Page 42 - Black Velvet Magazine Issue 106

BV106 pg 42-45 wayward sons.qxp_BV106 pg 42 06/05/2022 23:31 Page 1

BlackVelvetMagazine.Com - 42
WAYWARD SONS / ANCHOR LANE / COLLATERAL - LONDON ISLINGTON ACADEMY, 29.03.22

Tonight, two of the UK’s brightest hopes entertain alongside one of the country’s best acts in the last few
years. Kent-based Collateral perform a short, sharp set, which is packed full of potential and power. There is
no denying the heart of the band is supremely talented frontman Angelo Tristan and it’s no wonder he has
been chosen to play Steven Tyler in an Aerosmith biopic, a role he is sure to nail, and it’s nothing short of re-
markable that, when he picks up an acoustic guitar for ‘Mr Big Shot’, it still adds even more force to the song
even with the rest of the band still playing electric. But not only does this song, alongside other established
tracks such as ‘In It For Love’ and ‘Merry Go Round’, showcase how talented they are, but new track ‘No
Place For Love’ shows there is much more to come in the near future.
The same can be said for Scottish three-piece Anchor Lane, who have been making the most of their
main support role on this tour, which is sure to help them raise their profile, and it has certainly played a part
in them raising their game. Much like Angelo in Collateral, Conor Gaffney is a talented frontman, but a wildly
different one to Angelo, not only playing bass, but also bringing his charming humour to the show, mostly
about his Scottish accent. Much like the opening act, their big hits strike a resounding chord with the audience,
‘Blood & Irony’ has the makings of being their signature song in time, while closer ‘Fame Shame’ is the perfect
track to leave the audience wanting more. And the new material is equally encouraging, ‘Ministry’, dedicated
to Taylor Hawkins, and the simply brilliant ‘The Mischievous Song’ are wonderful signs of things to come.
But it’s Wayward Sons who are headlining the night and it’s easy to see why from the moment they step
on stage. As good as Collateral and Anchor Lane are and as much potential as they boast, Wayward Sons
are simply on another level tonight. Maybe it’s through the excitement of finally making it to the final leg of a
tour which was delayed by Covid, then started only to be stopped again when a member fell ill with the disease,
was rescheduled and then postponed again while the world sorting itself. Or maybe it’s because they have a
crystal ball and know that 12 hours later frontman Toby Jepson will discover he too has fallen foul of Covid
and this is the chance to leave everything in the tank on the table.

CONCERTS