The Hot One Two / Waking the Angels / In Charge - Bannerman's, Edinburgh Friday 13th October 2023

I wasn’t familiar with The Hot One Two – a fast-rising modern classic rock band from Cambridge – but I’m glad I took a punt on their first ever Scottish appearance. These young lads have got a lot going for them with some big anthemic rock numbers and plenty stage-craft and charisma. Singer Simon West has got a relaxed and charming presence and a fine set of pipes to give voice to the songs from their full-length album ‘’Superbia’ which is due out on the 10th of November. Scottish fans will have another chance to see them at Audio, Glasgow shortly after that on the 16th on the Dead Mans’s Whiskey tour with Twister.

The band’s WAGs do a good job of cheerleading and whipping up the crowd down the front and it’s a good show. Kev Baker is an entertaining loon with fine poses and face-pulling and excellent lead guitarist Nick Blackburn steps up to introduce a couple of bluesier numbers mid-set. The band’s contemporary sound is in the same vein as Revival Black and I think they’ve got a great chance of reaching a Wagons / Crows level of success if they get a few breaks and they’ve got slots at Planet Rockstock and HRH XVI which might help. Their latest single ‘Rolling Stone’ is due out this week and there’s no chance of any moss growing on these guys. Check out their ‘Tie Me Down’ video to see what they’re all about.

West Midlands rockers Waking the Angels also put on a fine show. Guitarist Greg Dean starts the first number by wandering out into the bar area while playing his guitar and he leads a few folks back in Pied Piper-style. They are another band with an album ‘We Are’ due out next month. Highlights from the set include ‘Stand Back from the Red Line’, ‘Destination Love Affairs’ and the single ‘Gypsy Queen’ while they also have time to dispense wise advice like “never trust a woman with a blue tattoo”! Mike Deeley is an entertaining front man and in the gloomy light he even looks a little like Udo when he strips down to his vest later in the set. Greg’s “other band” is the more melodic Iconic Eye – that band’s singer Janey Smith is currently appearing on TV in ‘My Mum Your Dad’ – and they give an airing to their song ‘Black Heart’ which works very well. You can catch the band at Call of the Wild in 2024 if not before.

In Charge had travelled over from the West of Scotland to open the show in what was a value-for-money 3-band bill. They are a hard-rocking four-piece and their set highlight was their signature song ‘Something Coming My Way’ which pleased their travelling band of followers.