Midnite City, Saints of Sin & Atlas UK 16th November 2019

After a 6 hour journey to get here from the South West I was sincerely looking forward to what promised to be an awesome show. Three bands I have long been admirers of and to get them together on one bill was a massive plus, especially as I could have driven no more than an hour away into Cornwall for the inaugural Cornwall Rocks festival, that may well offer up questions about my sanity more than anything else! Well it’s all for the love of the music and it does not bother me one iota and there are always going to be differences in opinions, that’s what makes things interesting right?

On arrival it is very much like greeting old friends and when you have an affinity with the heart and soul of the music it only deepens relations that much more. As for the venue, The Waterloo Bar is not the biggest but it has a look and feel of a proper rock venue that any band should want to play in and with the draw of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ happening only a stone’s throw away at the Blackpool Tower the battle was on to see if the pull of all 3 acts to lure the punter’s away from such a soiree!

So I managed to get Atlas in a very darkened room upstairs in the Waterloo with little more than what seemed like candles for lighting to gain a short expose interview before they hit the stage opening to open proceedings, was a fun interview and that will be out there shortly, we battled with lighting and noise issues as soundcheck was going on downstairs but all it was good in the end also finding out it’s not that easy to cram 6 bodies on a small sofa!

So the Atlas guys kicked off their set with ‘Samsara’ the first track off their debut album ‘In Pursuit of memory’ and Craig Wells, as always doing a fantastic job throwing shapes in true rock star fashion with the rest of the band playing a tight set which offered the best songs that ‘In Pursuit of Memory’ has to offer. I have my favourites from the album and they covered the full span of what I wanted to hear with polished conviction. The infectious singalong of ‘Seasons Change’, the almost Swedish AOR sounding ‘Lock and Key’, the Bon Jovi overtones of ‘Breathe Me In’ the long player of ‘As Times Go By’ with some smooth guitar play from the brooding John Moss (I knew I would catch you smiling at some point John!) and the alter image of Howard Little who has the perfect look to just seamlessly slot into Killswitch Engage. Their music throws up many influences and you can toss in a rock bomb of Bon Jovi, Dream Theater, Shy and an 80’s feel with a dash of prog thrown in for good measure and not omitting the main man on keys, James Thorley’s personal love of Phil Collins although that may not be a feature in their overall sound! For me it is some great melodic rock and with six members they have a full, rich sound on stage and all backed up by a cracking rhythm section of Ryan Briggs on drums and Christian Redfearn on Bass duties, incidentally Ryan was a session drummer helping out when I saw them last in June. Really pleased to see that he is a full-time member as he is a great guy. There was still room for a new song in ‘Weathered Heart’ which is a great track and offers up a small seminal element of what the future holds when the band get around to releasing their next album at some point next year, which looks like it may well be post March 2020. Craig was in his element when they played ‘Signal of hope’ and why not a ballad for me is an essential part of the package and it’s always good to see bands include them on the setlist. This was Atlas’s final date for 2019 and of their ‘In Pursuit Of Memory’ winter leg of the tour and hugely looking forward to seeing them out there in 2020, and if you get the chance you really, really should too.

To add it’s always a pleasing sight when you see the members of other bands watching on from the floor with the rest of the crowd and Saints of Sin were doing just that during the Atlas set, solidarity is the word I think and supporting each other in this way seems to provide an extra level of confidence and good to see. It was certainly reciprocated when SOS took to the stage as the Atlas guys watched on even showing an interest and buying each other’s merch, keeping rock alive right there!

