The Dead Daisies / Graham Bonnet / FM at SWX, Bristol, 15/12/2022
The Dead Daisies / Graham Bonnet / FM
SWX, Bristol
15/12/2022
Live Review and Photography by Paul Hutchings
It’s cold, very cold but the centre of Bristol is teeming with shoppers. Scurrying through the winter market, it’s a relief to join the already growing queue of excited fans outside SWX, the Bristol nightclub cum music venue. There’s some rock royalty in the house tonight and the anticipation is high.
It’s only 7:10pm when British melodic rockers FM hit the stage. A band with enough pedigree to headline this location, it’s something of a shock to see them limited to 30 minutes and the opening slot. They don’t seem to care mind, with broad smiles across the board from start to finish. Formed in 1984, the band are veterans and demonstrate their class with a smooth set that draws from several albums in their extensive discography.
Vocalist Steve Overland is the focal point, his rich tones filling the air as the band move rapidly through a six-song repertoire that comprises songs from their early releases as well as more recent albums “Atomic Generation”, “Synchronised” and this year’s excellent “Thirteen”. Keyboardist Jem Davies is hidden in the shadows, only occasionally appearing when the light touches him. It’s down to Jim Kirkpatrick to take the other spotlight, his guitar work sublime. There’s limited banter, as you’d expect with a short slot. It is a reminder that the band are a class act, and it shows with a huge round of applause and even cries for “more”.
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He was excellent at Steelhouse Festival in July, and hard rock legend Graham Bonnet rolls back the years with a 40-minute show that is heavy on the distant back catalogue. It’s no fewer than four drawn from Rainbow’s “Down to Earth”, along with a couple from his first stint with Michael Schenker and of course, the obligatory hit ‘Night Games’, where Bonnet poignantly refers to drummer Cozy Powell amongst others.
A few days short of his 75th birthday, Bonnet still possesses the power in the vocal chords. ‘Eyes of the World’ kicks things off, those familiar with the album singing along. Bonnet has ensured he’s supported by a younger cast, including his partner Beth-Ami Heavenstone. Brazilian guitarist Conrado Pesinato meanwhile gets to play out his Blackmore and Schenker fantasies with aplomb, whilst he also manages to take on the first verse of ‘All Night Long’ after his boss strangely forgets the words, some feat on a song he’s been singing for over four decades.
“I came here to do my stand-up routine” quips Bonnet, as he quickly recovers and moves forward. He’s got a story for every song, as he moves onto ‘Desert Song’, one of two from the “Assault Attack” album. He’s always been an unlikely looking rock star, renowned in the late 70’s for winding Richie Blackmore up with his flamboyant Hawaiian shirts, but he’s held the same style since the 1960’s, so he isn’t going to change now and with his vocals quality why would he? It’s singalong time with ‘Since You’ve Been Gone’ before a thunderous rendition of ‘Lost in Hollywood’ sends him off to his Horlicks with the knowledge of a job well done.
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With their latest wonderful album behind them in “Radiance”, the musical collective known as The Dead Daisies are very much a band these days. It’s the arrival of Glenn Hughes that has, in my opinion, seen the band shift through to the upper gears and this incarnation purrs like a top of the range automobile. There’s smoke, more poses that the rock handbook can list, solos and some cover versions. It’s a rock show at its best.
Hughes isn’t known as the ‘voice of rock’ for nothing and even on the last night of the tour he demonstrates why even in his early seventies he remains peerless. His performance during the band’s massive version of Deep Purple’s ‘Mistreated’ is mesmerising, his ability to hold a note causing the heaving masses in front of the stage to hold its collective breath. He’s also a superb bassist and anchors the rhythm section alongside returning drummer Brian Tichy with ease. Tichy is something else, making his rolls and fills with an ease that is frustratingly brilliant, whilst his drum solo, not something I would normally be thrilled about is incredible, his bouncing sticks hitting the ceiling before dropping back to his hands with the assuredness of an international wicket keeper.
That engine room is supplemented by David Lowy, the mastermind behind the band. Lowy is content to roll the riffs out in a display of solid confidence, which leaves the floor open for the bare-chested Doug Aldrich to showboat with the ease and flamboyance that you’d expect from the former Whitesnake and Dio man. He shreds for fun, provides many shapes for us photographers and generally makes you wish you looked like him! He’s every inch the rock star, from the open shirt to the blond mane that shows no signs of thinning.
Musically, it’s a treat after treat with songs predominantly from “Radiance” and “Holy Ground” supplemented by a couple from the band’s earlier records as well as a selection of classic covers. CCR’s ‘Fortunate Son’ remains on the set list from 2021, as does ‘Mistreated’, and the double song encore of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band’s ‘Midnight Moses’ and a blasting finale of Deep Purple’s ‘Burn’ which sees the audience optimistically trying to keep up with Hughes. They fail but it’s good fun.
The Dead Daisies are now a real force in the world of hard rock. You get the feeling there are many more miles under the hood of this purebred beast. As we emerged in the frosty evening, it’s almost a given that this time we’ll all be back for another opportunity to see these master craftsmen at work once more.
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Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Paul Hutchings and Ever Metal. Photography property of Paul Hutchings. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
