Page 42 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 104

BV104 pg42_BV104 pg42 30/03/2020 00:40 Page 1

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YYYYY Excellent YYYY Very Good YYY Good

YY Listenable, Just Y Poor

THE WILDHEARTS / BACKYARD BABIES / CKY – BIRMINGHAM O2 INSTITUTE, 04.02.20
They’d been talking about it for years, but finally a Wildhearts/Back- an electrifying show. If anyone coming to the show had somehow not man-
yard Babies tour was cemented in stone – with Pennsylvanian duo CKY aged to check Backyard Babies out before now, this co-headlining set
opening the proceedings (in the UK at least). It’s a bill that, no matter would definitely have won them over.
which band you prefer, you knew as soon as tickets went on sale that The fact that opening number ‘Everlone’ was running through our
you’d enjoy from start to finish. mind when we woke up the day after this show shows how powerful it is.
Although CKY are (currently) just a two-piece, they have a sound to Kicking off with loads of riffs, jumps (especially by CJ), melodic sing-along
match bands double their size. Songs like ‘Rio Bravo’ are deadly, with vocals and more, it’s everything your ears want in a song – and a band.
creepy guitar riffs that hang out in dark alleys on their time off. Fuzzy vibes The mental health awareness single, ‘Diagnosis’, is next up, inciting en-
and grizzly vocals from Chad Ginsberg join Jess Margera’s solid drum- thusiastic claps, progressively becoming more and more irresistible. It’s
beat. Newer song ‘Head For A Breakdown’ has a laid-back lull to it, while awesome to see bassist Danny McCormack now walking over to CJ’s side
their classic hit ’96 Quite Bitter Beings’ features the waltzing, stoner rock of the stage and back. If you didn’t know, his leg was amputated a few
riff that everyone recalls and nods along to as soon as it begins. Although years ago. It shows how strong and inspiring he is, being able to get back
the crowd seem a little too tame for CKY’s liking, when they finish their up and now walk around. ‘Caffeine Bomb’ bolts along at 100 miles an hour
set there are chants of ‘CKY’ reverberating around the room. – and is definitely what we need the morning after this show. Later in the
Spinning blue police car lights signal the start of Backyard Babies’ set set, someone shouts up for ‘Geordie In Wonderland’ and the band play
and the four men that make up Backyard Babies; Nicke Borg, Dregen, an impromptu version of it, which shows their musical dexterity and ability
Johan Blomqvist and Peder Carlsson, are definitely wanted men for put- to please fans. ‘Vanilla Radio’, Sick Of Drugs’ and ‘TV Tan’ all make the
ting on dangerously addictive live shows. Kicking off with ‘Good Morning set a quality 1 hour 15 minutes’ worth, while the uplifting ‘I Wanna Go
Midnight’, the quartet from Sweden mean business and they put on a high- Where The People Go’ rounds off the main set in all its fist-pumping glory,
energy, show-stopping set that includes blasts of CO2 that come up from before an encore sees the band return for ‘My Baby Is A Headfuck’, ‘Suck-
under the two risers at the front of the stage that Dregen and Nicke stand erpunch’ (probably our favourite Wildhearts song ever) and ‘Love U ‘Til I
on. They frequently blast up when the guys are on them, covering them Don’t’. Members of Backyard Babies join The Wildhearts to help wrap the
in a cloud of smoke. With their eighth studio album released in 2019, they final night of the tour off in party mode. Tonight, we definitely loved this
prove that they just get better and better. ‘Shovin’ Rocks’ is a rock ‘n’ roll set. And, aside from all three bands putting on great performances, we
gem, while ‘Yes To All No’ has a retro air. ‘Heaven 2.9’ is a glam punk ‘n’ definitely think the person who set this tour up deserves a round of ap-
roll riot, while Dregen keeps things interesting by taking over the lead vo- plause for a job well done.
cals for ‘Star War’. The punchy and attitude-filled ‘Look At You’, ‘Brand YYYYY
New Hate’ and ‘People Like People Like People Like Us’ all contribute to Shari Black Velvet

Ginger & CJ (The Wildhearts)
Photo By Shari Black Velvet

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