Well Saints of Sin just get better each time I see them. Now minus Sophie Burrell who departed the ranks this year some may have thought that it would affect the overall sound and look of the band. For me they are as tight a unit as ever which is evident from the performance on the night.
They released the first single from the album earlier this year with ‘Heart Attack’ this was put out there before they released their sophomore album the self-titled ‘Saints Of Sin’. When I heard the album for the first time it really blew me away. Their sound had grown so much and the maturity and approach of the songs were just taken to another level compared to that of ‘Welcome to the circus’ not that it wasn’t a good album this one just kicked its ass in every way and evolution can only be a positive thing in these circumstances. The crowd were never going to be disappointed tonight and ‘Big Bad Wolf’ set the benchmark for what was to come, with Rui’s vocals on point and from the off they all look like they are having a great time together and dead set on putting on a show. ‘We’re on Fire’ followed, which is a track they had been playing much earlier in the year at shows well before the album release, the sound is melodic but has a good chunky edge to it and Marcus ‘Sparxx’ Jenkins is just outstanding as he shreds his guitar to pieces. ‘Alive’ was up next and Rui as always is a past master in the art of working the crowd with a heir of frontman arrogance but in a good way, their songs have so many changes of pace and breakdown opportunities for singing along and it continues with a favourite of mine from the new album in the shape of ‘Cryin’ Eyes’ it has some seriously funky bass from Ash Jenkins and the cool hip jerking dance moves of Rui which give the song an extra edge visually and with Josh Rose on drums controlling the beat throughout it offers up even more than the album version. More songs from the album followed with the aforementioned ‘Heart Attack’, rip roaring versions of ‘Nasty Love’ and then the grooving and grinding stylings of ‘Fame’. When I mentioned that the band and sound had grown from the first album it probably stems in some ways from the inclusion of a couple of fantastic ballads which are not for everyone but they are very much for me and a good majority. One of those ballads is ‘End Of Time’, for this Rui takes a seat and Marcus takes on keyboard duties and together they produce a performance for a ballad that is up there with any great self-respecting power ballads that the 80’s have produced, beautiful lyrics delivered outstandingly by Rui, the slow start, the singalong chorus and the big ending. All that was missing was the old school lighters and the sway of the crowd, it’s a shame they couldn’t squeeze in the other more powerful ballad on the album – ‘Forever’ which is another outstanding track. ‘The living dead’ finished off the songs from the second album before they closed with the awesome ’21 Shots’ or as Rui says ’21 Mutherf*cking Shots!’ This track just has one of the best changes of pace towards the end where the band seriously rock out which just makes the audience join in and the crescendo it builds towards the end is as good as you will hear anywhere. Bang, Bang, Superb performance everybody needs some Saints Of Sin in their life, so get your wallets and purses out and get the albums, you will not be left disappointed.

The Headliners Midnite City took to the stage to a now swelled crowd who now managed to fill the seemingly odd occurrence of what I will call ‘stage gap’. The seemingly totally innocuous floor space between crowd and stage when there is no barrier! It seems to happen at shows usually for the support acts as people have an unusual fear of moving forward and filling the space, strange one and it may well exist forever who knows?
Anyway, finally the much-anticipated party band is here and ‘We Belong’ from the first album lifts the roof off The Waterloo Bar and with the unashamedly distinctive similarity of intro to Danger Danger’s ‘Bang, Bang’ we were treated to ‘Ghosts Of My Old Friends’ and with all in attendance singing along and jiving as if their lives depended on it and things were going full tilt and the headlights were on we were driving at full speed into a great night. Josh ‘Tabbie’ Williams was sporting a T Shirt with ‘Who the fuck is Liam Gallagher’ on it and apparently as he told me, my T Shirt on the night inspired this decision, good man you know it makes sense, who is that guy anyway?

Shawn Charvette was sporting his Keytar on the night resplendent with Prince decals and guitar virtuoso Miles Meakin was adorned in his now almost trademark status Sonic Tee, I mean what else? Surely a sponsorship deal should be in the offing for this dedication! Rob Wylde and Pete Newdeck were of course suitably well attired for the entertainment of the masses tonight and on with the show, ‘Life Ain’t Like This On The Radio’ which has to be one of the best Hair Metal songs of all time surely, I mean in what other song can you somehow manage to lever in lyrics from 80’s Pop merchants Wham and make it work? Well only the people in the know will understand what I mean and it is seamless in its conviction. ‘Here Comes The Party’ keeps the upbeat mood rolling along, with all singing along to ‘Whoa oh oh oh whoa’ well you know what I mean anyway and with the Beer clearly flowing through my veins I wondered if it was ‘There goes the weekend’ for me too. Things were taken down a notch with ‘You Don’t Understand Me’ and more warbling from the crowd, but seriously it’s hard not to sing along to the songs as they are so infectious. The slowing of pace gives way to the faster paced ‘Gave Up Giving Up’ with the message of not being pushed around or abused by others and pushing on against all adversity and it delivers a powerful message that I know has had a profound effect on people I know, so for me there is a serious message in there, it’s all in the interpretation.
It was now true ballad time with ‘Heavens Falling’ and in staunch ballad fashion the crowd were all in full voice for this one and again it has to be up there with one of the best around, great keys and guitar work from Shawn and Miles on this one as per usual. Next up was ‘One Step Away’ another favourite from the first release which led onto ‘Until The End, ‘Last Beat Of My Heart’, ‘Things She Said’ and then the iconic ‘Summer Of Our Lives’ a master class in modern day Hair Metal classics. The night was almost complete when we were offered up ‘Give Me Love’ with the Pete Newdeck lyric of ‘I need love, but don’t touch me’ which is almost an oxymoron but I have always loved that lyric and one that works. They guys close their set with ‘Can’t Wait For The Nights’ and I am certain that there was a lot of people in attendance that were going to be staying out all night long and enjoying party times, but always a massive downer the party has to end. Once more Midnite City deliver the goods with a fantastic performance and with only two more dates on this tour to come at The Cobblestones in Bridgwater and Nightrain in Bradford there is only a small window of opportunity to enjoy the party! Midnite City are already set for many festival dates next year so get along to one of those there is bound to be one near you whether that is England, Germany or even Australia there is absolutely no excuse not to see them.