The Dead Daisies/Eclipse/Spike - Colombia Theater, Berlin 10th December 2023

With John Corabi back on board and the announcement of former Whitesnake member Michael Devin taking up Bass Duties, The Dead Daisies were back to being a 5 piece again, a pending Best Of.... package was on production line for an August release, then the tour dates started to roll off, USA, Canada, Japan, Europe.... Wait, What... No UK dates, Noooo.... the hearts of many a Brit 'Daisies' fan sinking into a feeling of sorrow and disbelief....

After the dejected feeling had passed, one thought about the possibilities of a Euro Trip, a return to Berlin looked promising, not 3 months since a last visit over to catch the final night of the Swedish onslaught of the Eclipse / H.E.A.T double headline tour....What happens next was just the icing on the cake... Eclipse get added to The Dead Daisies show in Berlin, no brainer tickets bought, flights booked.. back to Berlin it is then.

Christmas time in Berlin is an absolute super place to be, more Christmas Markets than you can shake a 'Yuletide Log' at, Glühwein, Bratwurst and more Glühwein consumed like it was going out of fashion but a job still had to be done, perhaps a blog on 'Berlin Markets at Christmas' maybe scribed at some point in the future but for now its off to Catch... The Dead Daisies, Eclipse and Spike at the Colombia Theater.

This 800 capacity venue, originally opened in the 1950's as a Cinema for the US Air force, handed back to the City after the Americans left during the 1990's, remained closed for some time before opening as a night club, then restored again in 2015 to radiate that 1950's ambience, the sloped hall and stepped vantage points mean a pleasant view wherever you stood.

With sold out signs popping up all over Germany for The Dead Daises shows, the Berlin date of the tour also coincided with Boston Rockers Extreme rolling into the City on the same night, which may have had a slight knock on effect on getting that 'Sold Out' sign on display, though to be fair it did look pretty bloody full.

First up and donning the Acoustic guitar for just over the half hour mark, that ever lovable Geordie from The Quireboys, 'Spike' with Tales of Woe, Whisky, Woman and Football high on the agenda, with that distinct rough gravel vocal tone, the audience were treated to step back in time with some of Those Quireboys classics with 'There She Goes Again', 'I Don't Love You Anymore' entwined with a nod to a number of fallen heroes over the years 'Parisienne Walkways' for Gary Moore complete with a decent attempt at the solo, the recently departed Bernie Marsden, with a crowd pleasing 'Here I go Again'. Some new Quireboys music is in the pipeline with a few already dropped on the streaming sites in the build up to a Spring Release of album 'Wardour Street', a great start to the evening.

After a quick turn around those titans of all things Melodic Rock 'Eclipse' one of Sweden's finest exports since, well shit... Sweden have got a lot of fine exports in the Rock World, there is definitely something special in the air of the Scandic Regions, bursting on to the stage with 'Roses on Your Grave' a 50 minute romp of the Eclipse back Catalogue followed, recent 2023 album release of 'Megalomanium' spawning the punk esq offering of 'Got It', it may well have been a Sunday Night but as no ones getting out of this world alive, we live and we die like its 'Saturday Night' one of the sets many foot stompers and with Erik Martensson guiding the Berlin Choir.... its Hallelujah for the Weekend alright.

What you get from Eclipse is punchy, anthemic well crafted tunes, 'The Hardest Part is Losing You' and the 2016 penned for Eurovision 'Runaways' is testament to those traits, add to that some damn fine musicianship from guitarist Magnus Henriksson and Bassist Victor Crusner and you have a well oiled and polished outfit, though only one Crusner brother on show tonight, Drummer Philip taking some temporary time off the road, fear not a worthy replacement in Robin Nilsson from 'The Cruel Intentions' thumped those tubs as though he'd been with the band for years.

