Back in November 2022, The Midnight Devils played a show up the road from here. It was a chilly Sunday night. And I wrote this: “The best band in the world. Or the worst. Pick a side – they almost demand that you do and there’ll be no grey area. I’ve decided they rule.”
All of that applies again here as the trio, somewhere out of Middle America, knows how to make an impact. They are an astonishing thing.
It even started the same as last year too. “Sound Of Domination”, “Midnight Devels” and the cover of “Panama” – on which guitarist Sniper proves his abilities – but if nothing has changed, then everything else has. They’ve just put out a new record and “Gonna Get Laid” brings the sex, “Left Leaning” brings the drugs, and the new songs have fit in.
As they end with “Memphis Mile” and balloons fly everywhere with Sam Spade in the crowd, here’s the thing: Midnight Devils are going to party whether you like it – or them – or not. But you might as well get swept along.
As they end with “Memphis Mile” and balloons fly everywhere with Sam Spade in the crowd, here’s the thing: Midnight Devils are going to party whether you like it – or them – or not. But you might as well get swept along.
Between bands, it’s like someone’s rifled through my record collection when I was a 15-year-old. Cinderella, Warrant, Mötley, Skid Row.
And somewhere in the middle of all of that is Kickin’ Valentina. They look like they’d bring a knife out to a gunfight if they had to. A proper gang. A proper band. And some filthy-sounding rock n roll.
Songs like “Sweat” and “Man On Mission” are exactly what you want them to be. The house band in a Hell’s Angels clubhouse.
And their songs are great too. The title track of the recent record “Star Spangled Fist Fight” is a case in point, or the more vicious, punk infusion of “Fireback”.
They belong in a sweaty club, do KV. Singer, D.K. Revelle might only have been in the band since 2019, but he belongs nowhere else. Playing the show from the pit, he gives it a gritty edge to go with the song “Dirty Rhythm”. “Takin’ A Ride” waves its balls at you, “Somebody New” does likewise, before “Get Ready” brings a Mötley vibe.
After drummer Jimmy Berdine brings the crescendo to an end, they play out with “Wasted Time” – the Skid Row power ballad from ’91.
The first gig I ever saw was on that Slave to the Grind tour, and you can’t help but smile at the fact that although those who think they’re cool have tried to sound its death knell many times, sleazy rock ‘n’ roll, man, you’ll never kill it.
What Friday night was made for.
