AIRRACE : GRADE 3,5 15 years after the release of Airrace debut album Shaft Of Light they stood on the stage at Firefest to open up the 2nd day. I never would have thought that I would see Airrace play live but today it happened. I missed the start of the show and I don’t know if I missed some songs but I came in when they started to play Caught In The Game and it sounded damn good. From the original line-up it’s just singer Keith Murrell and keyboard player Toby Sadler left. Keith Murrell sounded really good and he sang with feeling and power. I must say that they really took me by surprised because I never thought that they would sound this good. It was kind of White Sister feel from last year show when they rocked the roof of Rock City. Ok, not every song from there debut and only album is AOR-hits but when you get to hear songs like Open Your Eyes, First One Over The Line and Brief Encounter I surrender. The keyboard sound was just amazing and the crowed were jumping of joy and sang along the songs. They also played a new song called One Step Ahead that sounded Ok nothing sensational but nice. A great way to start the day.
Tracklist: Caught In The Game, I Don’t Care, Open Your Eyes, Not Really Me, Promised To Call, First One Over The Line, Didn’t Wanna Lose Ya, One Step Ahead, Brief Encounter
THE POODLES: GRADE 3
Only Swedish act on the 2nd day was The Poodles that tried to rock the hell out of the crowed but never got a hold of them. I seemed like they tried to give the crowed a rock'n roll show but did not manage to do that all the way. Singer Jakob Samuel tried to get the crowed going but it was only when they played Thunderball and Night Of Passion the crowed woke up and fired up the show. I think this was to short gig for the band and they never got the engine started and when they were warm the show was over. I think the set-list was not the best either.
The band sounded very tight and Jakob sang very well.
Tracklist: Too Much Of Everything, Caroline, Seven Seas, Metal Will Stand, One Out Of Ten, Thunderball, Night Of Passion
DRIVE SHE SAID: GRADE 4
Al Fritsch and Mark Mangold entered the stage with the band and delivered and fantastic show with classic AOR songs. Al sang really good and the whole band sounded very professional and it was a shame that Mark Mangold's keyboards broke down after couple of songs and some of the songs were without keyboards. The keyboards are a important instrument of DSS sound but luckily he had more than one keyboard so they had the keyboards on different parts. Al and Mark really gave the crowed what they wanted and expected from a pure AOR band and that was classic AOR songs. The opened up the show with Don’t You Know What Love Is and the crowed went wild, what a classic song and they did it brilliant. After that they spit out hit after hit with songs like Maybe It’s Love, Hard Way Home, If This Is Love and Look At What You Got. These songs are huge with fantastic hooklines and sing-a-long choruses. This was AOR heaven for sure and those that missed this show I can only say that you will regret that for the rest of you life. If that was not enough the guys gave us the Cher hit I Found Someone and Michael Bolton classic AOR-rocker Fools Game (to bad the keys were not working on this one). A fantastic show with just classic AOR numbers and I can only say thanks guys.
Tracklist: Don’t You Know What Love Is, Driving Wheel, Maybe It’s Love, Hard Way Home, If This Is Love, Hard To Hold, I Found Someone, Fools Game, Look At What You Got, Overdrive
ROMEO'S DAUGHTER: GRADE 3,5
Romeo’s Daughter is another band that had not released anything for a long time. Their latest album Delectable was released 1993 but today they played live to a wild crowed. It looked like they never been way because they got a warm welcome from the crowed. The original line-up with Leigh Matty, Graig Joiner and Tony Mitman was there and they gave us a great show. It’s been 16 years since we last heard of RD and I must say that Leigh Matty still got the looks and voice. She sang her heart out and it sounded damn good. With just 2 album behind them they delivered a very good set-list with almost the whole debut album included. They opened up with Wild Child from the Robert John “Mutt” Lange produced debut album. They must have rehearsed a lot because the whole set sounded really good and tight. Other highlights in the set were Stay With Me Tonight, Attracted To The Animal, I Cry Myself To Sleep At Night and Heaven In The Backseat.
Tracklist: Wild Child, Velvet Tongue, Stay With Me Tonight, Attracted To The Animal, Colour You A Smile, Inside Out, I Cry Myself To Sleep At Night, Heaven In The Backseat, Hymn (Look Through Golden Eyes), Don’t Break My Heart
WHITE SISTER: GRADE 3,5
After last years success White Sister were back on the Rock City stage. Last year show was also filmed for DVD that was released just before Firefest. I think that last year they chocked the whole Rock City whey they delivered a outstanding show. So the big question was if they could match that performance from last year? Well the set-list was almost identical but they did not see as hungry as they did last year. It was a good show were both Dennis Churchill and Garri Brandon shared the lead-vocals with style. They both sang very well like they did last year. The 3rd original member Rick Chadock delivered great riffs and the whole band sounded good. They played Don’t Say That You’re Mine, Promises, Can’t Say No and Save Me Tonight that would satisfied fans of Pomp/AOR and the keyboards sounded awesome. But to my surprise they had left April out of the set and that’s a shame in my opinion but you can’t get them all. They also played two new songs called Only One Night and Double Crossed that they even played last year and the crowed seem to like them. Personally I don’t think they are close to the songs they have of their two albums but Ok songs nothing more.
