Skid Row / The Ga-Ga`s / Hurricane Party
19 November 2003
Mean Fiddler, London

Taking us on a trip back to the 80s first tonight is Hurricane Party, with a frontline consisting of three Duff McKagan look-alikes and one very rock`n`roll raven-haired frontman. Having not seen anything in this genre for a long-time, the likes of the slow heavy swinging riff of Around Again and the rocking Liar had me nodding along in appreciation. The professional delivery certainly hit the spot with the crowd, who give the band a fantastic response for an opening act. With the likes of The Darkness re-opening the door to showmanship and good rock`n`roll music, the climate for bands like Hurricane Party is the best since grunge swept through and killed this type of music off. My own attention did waiver towards the end of the set and Johan`s certainly did as he disappeared off to pursue a girl in silver hot-pants and top! Yes some of the crowd had gone back to their 80s wardrobe too and people watching proved very amusing.

Hurricane Party Set List:
Killer / Days Full Of Night / Around Again / Liar / Stole My Ride / Last Survivor / She`s My Kryptonite / Ready To Go

The*Ga*Ga*s are up next with their self proclaimed "erogenous rock". At first glance I thought they were fronted by a woman (check the photos you`ll understand), but on closer inspection The*Ga*Ga`s frontman, complete with low slung guitar, brought to mind Dregan from the Backyard Babies crossed with Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes. Bassist Toshi was apparently recommended by Ginger of The Wildhearts and The*Ga*Ga*s certainly share a number of similarities with that band, with big harmony vocals and poppy rock songs. Unfortunately, as I find The Wildheart`s too saccharine sweet, The*Ga*Ga*s aren`t my cup of tea either and that seemed to be echoed by the muted crowd response. I didn`t catch any song titles other than latest single Breaking America, though I had lost interest quite quickly.

The big question of everyone`s lips tonight is can Skid Row cut it without Sebastian Bach. Actually I suspect that a portion of tonight`s now packed out Mean Fiddler were unaware that he was no longer fronting the band and were in for a shock. Filling Bach`s shoes is no small task and that task has been given to Johnny Solinger, who is described by his band mates tonight as a red-neck from Alabama. Now although Solinger doesn`t have the imposing presence of Bach (yet), and being your own man is no bad thing, he certainly has the lungs. In fact, in a live situation, where I always found Bach a bit squeaky, Solinger nails everything tonight.

The important thing to judge was whether it felt like watching Skid Row or a tribute act and as the band tear through opening duo Slave To The Grind and Piece Of Me it`s apparent this is the real deal and the response is bordering on hysteria. It`s clear that original members Dave "Snake" Sabu, Scotti Hill and Rachael Bolan have a real hunger to make Skid Row viable and relevant in the new millennium and a good portion of new material is included tonight. I`m looking forward to getting the new album so I can give these songs another listen, but on first hearing New Generation seems to have picked up influences from Nine Inch Nails or Marilyn Manson, whilst Lamb and Thick Is The Skin follow a more traditional Skid Row sound.

It`s obviously the classics that draw the biggest response tonight and there`s plenty here tonight. 18 & Life features early, the crowd singing along with every word. Monkey Business sees an extended guitar solo from Scotti Hill, who incidentally looks no different tonight to what he looked like when I first saw the band in 1989. It also ends with a short drum solo from other new boy Phil Varone, ex of Saigon Kick. Varone proves he`s the right man to handle the drums for Skid Row with a solid display throughout.

Get The F**k Out sees a sea of middle fingers and the raucous reception to that song seems to make the lull for the next even more pronounced. Beat Yourself Blind is the one track played from the Subhuman Race album tonight and either the majority of the crowd never got that album or they just don`t care for the song as it receives the most muted reception of the set and perhaps would have best been omitted in favour of the likes of the absent Riot Act.

Rachel Bolan mans the mic for a run through of The Ramones Psycho Therapy, closing with Solinger asking the crowd whether punk rock is alive. Regardless, the answer tonight appears to be who cares, hard rock certainly appears to be alive.

Quicksand Jesus is a new addition to the set tonight and I suspect it was added given the fanatical response to I Remember You tonight, which was led by Snake on acoustic guitar. Personally I`m not a big fan of either song, with my preference being for the heavier material, but they`re undeniably good rock ballads.

The final assault can not be faulted though as Makin` A Mess and Youth Gone Wild end proceedings. So, going back to my original question, the answer is yes, Skid Row do still cut it, Solinger is the right man at the right time and you should be there to witness that yourself next time.

Skid Row Set List:
Slave To The Grind / Piece Of Me / New Generation / I Remember You 2 / 18 & Life / Ghost / Monkey Business / Lamb / Get The F**k Out / Beat Yourself Blind / Psycho Therapy / I Remember You / Thick Is The Skin / Quicksand Jesus / Makin` A Mess / Youth Gone Wild