Two firm favourites and back to back in the set, the Heavy yet sublime 'Black Rain' and from Bleed & Scream the incredible 'Battlegrounds' a version that has been re-worked since the Bleed.. album, a much slower tempo in delivery of late but works well and who doesn't love a bit of audience participation with plenty of Whoas to bring even the casual listener in and feel part of something, 'Downfall of Eden' and 'Never Look Back' brought us to set closer and guess what even more 'Whaos' to get your chops around with the Euro Folk chant sounding ' Viva La Victoria' a stellar performance from Eclipse, Can be difficult to not be playing to your own crowd but I'm sure those with folded arms at the beginning of the set were eagerly clapping away by the time VLV closed out.

Another slick turnaround and Just about time for a refill before the hall lights were dimmed for the third and final time for our headliners this evening, The Dead Daisies, with stage in complete darkness the play button was pushed for the intro tapes to commence, Gimme Shelter and then Sweet Emotion piped through... then the silhouette figures of Messrs Aldrich, Lowy and Devin could be seen striding forward... lights up and we are off, the roar from crowd rose tenfold as last to make the entrance the eagerly awaited second coming from JC... no not that one, he'd already had his second shot many a year back... this was cue for current JC... John Corabi to belt out those very fitting lyrics to show opener I'm Baaack, I'm 'Resurrected' with that driving tempo time had come to 'Rise Up'... with Corabi taking the plaudits from the Berliners and being somewhat bashful upon receipt, its clear he is the right front man for The Dead Daisies, 'Dead and Gone' finished off the opening trio all from the 'Burn It Down' album

As was expected the set was dominated from the recent Best Of... Album covering all guises of the band over the last 10 years, Doug Aldrich cavorting across the stage spewing out some killer work on those LP fretboards and complimenting the Riffmasterly safe hands of David Lowy, combined they are the driving force of that signature 'Daisies sound, 'Make Some Noise' brought the spotlight to the man behind the drums Brian Tichy to thump out that intro and act as the song goes.. Don't hold back get crazy all night.. an absolute powerhouse on the skins... lets not forget the new boy Michael Devin adding some off the chart Backing Vocals as well as making sure the low end is well and truly rumbling alongside Rhythm partner Tichy.

Moving off into 2 differing Era's with the early years duo of 'Miles in Front of Me', & 'Face I Love' before dipping calmly into the recent Hughes era with 'Unspoken' alongside 'Bustle & Flow' the tracks just seemed to fit Corabi and his trademark 'Rough n Raspy' vocal growl equally augmenting the colossal Riff ladened Radiance album offering of 'Born To Fly' (wonder who that's about).

Wouldn't be a Dead Daisies show without a cover tune or 4 and with the CCR belter 'Fortunate Son' greeted with the loudest cheer of the set thus far, they have almost made this tune there own, a Monster, Souped-up and Daisyfied version of a Rock Classic, alas the quickest hour and a half ever brings us to the evenings set closer and what else could possibly be more fitting to close out a 'Sensational' Rock n Roll Ride into the depths of a musical masterclass but my country's alternative national anthem (at least that's what Corabi says when he's in Scotland) sporting the most weird, yet wonderful penned lyrics 'Midnight Moses' from the Sensational Alex Harvey Band.... With Sticks & Picks deposited amongst the crowd, to rapturous adulation and grinning like the cats who got the cream and a lot more the guys departed the stage... would they return!!!...

With that deafening noise by the crowd you bet they would return, with Mr Lowy gliding to the front of the stage bursting into those infectious opening 'chugs' of a firm favourite of any Daises fan, 'Long Way To Go' … add to that the Noodling exploits from Doug Aldrich, then f#ck me, when that Riff kicks in with full band, it just felt as the the whole city of Berlin was jumping in unison... Just wow!!, no time to catch a breath we are catapulted back to 1984 for the delightful, yet lewd Whitesnake charmer of 'Slide It In', Michael Devin sharing lead vox on this crowd pleaser, not quite fully cooked, there was just enough gas left to share some Beatles marvel around the room with 'Helter Skelter'... a stunning Dead Daisies performance and well worth the trip over to Germany to witness this show, a fantastic evening was certainly had by all.. and with the 3 acts having already set plans in motion for a busy 2024, I'm sure it wont be too long before I get another fix from any of the talent on show this evening.

M.G