Page 51 - Black Velvet Rock Music Magazine Issue 92

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BONFIDE / TEQUILA MOCKINGBYRD / KILLER BEE - LONDON O2 ACADEMY 2 ISLINGTON, 13.03.17
It’s almost fitting that for one of the first times in 2017, it feels like a hits the skins, the exclamation point coming in the build up to set closer ‘I
summer evening in London as Bonafide and company roll into town as Smell Rock N Roll’, where the introduction is nothing shy of blistering with
part of their 10-year anniversary festivities. It’s also somewhat fitting that Josie’s stick work at its heart. But what perhaps produces the biggest sur-
this occasion in the capital takes place within the modest four walls of the prises are the songs which are not the obvious hits on the album which
Islington Academy 2, the exact spot where the Swedish hard rockers per- go up a level when performed live, ‘This Ain’t Dead’ being the biggest and
formed the London leg of their first headline tour in December 2011 and a testament to a great live band who make any song that much better
while it could be argued that it’s disappointing they have not outgrown when heard on stage.
spaces such as this, the night is a celebration of a decade past, so why And that is what Bonafide are perhaps best at. They too make the
not revisit some old roots? most of their time on stage, an impressive 16 songs crammed into their
Given their new album is titled ‘Flames’, inspired by the classic band 75-minute performance and again, there is no letting up with song after
logo and their aforementioned anniversary, the warm weather outside is song after song. Given that the new album has produced some of their
a nice companion for the show and fellow Swedes Killer Bee get things best work in years, it’s a little disappointing that only three songs from
warmed up nicely for those who have turned out early. Their take on rock ‘Flames’ make the cut here, but the instrumental of ‘Smoke & Fire’ is a
is an interesting one with a strong waft of 80s heavy metal; there is more highlight of the night and is so much more special than it is on the album.
than enough times when this leans towards Judas Priest territory but odd- Things build steadily to a raging crescendo which kicks off with ‘Loud
ball in the set, ‘Children Of The Evolution’ is a sludgy tune which wouldn’t Band’, which is the surprise hit of the night powered by a combination of
be completely out of place on a Black Sabbath setlist. the entire band’s efforts, but the triple team of Pontus Snibb, Anders Rosell
It’s a good start to the evening which may have benefitted from a little and Martin Ekelund on guitars, supported ably by Niklas Matsson on
less chatter from frontman Brian Frank, as this means their strict 30- drums makes for a power as strong as anything in nature on this song
minute stage allocation only produces six songs which you sense is only and the subtle James Bond theme in the solo is a splendid touch.
the tip of their iceberg. It’s hard to imagine ‘Fill Your Head With Rock’ not being the show
Things take a big step up when 15 minutes later Tequila Mockingbyrd stealer of a Bonafide live set, but after ‘Loud Band’ even this awesome
hit the stage and make the most of their extra quarter of an hour with a slice of sing-along rock can’t match it, but that doesn’t stop it from trying,
set list nearly twice the size of the opening act. Covering almost the entire Pontus stepping aside from the mic to sing almost one-to-one with his au-
contents of their debut album, it’s nothing short of remarkable to consider dience and their roars of ‘Fill your head with rock’ back at him make it im-
that on bass is Keira Kenworthy who stepped in barely a fortnight earlier possible to leave Islington without a grin from ear to ear.
to replace the absent for this tour Jess Reily, as they look slicker than ever YYYY
and squeeze every drop from their time on stage. Fronted by Estelle Artois Michael Coventry
who seems to get better and better with every outing, the trio are not only
completed, but in no small part driven by, pint-sized drummer Josie O’-
Toole who must have TNT in her sticks, given the velocity in which she Anders Rosell, Pontus Snibb & Martin Ekelund (Bonafide) Photo By Katie Frost

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