At some point in June 1991 – I wish I could remember the date but I can’t, I can tell you I bought the 12-inch single for Skid Row’s “Monkey Business” that day, but I digress – the almost 16-year-old me and my mate went to the opening of a youth rock club at Tressines nightclub in Birmingham. There we met a band, got their autographs, a badge, and they played a set, which ranks as technically the first gig we ever saw.
I’ve still got Wolfsbane’s signatures, and I’ve still got the Howling Mad Shithead badge we were given.
That story, perhaps, gives an insight as to how much music has always meant to me, but how much Wolfsbane do too. Which makes this first time I’ve seen them since they opened for the Wildhearts in 2007 pretty damn special.
We’ll get to that, but first: Luke Appleton has brought his Power Trio down to open. Describing them as his “side hustle”, it enables Appleton to front his band instead of his work with Absolva and Blaze Bayley. Alongside bandmates Richie and Adam, they are a little too good to be “side” anything.
Their interesting reworking of ‘Stone Broke From My Heart” – taken from his solo (largely acoustic) record stands out, but the couple from this year’s fine “Forever Viking” EP – including the heartfelt title track about a friend that died and “A Thing Of Fate” are exactly what this band is about. They end with “How Does It Feel To Be Alive?” The title track from his first foray on his own, and it underlines the quality of his work. Even if he might need a PA to organise his diary (you had to be there).
The Spangles Ben Marsden is another who isn’t in one band when being in 12 will do. In recent months I’ve seen him open for Ginger and the Sinners with Carole Hodge, and play in Warner E Hodges’ Band upstairs here. The Spangles are his, though, and “the weird punk band” are quite magnificent here.
Marsden, Polly Phluid and Ginna released an album a few years ago that I’d have given it 12/10 if I could when I reviewed it, and most of the set here is taken from it. “I Don’t Wanna Go” and “The Only One” are wonderful fizz bombs, “Get Over Yourself” sneers, and- let us be honest about this- “Hold My Hand” has nicked its chorus from Weezer’s “Buddy Holly” (don’t worry we won’t tell them).
For all the melody and fun, this is punk rock. “POTUS” is nasty, “Here We Go Again” has a debt to The Pistols, but no matter. They go down a storm. “Growing Up” sees them leave the stage, but essentially poses the question: why bother growing up at all? I’ve waited years to see The Spangles. And they were stars.
“Thanks for making Sunday night in Birmingham feel like Saturday night in Leeds” Marsden had said as he’d left the stage and that wasn’t the throwaway remark it usually is. There’s an atmosphere in here, an expectation. And the local (ish) lads are going to enjoy their victory lap.
Simply put, Wolfsbane are utterly sensational.
Starting with “Tough As Steel” is a masterstroke. Jase Edwards, the bands’ guitar player, is in a wheelchair after his cancer, singer Blaze Bayley has had his well-publicised heart issues, and drummer Steve Danger has his arthritis. But you can’t kill a band that won’t die and loves to play.
The same four guys since 1986, there’s a bond, a chemistry, a sense of fun. And marvellous songs.
Whether it’s “Spit It Out” from last year’s mighty “Genius” album, or “Money To Burn” from the debut, it doesn’t matter. It is all as good. It’s part biker rock, part heavy metal and wholly for kicks. It’s glorious.
All their albums and most of the EP’s are mined for gold. “End Of The Century” is just that too, “Rock City Nights” finds nostalgia in the hedonism that they can probably only dream of now, but “Things Are Getting Better” seems to capture the hope of the night. Things aren’t all bad, it says, if we have bands like this.
By and large, the last half hour deals with old favourites (save for “Smoke And Red Lights” which is about their first gig). “Loco”, “I Like It Hot”, “Temple Of Rock” and others, just belted out with a conviction that says “rock n roll can save us”.
“Manhunt” is as cheesy as Blaze says it is, but try and resist it, go on! And anyway, the sight of a chap marching around with a Wolf mask onstage means my Sunday was better than yours.
That was – sort of – the set closer, but no one goes off and they still find “Ezy” and “Paint The Town Red” in their back pockets (and we all wave red glowsticks and glitter bombs go off).
Wolfsbane, back in the early to mid-90s, should have been massive. You probably know the history and what happened, but it’s undeniable that when they get together it is still a magical thing.
One of the most fun shows of the year.
