Soto Camden Underworld 17-2-17

First up was Swiss band Vanadine who after being introduced by Jeff Scott Soto himself produced a 30 minute set that was a little difficult to pigeon hole.

Energetic front man Mitch Michel had a raspy tone and he never stopped asking more from the crowd who at the early time of 6.30 was a little sparse.
"Liar" was a throwback to the 90's and "F**k U " was from another era completely.
With a bit of vision could be ok but on tonight's showing maybe not.

Bigfoot I was looking forward to with a couple of ep's under their belts and a debut cd due out this year on Frontiers the future looks bright and on this showing believe the hype.
Opener Stone Soldiers had front man Ant Ellis at the stage edge wielding his microphone stand with confidence and he possesses a huge voice with plenty of muscle tone and melody.
Heavier tracks Run and Bitch Killer had twin lead guitar breaks from Sam Millar and Mick McCullagh who both impressed and a nice pace change on Come Down My Way with Ant on acoustic guitar.
The set ended on the 1-2 of the blistering Freakshow which included some Lizzyesque guitqr duelling before the epic Other Side Of Paradise has everything needed to blow the doors off with big riffs wonderful vocals and huge chorus and all played with an attitude that should see Bigfoot on many shop lists when the cd is released.
Very impressive.

Soto have now released 2 cd's under this banner all lead by the larger than life presence of Jeff Scott Soto although the band members are the same as when he last hit London a few years back as the Jeff Scott Soto band.

A few fans bemoan the harder edge to Soto's material but dig deep and Jeff's melodic vocals all top off the harder edge riffs and this is one classy band.

For 85 minutes we were treated to a a band having a ball on stage with the new material before delving back into Jeff's extensive back catalogue.

Here is what they played.

Divak
Freakshow 
Time
Weight Of The World
21st Century/Colour My XTC
Final Say
The Fall
Cyber Masquerade
Livin' The Life (Steel Dragon)
When I'm Older
Give In To Me (Michael Jackson cover)
Unblame
Tears In The Sky (Talisman)
I'll Be Waiting (Talisman)
Risk (Jorge Salan)
I'm A Viking/I'll See The Light Tonight (Yngwie Malmsteen)
Encore of 
Stand Up (Steel Dragon)

Jeff's band are as tight as possible with Edu Cominato on drums powering the band on with David Z on bass and vocals as back up. He really is Jeff's right hand man with plenty of banter and a quick Michael Jackson dance centre stage too.
Guitarist BJ riffs away and to Jeff's left is Jorge Salan who is one of today's fastest fingered guitarists.He left us open mouthed as he attacked solo after solo and all with a melodic tone and his band work out on Risk was superb.

Jeff is a great front man and his vocals are world class and is an engaging host too telling us to expect a lot of new material but from the amount of singing going on around me the cd's have hit the spot.

As we get time and again at the moment the US president gets a mention with a word used more in the UK than the US.I will let you all guess what it was?

Loved the slower paced When I'm Older which as I was another year older on this day a very apt tune for the evening and then the recently released Michael Jackson cover Give Into Me was warmly received too.

Jeff's old band Talisman was featured with the obscure Tears In The Sky before the classic I'll Be Waiting which had a mass sing along from the crowd.

Encore time saw every band member from all 3 bands on stage for Steel Dragon's Stand Up before Soto finished the evening with an acapella Community Property by Steel Panther.

Jeff Scott Soto never ever disappoints and tonight was no exception.

Superb.