The Dead Daisies (with support from The Treatment & The Bites) SWG3, Glasgow Wednesday 11th September 2024

So, it’s on the back of the new album’s release that The Dead Daisies rock n roll juggernaut rolled into Glasgow as part of their 12 date UK Tour, with UK rockers The Treatment and US band The Bites tagging along as support. For mid-September, it was a fairly cold night in Scotland’s largest city, made worse by a biting wind along the River Clyde… but that didn’t stop The Dead Daisies faithful from turning the temperature up inside the SWG3 venue, arriving in denim and leather-clad droves to see the latest incarnation of the band, with returning vocalist John Corabi joined by founding member, guitarist David Lowy, long time guitarist Doug Aldrich and the newer additions of Michael Devin on bass and Tommy Clufetos on drums.

The venue wasn’t overly packed when Hollywood, California band The Bites arrived on stage for the first support slot of the evening. I have to admit that I hadn’t previously heard of them, despite the fact that their debut album fared well in the UK, so I’ve no idea how I’ve missed them! Anyway, salutary story (of sorts!); in early 2003, I attended Glasgow’s iconic Barrowlands venue to see Def Leppard, supported by a then unknown band called The Darkness. When The Darkness first arrived on stage, with Justin Hawkins wearing pink spandex and singing in his signature falsetto, it initially took the wind out of the Glaswegian audience with its camp, over exuberance. But by the end of the set, they’d won over a large part of the crowd and… well… the rest is award winning and often critically acclaimed rock history! It was pretty much the same for The Bites, with singer Jordan Tyler bounding onto the stage wearing running leggings and exuding a sprightly energy that woke up audience members who’d perhaps arrived at SWG3 straight from work! The initially unsure crowd quickly warmed to the fun-filled Californians, as they showed a stagecraft way beyond their years, with bassist Zack Currier and guitarist Jonno Richer often exploring the opposite side of the stage from their standard positions whilst drummer Mark Hylander kept the beat with the precision (and at times look!) of John Bonham! Tyler jumped and high-kicked with hamstring-tearing vigour throughout the performance, engaging the crowd at every opportunity as they played through a number of their 1980s, Sunset Strip inspired songs from their debut album, such as ‘Knockin’ On The Door’, ‘Pretty Boys’, ‘Heather Leather and their ode to their Hollywood home, ‘Dirty City’ (it could also be an ode to certain, well documented areas of Glasgow at the moment… but I digress!). By the end of the set, the Glasgow audience were bopping heads, pumping fists and clapping hands high in the air, won over by a high energy and entertaining performance by The Bites. The affable members took time to meet anyone who wanted to see them at the merch stand (I had a brief chat with Jordan on the way out) and I’m sure that if they return to Glasgow sooner rather than later, in a venue such as The Cathouse or Slay on a Saturday night, they’d get the full ‘Glasgow experience’ from start to finish. Remember what I said about The Darkness? Well, watch this space for The Bites!

