Slade
It is a busy Saturday evening in Norwich so issues with traffic and parking mean I miss most of tonight’s openers, Sons of the Seventies. To be honest, this isn’t my thing at all. For the most part, with a few very special exceptions aside, I do not do covers/tribute bands and covers of the likes of Kansas and Deep Purple - even played as well as they are by SOTS - aren’t gonna light my fire. Given this and that I only see two and a bit songs, it would be unfair of me to review them in detail here.
I have no such issues with Slade. Drummer Don Powell and guitarist Dave Hill have now been playing together for the best part of five and a half decades and show no signs of stopping. Tonight they and long-standing vocalist, bassist and violinist John Berry are joined by new boy Russell Keefe on vox, keys and bass.
The theme from Thunderbirds leads into Take Me Bak 'Ome. Lock Up Your Daughters is given a twist by Berry’s daughter being in the audience. There’s a rollicking Look Wot You Dun followed by the HUGE power-ballad that is Everyday. Coz I Luv You sparks an enthusiastic singalong. Run Runaway is as ridiculous as it has always been but by ‘eck it is still good fun. The foursome tear bound through My Friend Stan, Far Far Away, The Bangin' Man and My Baby Left Me before Gudbuy T'Jane and Mama Weer All Crazee Now close the main set. Now those two songs are worth the price of admission alone.
Of course, there is an encore. My Oh My could be an overblown and turgid ballad in lesser hands but here it is a genuinely moving. Cum On Feel the Noize remains an absolute blinder classic. The closer can only be Merry Xmas Everybody and, whilst I may get tired of hearing it over the next couple of weeks, it is one of the best Xmas singles ever.
Before the show, a few people I know questioned whether Slade can still be relevant in 2019. A sold out Waterfront - with the audience ranging from kids whose parents are almost certainly younger than some of the songs up to pensioners who followed the band in their heyday - certainly suggests so. A night of good ol’ foot-stomping, clapalong rock ‘n’ roll is just what is needed in what are undoubtedly troubled and uncertain times.
