The band might not be a household name but when you mention who fronts Black Star Riders, Ricky Warwick and then add he was the Thin Lizzy frontman there’s no doubt you are watching a true rock star tonight.
But the first up to open the show to a already packed house at The Tramshed, are none other than Phil Campbell and The Bastard Sons. Phil Campbell feels very at home in Cardiff, himself being from just up the road in Pontypridd. Welsh flags draped over the speakers show their love for their home country and they make no apologies for showing off their roots.
Opening their set with their newest single “We’re the bastards” the music flows from one song to the next. Before we get to the the song that relies on the audience to sing back, “Get on you’re knees” Also that is what is required to sing back at Joel Peters. him being the newest member of the band since, but he fits right in with the way he looks and sounds he creates.
Finishing off the set to a huge roar, here comes the headline hit from Phil Campbell’s previous band, none other than Motorhead “Ace of Spades”. The crowd go crazy as soon as the instantly recognisable high-speed guitar solo starts and this brings the set to a truly fitting end.
Set list
1/ We’re the Bastards
2/ Bite My Tongue
3/ Going to Brazil
4/ High Rule
5/ Born to Raise Hell
6/ Get on Your Knees
7/ Freak Show
8/ Dark Days
9/ Ace of Spades
Next up with a job ahead of them to match Phil Campbell and The Bastard Sons is Michael Monroe and his band. He has been performing since 1979 in his first band Hanoi Rocks so you know he has a few a few tricks up his sleeve and is bound to leave a lasting impression on the on looking crowd. His entrance alone already grabs the attention of the crowd. Walking in with very little stage lighting, he holds a tube light with an image of himself inside holding it close to his face so that’s all you can see in the darkness.
Opening up with “One Man Gun” from the 2019 album “One Man Gun”. The second song in this already lively set is “I Live To Fast To Die Young”, the most recent single from the album “I Live To Fast To Die Young”. Halfway through this song sees Michael Jump from the stage straight onto the barriers where the crowd stand. which is a good 2 meters leap of faith.
Getting to the middle of the set sees the song “Ballad of The L.E.S” A more relaxing song that has a sing-along chorus, there’s not one person without their hands up participating in singing, hallelujah.
Second from last song is, “Dead Jail or Rock and Roll” where Michael leaves the stage yet again and hands the mic to the audience to sing the lyric dead Jail or Rock and roll going around 20 odd people to join in. Finishing off the set with “Up Around The Bend” from his previous band Hanoi Rocks.
Set list
1/ One Man Gand
2/ I Live To Fast To Die Young
3/ Hammersmith Palais
4/ Murder The Summer Of Love
5/ 78
6/ Don’t You Ever Leave Me
7/ Ballad of The L.E.S
8,/ Last Train To Tokyo
9/ Motorvatin
10/ Dead Jail or Rock and Roll
11/ Up Around The Bend
The stage is now being prepared for the headliner Black Star Riders. The crowd start edging forward to the front. First up on the set is one of their newer song from the album “Wrong Side Of Paradise” is “Pay Dirt”. Leading straight Into “Another state of Grace”. Before their newest single “Better than a Saturday night”. That’s one way to open a show with 3 of their singles, 2 new and 1 from the previous album Wrong Side Of Paradise.
Ricky Warwick then calls out a special guest, none other than one of the founders of Black Star Riders and Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham. The crowd lets out a loud cheer to see the two founding members of Black Star Riders together again. To add to the stage numbers Phil Campbell comes back on for “Don’t believe a word”
Ricky Warwick speaks about who he watched growing up and watching Michael Monroe full of energy then and still being the same now inspired him. Leading. Into the song “The killer instinct”. A song he wrote three days before BSR were due to record the album and speaks about he played it for Scott Gorham and watching him for his approval by lifting of his eyebrow before he speaks. Ricky Warwick then calls out Michael Monroe to sing vocals on “Tonight the Moonlight light let me down”
The stage is now full with Phil Cambell, Scott Gorham and now Michael Monroe all on together. Before ending their main set on “Bound for Glory”
First up in their encore instantly recognised by the crowd with a loud cheer is the Thin Lizzy hit song “jailbreak” ending with “finest hour” the single off The Killer Instinct Album.
Speaking to the fans after the show I asked them, what did you think about the show? The response was “it was like listening to proper classic rock and roll songs that are also modern at the same time. And that pretty much sums up the night. A night of new rock songs that you feel have been with you for years.
All three bands had something different to deliver and did so at their best.
Setlist
1/ Pay Dirt
2/ Another State Of Grace
3/ Better Than Saturday Night
4/ When the Night Comes In
5/ Riding Out the Storm
6/ Wrong Side of Paradise
7/ Crazy Horses
8/ All Hell Breaks Loose
9/ Bloodshot
10/ Soldierstown
11/ Don’t Believe a Word (with Phil Campbell)
12/ Blindsided
13/ The Killer Instinct
14/ Before the War
15/ Testify or Say Goodbye
16/ Tonight the Moonlight Let Me Down (with Michael Monroe)
17/ Kingdom of the Lost
18/ Bound for Glory
19/ Jailbreak
20/ Finest Hour
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FOLLOW BLACK STAR RIDERS
FOLLOW MICHAEL MONROE
FOLLOW PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARDS SONS
