Page 45 - Black Velvet Magazine Issue 99

BV98 pg44&45_BV99 pg45 08/11/2018 01:21 Page 2

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and style and to their credit they don’t try and replicate anything which genuine concern in the band’s camp as to how many folk will still be on
has just been seen and do what they do best which is a remarkable ability hand to enjoy them but they have nothing to worry about as the crowd
to make you smile. Their brand of classic rock is the kind which doesn’t which greets them is the biggest seen all day and it’s just as big an hour
stretch your brain, it’s simple and straight forward but more importantly later when they wrap the day up. Frontman Baz Mills has an interesting
it’s fun and if anyone wasn’t in a good mood before, set closer ‘Whoop- warm-up routine, spending time chatting with fans and taking selfies while
Dee-F***ing-Doo!’ makes sure they are. the team gets everything in place but nonetheless, when given the green
There are many great mysteries in rock and one of the bigger ones in light, they explode into life with Status Quo and Rick Parfitt tribute song
recent times is New Device. They have the talent, they certainly have the ‘Back To The Stack’, they have the New Cross Inn rocking in a way it
songs and they even have the look which is apparently very important to hasn’t over the last few hours. It’s amazing that those on hand still have
some but yet they have still failed to make the headway they deserve and anything left, given the energy and attention they have devoted to every-
here they again remind us they are worthy of bigger stages and higher one who has already performed, but anything still inside is drawn out by
billings than this. Not that this derails them and ‘Here We Stand’ remains Massive Wagons who immediately prove new album ‘Full Nelson’ is one
a banging track live, but they also provide one of the day’s best moments which is going to make them a big, no, a massive deal on the UK rock
when they invite young Riley, here for her first live show, on stage with scene.
them for new song ‘Wake Up’ and as well as creating the cool memory With the venue bouncing through the roof, they keep their feet planted
the new material offers fresh hope that greater things lie in their future. on the throttle with ‘Billy Balloon Head’, the perfect choice for their second
With the evening now starting to reach its end things have a little twist song, to which the power of their riffs from the new album are fully re-
when the resurrected Sacrilege take their turn to perform. This 80s outfit vealed. On a recording they are fantastic, live they are truly something
reformed a few years ago and are looking as strong as ever, wearing their else and a couple of songs in you realise you are in the presence of a
NWOBHM hearts very much on their sleeves, their Judas Priest and Black band who you have to experience live to fully appreciate their brilliance.
Sabbath influences are as obvious as possible and they are well worthy It’s little wonder that the majority of this set comes from the new album.
of the attention of fans of those bands. ‘Nails’ is a noticeable and welcome exception which brings an added level
Sadly, with the set times increasing towards the end of the day, Sac- of heavy to the show, while their decision to include ‘Ratio’ and ‘Tokyo’
rilege’s show runs a little longer than it should have and with it being a from their previous album on the new one is more than vindicated as they
year since Massive have played in the UK they clearly don’t want to wait are utterly superb and lapped up by their adoring fans, the reaction to
a single second longer than they need to and so they admirably set their ‘Ratio’ being perhaps the biggest of the entire day.
stage up in record time and don’t just hit the ground running but hit it like It’s also welcome to have ‘Hate Me’ and ‘Ballad of Verdun Hayes’ in-
an atom bomb. The energy in the New Cross Inn has been high all day cluded, songs which haven’t been regulars in their recent set lists but they
but with more fans starting to arrive for the later acts there is no denying fit in here just as well as any other material on display and are just as well
Massive’s arrival has turned the intensity up tremendously and the band received which means their headline tour, when it inevitably comes, will
show no sign of fatigue from this being their third show not only in as many be unmissable.
days but in as many countries. With a new album in the pipeline the new There is a quote which appears above the stage at the New Cross
material is welcome here but the truth is the oldies excel which is not a Inn which reads, “I’d hate to be a teetotaller, imagine getting up in the
reflection on their new stuff but just a statement of how blooming brilliant morning and knowing that’s as good as you’re going to feel all day”, but
songs like ‘Dancefloor’ and ‘Ghost’ really are, the former being among the on days like this that statement is not true because while those who enjoy
best songs performed on the day. Typically, you might expect the band to alcohol and its benefits may argue the point, days like this prove that rock
close their show with their breakout single ‘One By One’ but even this is and roll is all you need to have a great, great day.
followed here by new song ‘Roses’ which highlights their trust in their new YYYYY
work and it’s deserved as it’s a grand conclusion to a set by another band Michael Coventry
richly deserving of more.
And it’s left to Massive Wagons to try and trump that. With the night Photos: Opposite: Barry Mills (Massive Wagons). Below: Brad Marr (Massive)
wearing on it’s gone 10pm by the time they arrive on stage and there is By Bonnie Britain

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