Review by Darren Birch for Rockflesh
Wolfsbane + The Spangles + Spunk Volcano & the Eruptions at The Waterloo Music Bar, Blackpool 07/12/2023
So what could possibly drag me out on a trip to the seaside on a cold, wet filthy night? The chance to spend the evening at The Waterloo Bar in Blackpool watching the original line up of Wolfsbane of course! These rock stalwarts are back on their Tough as Steel tour and playing at the Waterloo Bar tonight.
Doors open at 7.00pm with the first of three bands, Spunk Volcano and the Eruptions kicking off proceedings at 7.15pm, I know very little about these as the band enter the stage with a very definite punk attitude in tow, then entering from stage left the main main Spunk Volcano himself, a very tall robust imposing chap resplendent in a spiky leather jacket and balaclava with safety pins complete with an orange Mohican on the top! We are treated to a thirty minute long, nine song set which is reminiscent of somewhere between The Macc Lads and The Ramones, the band are tight but are definitely having fun, their songs are written about ordinary everyday things that we of a certain age can relate to, like hanging around the off licence when underage, trying get people to buy cigarettes and beer for us, or our pride and joy motor, in this case an XR3.
Next up are The Spangles, again I’ve not seen this three piece punk inspired band before, however a couple of the members are familiar from other bands…Polly Phluid from The Idol Dead and Ben Marsden from Warner E Hodges band, again the punk theme is very evident and the guys are definitely having fun up there, they open up with the storming Don’t Wanna Go and then launch into The Only One after which we have a very brief interlude while Ben runs off stage to grab the spare guitar after unceremoniously breaking a string! There is plenty of interaction with the crowd and we get a blistering ten song set including Get Over Yourself, Back on the Meds, the band finish up with Growing Up, most of the crowd are singing along with the songs which are all well received. Job done by the guys as we are suitably warmed up for the main event…
The anticipation builds along with the crowd after visiting the merch stands and the bar, the place is pretty much full by 9.00pm when it is time for Wolfsbane to enter the stage, first on is guitarist Jase Edwards, followed by drummer Steve Danger and bassist Jeff Hately, last on is frontman and vocalist Blaze Bayley to complete the original line up from the late 80’s/early 90’s, they launch straight into Steel from the All Hell's Breaking Loose Down at Little Kathy Wilson's Place album, Blaze working the crowd into a frenzy as the howling mad frontman always does, we get Spit it Out and Killing Machine in quick succession then the obligatory sing along on Money to Burn. Blaze then informs the crowd that with all the health issues they shouldn’t even be here let alone be able to deliver a full on rock n roll show, guitarist Jase is dealing not only with a broken back but a rare form of cancer too which is why he is seated stage left for the shows, refusing to cancel any of the gigs, of which this is number eleven on the tour, drummer Steve is seriously debilitated by arthritis and a shoulder injury from a past motorcycle accident, none of which affect or stop him from smashing out his drums all night, and then we have Blaze himself who is recovering from a recent quadruple heart bypass, however nothing has dimmed the bands enthusiasm and desire to be on tour and giving 100% at each show to entertain crowds across the country. They even have a new album out, Genius of which, four tracks, the aforementioned Spit it Out, Zombies, Rock City Nights and Things are Getting Better get an airing tonight demonstrating that Wolfsbane are back on form and still writing great rock songs. In Blaze Bayley the band have a consummate frontman who interacts with and commands the audience with all the stories and tales to not only link and introduce the songs, but also to whip the crowd up instigating the numerous sing alongs. We get a main set of sixteen songs before a two song encore of Ezy and the ever popular rabble rousing Paint the Town Red, Blaze then teases the crowd with the possibility of a Waterloo Bar Wolfsbane Weekend next year asking if anyone would be interested and receives a deafening wholehearted definite hell yes, if this happens then I will certainly be there at the front, here’s hoping…