Originally formed in 2008, Cambridge-formed rockers The Treatment have honed their collective skills over a number of albums and live appearances. Drummer Dhani Mansworth (son of Laurie!) and guitarist Tagore Grey are the only remaining original members and are now joined by singer Tom Rampton, Tao Grey on guitar and giant bassist (in stature and performance) Andy Milburn. The present line-up have been together since 2020, with latest album ‘Wake Up The Neighbourhood’ released earlier in the year to well-earned acclaim by fans and music critics alike. But it’s in a live setting that The Treatment truly come alive and it was pleasing to see the venue filling up nicely before they appeared on stage, standing in a semi-circle, facing the drumkit before Rampton screamed “Let’s wake up the neighbourhood”, signalling the start of latest album opener ‘Let’s Wake Up This Town’. There’s a Bon Scott timbre to Rampton’s voice and it’s the kind of thing that will always be well received in a historically working-class, industrial city such as Glasgow. Rampton doesn’t engage with the audience with energetic head banging or Freddie Mercury-like trouser-tearing splits, instead choosing more personal eye-contact and occasional pointing that truly makes the audience feel as if they’re part of the show. ‘Let It Begin’ and the bluesy ‘Eyes on You’ gave both of the guitarists Grey an opportunity to display their musical chops, whilst the heavier, metal-like ‘When Thunder and Lightning Strikes’ allowed the rhythm section of Milburn and Mansworth to shake SWG3 to its very foundations. ‘Man on a High Wire’ apparently hasn’t been played live often but was performed with the kind of ruthless efficiency that we’ve come to expect from The Treatment. The AC/DC riffing of ‘Bite Back’ suits Rampton’s voice perfectly and you wholeheartedly believe him when he sings “sticks and stones may break my bones, names will never hurt me” in his wonderfully raspy singing voice. The set closed with another newer song, ‘The Fire Still Burns’, leaving the Glasgow crowd shouting for more. Glasgow has often been a favourite city for The Treatment to play (as mentioned by the singer himself) but I can’t help but feel that they didn’t fully get that powerful Glaswegian energy that they’re used to. Perhaps it was because it was a Wednesday night, midway through the working week… but one thing is for sure! It was nothing to do with The Treatment’s performance! They are a true rock n roll band, continuing the legacy of the UK greats who came before them. Let’s hope a headline tour of their own isn’t too far away.

As the lights dimmed and The Dead Daisies backdrop was illuminated by red lights, Led Zeppelin’s ‘Rock and Roll’ sounded loudly from the PA (“ripping off KISS”, as one foot soldier of the KISS Army messaged me to say!), ushering Corabi, Aldrich, Lowy, Devin and Clufetos onto the stage. They wasted no time, ripping straight into the bluesy AC/DC-style riff of the new album’s title track ‘Light ‘Em Up’. Despite only being released last week, many in the audience had already learned the words, singing along as the rocked their heads and shook their hair (note: I didn’t, as I’m bald… rolling eye emoji). ‘Rise Up’ from 2018s Burn It Down album was so heavy that either flakes of paint or paper confetti from a previous concert slowly flew and twisted its way down from the roof, with the blend of heavy riffing, singable chorus and brilliant guitar solo by Aldrich being a signature of The Dead Daisies sound. ‘Dead and Gone’, from the same album, made way for ‘Make Some Noise’, a song made for audience participation and Corabi made sure that was the case, with the fan favourite from 2016s album of the same name commanding the Glasgow choir to join in. Even if you somehow hadn’t heard it before, I can still pretty much guarantee that you were pumping fists at the chorus, such is the musical draw of the song. The show’s opening moments were memorable and enjoyable. The Dead Daisies were indeed back in town!

Although the Glen Hughes era of the band arguably spliut some of the fanbase, there was perhaps some trepidation that Corabi’s return would see it wiped from the setlist completely. So, it was pleasing to hear the menacing ‘Unspoken’ and the dance-inducing ‘Bustle and Flow’, with Corabi’s much lower vocal register a complete contrast to that of Hughes… yet fitting the songs well and keeping the original feel intact. Devin’s backing vocals were impressive throughout, as the bassist showed exactly why he graced world stages with Whitesnake for so long. It’s easy to forget that The Dead Daisies existed before Aldrich, Corbai and Hughes but a timely reminder was served up with the wonderful soft-rock of ‘Lock N Load’, with Corabi’s voice excelling and Aldrich more than capable of making the guitar parts sing, just as Slash managed to do on the original recording.

Founding member Lowy is well known for his love of aircraft and private jets (the Bruce Dickinson of hard rock!), so new track ‘Born to Fly’ was dedicated to him… and it’s a moment in the limelight thet the rhythm guitarist clearly, and rightfully, loved. After all, without his foresight and determination, there would be no band! There was a moment of hilarity as a security steward at the front handed out cups of water, with Corabi asking if it was shots of alcohol (it looked like it!). When he was informed it was water, the singer warned the audience “don’t drink water” before delivering the immortal line “fish fuck in that”. It was a Eureka moment for most in the audience! The Scottish Enlightenment of the 18th and 19th centuries brought the world well documented intellectual and scientific accomplishments… but I’m pretty certain this unavoidable fact about water was never even considered! Wow!

