FM/Romeo's Daughter Birmingham O2 Academy 23rd May 2010

One I have been looking forward to since well the last time I saw these 2 at Oxford Apollo in October 1989!!
A new venue for me this one and apart from the incredibly sticky floor as soon as you step inside very good. The floor was so sticky if you didn't move for a while you could lose your shoe!!
Anyway Romeo's Daughter were playing only their second gig in 18 years with the previous show being at last years Firefest giving the band the impetus to carry on.You would never have known I can tell you. Led by the incredible voice of Leigh Matty(Merv from FM'S other half!!)they blew the sizeable crowd away with a set culled from most of their first cd.
They played
Heaven In The Backseat
Velvet Tongue
Attracted To The Animal
Stay With Me Tonight
I Cry Myself To Sleep At Night
Wild Child
Don't Break My Heart
Their brand of commercial and accessible AOR fitted in perfectly for this evening and the crowd enjoyed every single second of the 40 minutes or so they were on.
Lets hope it isn't 18 years before we see them again.

Tonite was the 10th time I have seen FM . They have played with the likes of Bon Jovi, REO Speedwagon, Gary Moore during the 80's. I love the band, have from day one, and think that Steve Overland(vox) is one of the greatest vocalists this country has ever produced. In the time the band had off till 2007's Firefest reunion we have had Steve produce total quality with the Ladder(including Pete Jupp on drums)(2cd's),Shadowman(3 cd's) and recently with his 2 solo cd's Overland.
With FM now reformed and in support of the quite brilliant METROPOLIS cd how would they fair in the live setting.
No worries on that score I can tell you.Jim Kirkpatrick(geetar)has fitted in like he has been in the band forever. His riffs and solos and interplay with Steve's vox is just stunning.
The setlist was;
Wildside
Face To face
That Girl
Dont Stop
Only The Strong
Blood And Gasoline
Hollow
Metropolis/Over You
Flamingo Road
Hard Day In Hell
All Or Nothing
Burning My Hear Down
Heard It Through The Grapevine
Encores of Frozen Heart
Bad Luck
American Girls.
A near perfect 90 minutes with the back catalogue plundered but a good smattering of new songs too. The Radio 2 hit Hollow shows how rock can be played on the radio in the year 2010. Led by the voice we went back to the 80's for songs I have played millions of times and all the crowd sang along to every word. Every member played their part Pete Jupp on drums,Merv Goldsworthy on bass and Jem Davis on keys and I could go on for days.
As it ended Steve thanked us for all the support and they wouldn't be their if it wasn't for the fans and the Pete Jupp led us into 3 cheers for the life of Ronnie James Dio
who passed away from stomach cancer recently.
It shows there is a market for this sort of material and hopefully the guys will get the success they richly deserve.
After these 4 dates there are 2 in Cardiff and London in early July and the promise of more to come.


ME 12/10

{STOP PRESS}
Yesterday it was announced that FM have been put on the bill at the Download Festival replacing Ratt who pulled out on Monday. They will be on the main stage on Sunday which is fantastic news and so richly deserved. To put a UK band on the main stage to replace a band who I was due to see next week but for the 3rd time in 3 years have now cancelled UK dates shows there is a God. You now get a band who love their fans to a band who don't care a jot. Officially a hernia op for the singer yet today we learn Bobby Blotzer(drummer) was arrested shitfaced in charge of a boat and probably not allowed out of the country. Lying sods.
Now if only I could go on Sunday!!

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