed in great rock bands.  Britain rocks so fly the flag and support these great British bands, they are our future! 

 

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