“This is the ballad on the album” joked Corabi, before Devin’s driving bass introduced the punky and swaggering ‘Take a Long Line’ and song for anyone who rides a motorbike, with the brilliant ‘I’m Gonna Ride’ from the new album, a personal favourite of mine (although I don’t actually ride a motorbike!). Band intros followed in an innovative manner, with each member playing a well-known rock song that was unique to them (a bit like a wrestler’s entrance theme) as they were introduced. Lowy, known as ‘The Thunder from Down Under, ’chose AC/DC’s ‘Dirty Deeds (Done Dirt Cheap)’ and I presume that’s down to the Australian connection (sorry David… but the Young brothers were from Glasgow and Bon Scott from Kirriemuir… so you can’t have them! They’re ours!). Watching Clufetos drumming is a workout in itself, such is the intensity and power of his performance (as evidenced by his amazing solo earlier in the evening) and the reception he received from the crowd was richly deserved, before playing a snippet of the White Stripes ‘Seven Nation Army’. Devin played Black Sabbath’s bass heavy ‘Children of the Grave’, whilst the modern-day guitar hero that is Doug Aldrich wowed with a bit of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Whole Lotta Love’. Aldrich is now 61 (how the hell did that happen??) but still plays with a youthful exuberance, full of energy and always looking as if he’s having fun. He’s clearly a massive draw and recruiting him to the band all those years ago was a masterstroke. For Corbai, it was ‘Join Together’ and join together we did, as band and crowd gelled together for a short run through of the Who classic.

Corabi explained that whilst recording ‘Light ‘Em Up’ in Nashville the band spent some time at the world famous and legendary Muscle Shoals studio in Alabama, exclusively revealing that they also recorded a blues album, due for release next year before running through a bluesy (of course it was!) but really rocking cover of Muddy Waters’ ‘I’m Ready’ from the album. It sounds as if it will be one to look forward to! Covers are of course no stranger to The Dead Daisies (they once recorded a covers album), and it’s always a part of the show enjoyed by the fans. Covers can be a hit or miss but their heavy rocking cover of Creedance Clearwater Revival’s ‘Fortunate Son’ is, in my opinion, one of the best out there. It rocks, it rolls, it oozes class. Brilliant stuff!

On a cold Scottish night, we were reminded of warmer climes with ‘Mexico’ from 2015’s Revolucion album but the Daisies really took the roof off the venue when they played what Corabi described as “the Scottish national anthem”, the band’s brilliant cover of a song written and performed by one of Glasgow’s favourite sons, the late and much missed Alex Harvey and his Sensational Alex Harvey band. It was perhaps an odd choice for a cover when the band first picked it but it established itself as a Dead Daisies classic and the band dare not leave it out of their setlist, particularly in the city of the song’s birth! What a way to finish to main set! The band returned to the stage for an encore of ‘Long Way to Go’ and another cover, this time of the Beatle’s ‘Helter Skelter’.

As The Dead Daisies left the stage and walked off into the cold Glasgow night, there was a feeling that we had all watched something particularly special. Sometimes, rock shows can start well but sag somewhere in the middle when the energy diminishes. But with The Dead Daisies, it’s full-on, high energy rock n roll from beginning to end. They are indeed a ‘supergroup’ of musicians still at the top of their game, giving their fans exactly what they want with more enthusiasm than bands and artists half their age. The Dead Daisies don’t need to tour extensively. They’ve been there done that many times during their long, respective careers. They do it because they want to. They’re bona-fide rockstars playing authentic rock n roll, just like the Stones and Zeppelin did before them. On the stage is where they need to be and where they truly come alive!

The came, they saw and they conquered Glasgow with a stunning musical performance. ‘Light ‘Em Up’ indeed!

The Dead Daisies UK Tour continues with further dates in Nottingham, Wolverhampton, Newcastle, Manchester, Swansea, Bristol and London. Their new album ‘Light ‘Em Up’ is out now.