Page 55 - Black Velvet Issue 88

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BLACK STONE CHERRY / SHINEDOWN / HALESTORM / HIGHLY SUSPECT
BIRMINGHAM BARCLAYCARD ARENA, 02.02.16

It’s our first gig of the year (yes, we were deprived Of My Head’. This is not your typical Shinedown song as
throughout the whole of January!) and it’s a good ‘un. Car- it has more of a dancey-rap beat to it although they end
nival Of Madness has hit the UK. First up it’s Highly Sus- on a higher note with ‘Sound Of Madness’ and its thump-
pect. They’re a three-piece from New York whose soulful ing drum beat. We’re definitely down with Shinedown and
style bleeds from songs such as ‘Bath Salts’ and ‘Lydia’. shine they always do.
‘Lost’ is a funky backroom blues number that gets the foot It’s amazing that Black Stone Cherry have been head-
tapping. Their final number hits the target spot on with a lining arena shows for the last couple of years. It seems
faster, punkier beat and energy. like only yesterday when we saw them opening for Nick-
Bringing more of a savage hard rock sound is elback. “How many people remember 2006?” frontman
Halestorm. With opening songs ‘Apocalyptic’ and ‘Love Chris Robertson asks, telling the crowd it’s been a decade
Bites (So Do I)’, the band are the only one on the bill to since they first came to the UK. He informs the crowd that
have a female member but Lzzy is as ballsy as any of the they’ve been trying to mix things up and play a different
guys – if not more so. You know when you’re at a decent song in every city. Birmingham gets ‘Rollin’ On’ from the
rock gig as the drummers get the spotlight for a solo. band’s debut album. The band play old songs, new songs
Lzzy’s brother Arejay impresses, singing lines to ‘Rock and songs in-between. Their new ‘Kentucky’ album isn’t
And Roll All Nite’, ‘Highway To Hell’ and even Black Stone out at the time of the show but they perform ‘In Our
Cherry’s ‘Blind Man’ while showing off his tub-thumping Dreams’, a new song that the band recently posted online.
talents. ‘Mayhem’ from Halestorm’s ‘Into The Wild Life’ It settles into the set very comfortably as if it’s been there
album is one of the darker and disorderly numbers, while for years, while still being refreshingly new. Chris performs
older song ‘I Miss The Misery’ wraps up the set with some the touching ‘Things My Father Said’ on his own – with
impressive guitar playing courtesy of Joe Hottinger. the crowd singing along loudly. This song always brings a
Shinedown open with the chilled piano-fused ‘Black lump to your throat, while another acoustic song, ‘The
Cadillac’ before really getting into gear with the powerful Rambler’, from the new album, follows it. This one has a
‘Diamond Eyes’, with its catchy ‘boom-lay boom-lay boom’ bit of an old-time feel to it. Lzzy Hale of Halestorm joins
chorus. Shinedown have so many good songs that it’s the band for ‘Peace Is Free’, which makes a nice change,
quite hard to see them as support as they only get x while the band end by covering Motorhead’s ‘Ace Of
amount of time to play x amount of songs and you’re guar- Spades’, showing their respect to Lemmy Kilmister (RIP).
anteed to miss some of your faves being played. That Black Stone Cherry and Carnival Of Madness show
said, we do get their stunning ‘Second Chance’ hit single that rock music is alive and well. With smoke blown into
which will never get old, while ‘Unity’ is equally as blissful. the air as they bow and leave the stage, it’s a celebration
Frontman Brent Smith gets the standing crowd to make a for the band and rock fans everywhere.
gap down the centre before the song ‘Enemies’. He walks YYYY
down in the middle of the audience through the gap before SBV
getting out before the song bounces the crowd up and Chris Robertson (Black Stone Cherry) Photo By Shari Black Velvet
down. The ladies are told ‘it’s time to dance’ before ‘State

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