Michael Monroe Band
Arriving in Glasgow straight off the back of an eight date headlining tour of Michael’s home country of Finland, the Michael Monroe Band owned the stage from the moment they set foot on it. Tonight, the band were providing support for the MC50 anniversary tour before it moved on to Manchester and London. And they squeezed every second out of their 12 song, sub-45 minute set …. and, yes, you did just read 12 songs in less than 45 minutes. No time wasted on unnecessary filler or long, drawn-out songs here when you have three and half minute slices of glam/punk perfection.
The well-constructed set provided a good mix of career-spanning material including Hanoi Rocks, Demolition 23, Michael’s first solo album and more recent output from The Michael Monroe Band’s three studio albums.
‘Ballad of the Lower East Side’ provided the perfect set opener as the sing-a-long vocals and guitar built up before the band literally kicked themselves into action with the Michael Monroe Band’s trademark glam/punk, and in-your-face, raucous sound with a level of intensity, raw energy and intention unseen in most bands. Without pausing for breath, the band launched into ‘Trick of the Wrist’, Hanoi favourite ‘Malibu Beach Nightmare’ and ‘Old King’s Road’. Followed in short order by ‘This Ain’t No Love Song’, ‘78’, a cover of Alice Cooper’s ‘Long Way To Go’ and two songs off Demolition 23 – ‘Nothin’s Alright’ and ‘Hammersmith Palais’.
The band’s trashy sound and attitude is loved by fans, but is far from sloppy. Those less familiar with the band may be surprised by the top-quality level of musicianship underpinning this. Michael Monroe remains a cool, compelling and charismatic frontman and is backed by seasoned professionals in the form of his long-time Hanoi Rocks bandmate Sami Yaffa on bass, Steve Conte (ex-New York Dolls) and Rich Jones (ex-Yo-Yos) on guitar, and drummer-to-many Karl Rosqvist. For much of the show, the band benefitted from a sixth, unofficial, member on stage, as a stage technician raced around behind their hyperactive singer, untangling his trailing and incredibly long microphone cable as he paced the stage, inter-played with other band members, repeatedly stood atop the crush barrier at the front of the stage and climbed the speaker stacks in truly athletic form. It is also a testament to the on-going quality of song writing that more recent songs such as ‘Ballad of the Lower East Side’ and ‘Old King’s Road’ held their own with Hanoi classics.
The highlight of the gig for me was undoubtedly hearing ‘Hammersmith Palais’ off of the Demolition 23 album which Michael recorded in 1994 after Hanoi Rocks split up and before his solo career. Also featuring Sami Yaffa and Nasty Suicide, this under-rated and often over-looked album had a punkier edge to it and no song better captures this than the defining ‘Hammersmith Palais’. The set then charged to a close with ‘Not Fakin’ It’, ‘Up Around the Bend’ and ‘Dead, Jail or Rock’n’Roll’. Breathless, compelling, outstanding.
And then it was over. No milking the crowd for more, no false encores. Just walking off stage after the final number in true punk fashion and abandoning their instruments to a feedback wall of sound.
While providing support tonight, the Michael Monroe Band are very much a headlining act that few bands would choose to, or could, follow. It is not surprising that they have just been confirmed as a headliner at the Hard Rock Hell (HRH) Festival in the UK next November. With a new album on the way next year, here’s hoping for a UK headlining tour to follow.
Watch out for the Rockfiend Publications Scotland interview with Michael Monroe’s guitarist/writer Steve Conte coming soon.
GMcA