Danny Vaughn Dan Reed Camden Underworld 31-03-15

 You know it is going to be an intimate gig when the guy behind you in the queue to get in says to the doorman "Hi my name's Dan - I'm playing here tonight" - Nige

First up on this all acoustic evening was Bordello Rose,  well 2 of the 4 members who had about 5 hours notice of the gig. 

I recognised the musicians but not the name and had in fact had seen them support Eclipse last year when they were called Parkway!!

With Liza Bec on vocals, saxophone, keys and recorder and Dave Winkler on guitar and vocals they impressed in this laid back stripped back form.  With quality songs like "Outta My Head" and "Jealousy" from their début album (which is in the mixing phase and is due out in June) both Liza and Dave traded vocals and some excellent guitar work.

Finishing with a surprise workout of Iron Maiden's Wasted Years which included Dave saying a line that in the 26 times I have seen Maiden I have never heard - " Now a recorder solo !!"

Very good.

I've seen Danny Vaughn both in Tyketto and solo unplugged (and bizarrely in the pub next door to the O2 in Oxford cradling his beloved guitar "just in case" ).  The man is 53 and sings like he did when I first heard him singing "Heaven Tonight" on the Waysted album. Dan Reed is a year younger, is the spitting image of my mate Ady and whilst he has a different style to Danny, brings the house down every time he sings.  Tonight was an absolute treat - An Evening With Danny and  Dan.. stories ( Dan telling his story of how he told the Buddhist Monks of Queen's We Will Rock You was hilarious) , banter even impressions(Marvin The Martian!!). Lots of emotion, smiles and good times. Each of them watching what the other was doing and joining in once they'd sussed it. - Nige.

I have been lucky enough to see Danny Vaughn on a couple of occasions unplugged so with the addition of Dan Reed,who I haven't seen live since 1990 when with his Network they supported Bon Jovi at Wembley Arena,this was a no brainer.

For just over 2 hours we were treated to an evening of stripped back songs from their careers with a couple of cover versions thrown in and plenty of banter and laughter with their varied story telling!!

Here is what they played.

Baby Now I Dan Reed song
Is that All There Is Danny Vaughn song
Dreams Come True Dan Reed song
Restless Blood Danny Vaughn song
On Your Side Dan Reed song
Soldiers And Sailors On Riverside Danny Vaughn song
Rainbow Child Dan Reed song
Black and Blue Waysted song
She's Not You Dan Reed song
Standing Alone Danny Vaughn song
My Hometown Bruce Springsteen song
Heaven Tonight Waysted song
Avalanche Dan Reed song
Think Of Me In The Fall Danny Vaughn song
Sacred Ground Dan Reed song
Paradise Ain't Home Danny Vaughn song
Get To You Dan Reed song
Forever Young Danny Vaughn song
Encores of
Holy Diver Dio song
Long Way To Go Dan Reed song

One day all bands before they are signed should be made to play a show like this.Stripped back you get to see the heart and soul of not only the performer but the song too.Emotion laid bare with honesty and wonderful performances.

As Danny and Dan walked on stage Dan asked us to take a second to reflect on Zayn leaving One Direction to huge laughter from all and so the scene was set on an evening that will be remembered by all that attended for a very long time.

They sang,they reminisced,they watched each other perform and showed a deep mutual respect for each other that was fantastic to see.

Dan played songs from his new cd Transmission including a heartfelt tribute to Robin Williams called What Dreams May Come and another called She's Not You.
As well as wonderful versions of Baby Now I,Rainbow Child,Get To You and a fan choice called from the crowd in Sacred Ground.


Danny's set was picked via facebook when he asked for songs to play and got an enormous response.So with the fan that asked for the song being name checked we had from his Traveller cd the stupendous Restless Blood,with a vocal that had the hair on my neck standing to attention, and the beautiful Think Of Me In The Fall.
From Soldiers And Sailors we had the title track and Paradise Ain't Home and a couple from his Waysted days too.
Standing Alone had Dan singing the first 4 lines bringing a different vocal melody to it before Danny explored the depths of his soul with a vocal of pure class.
A vocal duet on Bruce Springsteen's My Hometown showed how well the 2 voices complemented each other.

No Danny show would be complete without Tyketto's Forever Young with the crowd bellowing back the chorus before they left to huge applause.

Encores of Dio's Holy Diver,which during the bridge had an amazing note from Danny that had Dan saying wow too,before the evening drew to a close with Dan's Long Way To Go that Danny was desperate to sing on and was a fitting end to the show.

Show's like this need to be bottled and uncorked and made available to make the world a better place.Rarely does a music show have such bonhomie and character and deep respect for each other and let's hope that this duo work together again in the future because I am sure the results would be spectacular.

..and if anyone from the Danny Vaughn/Dan Reed camp is reading this ..I really wanted to order a T-shirt but didn't get time - can I order one? .. I was there.. honest - look I even have photo's :) - Nige.


ME (with interruptions by Nige)






























Comment published 

Great gig review which really captures the spirit of this tour.

I saw Dan and Danny play a few days before in Sheffield and it had that same magic to their performance. You would have thought they had been playing together for years !

Nearly didn't go that night because the weather was horrible and I didn't really fancy the drive to Sheffield but I finally kicked my butt into gear and was repaid by one the the most memorable gigs I've ever been to.......

Hopefully there will be more collaboration between these two great artists in the future but it will be tough to re-capture the vibe and the excitement generated this time around.....artists and crowd !

DJAM