Tracklist: Don’t Say That You’re Mine, Straight From The Heart, Promises, Can’t Say No, Only One Night, Double Crossed, Save Me Tonight, Love Don’t Make It Right, Whips
CROWN OF THORNS: GRADE
I missed almost the whole COT show because I had a meet and greet with FM and it was food time at the same time. But I saw the opening of the show were Jean Beauvoir &Co stared with Faith from the latest album with the same title. Then they continued with Hike It Up that I did not feel they got the crowed going. When I came back to show they ended a song that I could not figure out the title. But they ended the show just stunning with two of the best songs from the debut album called The Healer and Dying For Love and now they got the attention from the crowed they missed at the start. So I can’t give any grade for their show because I missed most of it.
HONEYMOON SUITE: GRADE 4
Here was another band I was looking forward to hear and see live and they really showed how fantastic Canada AOR should be played. The DVD they released 2005 called HMS LIVE on Frontiers was not fun so I was little bit afraid that they would be to tired to rock but they showed from the first track that they wanted to show the opposite. Just couple of weeks before Firefest they announced that Ray Coburn would not come and play with them. So tonight we saw Johnnie Dee, Derry Grehan, Gary Lalonde, Dave Betts (I’m not 100% sure the line-up is right) together with the new keyboard player named Peter Nunn and they pulled out a fantastic show full of classic Honeymoon Suite songs. Johnnie and Derry were the ones that were the ones that moved around the stage and Johnnie sang outstanding, what a voice. They got hold of the crowed right from the start when they opened up with Other Side Of Midnight with powerful riffs and wonderful melodies. They also played the two best songs She Ain't Alright and Tired O Waitin' On You from their latest album Clifton Hill. They have so many classic songs to take from and I think they played a very strong set. Another highlights were Burning In Love, Feel It Again, Bad Attitude, Still Lovin'You, You and Love Changes Everything. This was Canada AOR at it’s peak, freaking fantastic and stunning night for AOR lovers. This was totally different from the DVD and I can only say sorry for those that missed this awesome gig.
Tracklist: Other Side Of Midnight, She Ain't Alright, Burning In Love, Tired O Waitin'On You, Feel It Again, What Does It Take, Lookin'Out For Number One, Bad Attitude, Still Lovin'You, New Girl Now, Love Changes Everything
FM: GRADE 4,5
The British AOR-legends FM got the honour to end Firefest VI this year and what a great way to open up the new chapter of FM. They played the last gig at 2007 years Firefest also that they released on DVD called Back In The Saddle. A fantastic DVD that showed what a great live band they are. So now 2 years later they are back with a new member Kirk Kirkpatrick that took over the guitars after Andy Barnett. They also released a brand new EP with a new song called Wildside and the B-side classic Dangerous that never been recorded on CD before. Well, back to the show and you could feel the tension and expectation the crowed had on FM. At the same time the intro started the crowed went wild and the guys entered the stage and opened up the show with the brand new track from their forthcoming album Metropolis called Wildside with heavy riffs but very melodic and one one of the heaviest track FM ever done. This is a great track and suits to play live. Steve voice was just outstanding and I got goose-bumps all over my body. Then they followed that up with Face To Face and That Girl and the crowed sang the lyrics and Steve just stood there smiling. You won’t get closer to AOR-heaven than this, amazing. Later on the set they played Dangerous and what a song this is and the keyboards are just fantastic and so is the chorus. I missed couple of there classic songs like Someday, I Belong To The Night, All Or Nothing, American Girl and couple of more tracks from Tough It Out that could have been on the set. The bluesy tracks Only The Strong Survive, Blood & Gasoline and Hard Day In Hell was nice and here Steve gave us a lesson how to sing with passion and emotions. But I would have wanted more of the classic stuff. But they also played Frozen Heart and Bad Luck of course. It was the loudest sing-a-long moment of the whole Firefest on Bad Luck and it sounded awesome. The show ended with FM playing a cover of Prince Purple Rain and was a song we could have been without. But I got to say thanks to this brilliant band that gave a show that will stay in my heart for a long time and it was a treat to see them play in England.
Tracklist: Wildside, Face To Face, That Girl, Don’t Stop, Only The Strong Survive, Blood & Gasoline, Dangerous, Burning My Heart Down, I Heard It Through The Grapevine, Frozen Heart, Bad Luck, Purple Rain
This years Firefest was brilliant with many great bands and I must say that this years line-up was as good as last year and if the Firefest camp will do this next year they will have a hard battle to find as good line-up again. I will for sure be back next year if they do a Firefest VII. If I have missed some tracks or got the wrong titles I apologise and just send me a e-mail and I will correct it.
MY TOP 5 SHOWS AT FIREFEST 6:
1. FM
2. Drive She Said
3. Honeymoon Suite
4. H.e.a.t
5. Romeos Daughter