Rattle Your Cage!! Live Reviews
Dead Men WalkingThe Witchwood Ashton-under-Lyne
28th June 2001
The
resistance starts here. What a revelation the show was! I wondered what the
chemistry would be like between Messrs Matlock, Wylie, Brandon, and Peters.
The guitars might have been acoustic, but the buzz was electric.To start with,
the Witchwood was packed, with fans of a combination of one or more of the
Dead Men all mixing together.
With all four on stage simultaneously (with the occasional exception), it
was exciting to see them playing one another's songs. The rousing opening
of 'The Stand' set the tone for the evening. Alternating lead duties helped
provide a good balance to the set. Glen gave us punchy renditions of 'Burning
Sounds', 'Open Mind', 'Sad Meal For One', 'Stepping Stone', Rod Stewarts'
'On Something' and 'Ghosts Of Princes In Towers' (which Mike Peters admitted
was the inspiration for The Alarm's 'Where Were You Hiding When The Storm
Broke' which they then proceeded to play). Alarm fans were in raptures as
they were treated to the likes of 'Spirit of '76' and 'Rain In The Summertime'.
Amongst Kirk Brandon's highlights were the ever popular 'Westworld' and my
personal favourite Brandon song, 'You'll Never Take Me Alive'. What can you
say about Pete Wylie?! A mad Scouser! Enthusiasm oozes out of this man, as
does his sense of humour. taking the piss out of himself and others is second
nature; no one is safe including the audience and his fellow band members!
It all makes for great fun. Needless to say, he delivered passionate versions
of 'The Story Of The Blues' and 'Come Back', well known to all the crowd.
Special note should be made of an outstanding new composition 'Your Mother
Must Be Proud Of You'. Brilliant.
'68 Guns' and 'Pretty Vacant' closed the main set. This was swiftly followed
by the encore of 'All Or Nothing', which for tonight's show had Glen, Mike,
and Pete sharing lead vocals, with Kirk providing distinctive backing. By
the time they left the stage we had witnessed a show lasting two hours. Terrific
value for money. They promised they would be back later in the year with an
electric version of the show, and equally as exciting, an album.
