FM/ Dare Sub 89 Reading 1-3-19
After last year's dates around the release of Atomic Generation FM and Dare added a few more with FM now promoting their The Italian Job live package a very healthy crowd greeted Dare for their 65 minute set with the following set list.
Home
Until
Days Of Summer
I'll Hear You Pray
Every Time We Say Goodbye
Sea Of Roses
Where Darkness Ends
Wings Of Fire
We Don't Need A Reason
Abandon
Into The Fire
The Raindance
King Of Spades (Snippet of Thin Lizzy's Black Rose)
Return The Heart
At Shepherds Bush last year from my vantage point I couldn't hear Vinny Burns guitar so very happy to report a great sound mix and Vinny on top form with plenty of melodic soloing alongside the main man Darren Wharton who was battling a chest infection.But apart from end of song coughing he put on a great vocal performance showing us that the show must go on.
As a long time fan the set always picks up when we go back to the days of Out Of The Silence and Blood From Stone and tonight was no different with We Don't Need A Reason and Abandon going down a storm and hopefully Dare's first trip to Reading won't be their last.
I have now seen the band 27 times and tonight's show had a real attitude of nothing will beat us with a performance of class,musicianship and camaraderie that very few band's on the planet can get close to.
The setlist had a revamp too with some old favourite's returning and mixing it up a bit with Bad Luck now up to second song played!!!
As for Dare before them a great sound with Steve Overland's vocal wonderful in tone and depth the man has no equal.He gets better every time and first encore Story Of My Life with just Jem Davis on keys accompanying him was a hair's up on the neck moment as his voice soared.
Life Is A Highway from Heroes And Villans feels like an an old favourite with it's huge chorus and fits in perfectly with the following Let Love Be The Leader with Jim Kirkpatrick's guitar solo melodic in intent.
Closer To Heaven had made a welcome return recently with Steve's vocal stunning and great to see him taking the lead guitar solo too.
Next up and to great fan acclaim was Dangerous was next up.A single live B side from the Indiscreet days and judging from the fan reaction many felt Christmas had come early.Talking to Merv Goldsworthy afterwards hopefully Say It Like It Is will be next.
Face To Face off Indiscreet was next to return before Over You from Metropolis after Jim's guitar intro is now a full on singalong crowd number.
Tough It Out saw Steve digging deep before another mass singalong on new number Killed By Love had the set end on a huge high.
At the front of the barrier we had now been joined by Pete Jupp's kids all sporting young Pete mask's and carrying cardboard cut out's too as it was Pete's 60th birthday and at encore time we sang Happy Birthday to him as he was presented with a cake and balloons.
Someday was now second encore with Steve steering clear of the song for year's it is now a set stable and his vocal was amazing.
Traditional evening closer Other Side Of Midnight with Jem now on keytar brought the evening to close in fine style.
A great double bill with FM a credit to themselves after last weeks' struggles to even be at the gig.Talking to them all afterwards with tales of no trousers leaving guitar lead's to hold up shorts,lap top misery but thankfully backed up due to a virus only days before and loss of equipment with huge sentimental attachment's here's hoping they get it all back.
They will never lose their place in our heart's as one of the UK's finest melodic rock band's.