FM / Romeos Daughter Birmingham Asylum 11-5-24
At the unheard hour of 530 the doors opened and at 615 sharp Romeo's Daughter came on to play support to FM ad they had 35 years ago on the Tough It Out Tour.
For 45 minutes we were taken on a whistle stop journey though the bands career with Leigh Matty on vocals and Craig Joiner on guitar and backing vocals leading from the front with both sporting huge grins at the audience reaction.
New album tracks Over You and Inseperable with it's big guitar riff and chorus show the band can still rock out with any younger band and were both greeted by the crowd like long lost friends.
Of course we had classic tracks including opener Heaven In The Back Seat and closers I Cry Myself To Sleep At Night and Wild Child that left us wanting more like all good support slots should.
For 105 minutes we were transfixed at a set that shows 40 years into their career this band aren't slowing down.
They played.
Digging Up The Dirt
Tough It Out
Killed By Love
Someday (You'll Come Running )
Don't Need Another Heartache
Everytime I Think Of You
Out Of The Blue
The Dream That Died
Synchronized
Say It Like It Is
Closer To Heaven
Does It Feel Like Love
That Girl
Bad Luck
Hot Wired
Turn This Car Around
Encores of Story Of My Life
Frozen Heart
Other Side Of Midnight
9 albums covered and a great split of new songs and of course plenty of classic material too with the fans from 40 years wanting a 3 to 4 hour set if they played all we wanted to hear.
How to be subjective when you have seen the band 35 times is difficult but suffice to say the band are firing on all cylinders with the new album now available and on the live stage there are few bands on the planet who can get close to the melodic intent coming from every pore.
On the hottest day of the year so far and on a sweaty Saturday night the band gave us everything they had and they always every time grin from ear to ear at the joy of playing to an audience who gave it back in spades.
New songs Don't Need Another Heartache and Out Of The Blue fitted in seamlessly.
Pete Jupp on drums and Merv Goldsworthy on bass are the rhythm team that drives the band onto greatness with Jem Davis on keys filling in all the gaps and his short intro to Story Of My Life was superb.
Out front is Jim Kirkpatrick on guitar and backing vocals is a solo performer in his own right and his wonderful fiery solos and add libs have taken the band to new heights since the reunion and his chemistry with Steve Overland is evident in nods and winks ,chats and smiles aplenty.
Steve Overland is known as The Voice for good reason. His vocal performance was as good as you will see on a stage anywhere worldwide until the next time he plays.
Someday sees him reaching for every maximum octave he can and song after song there are held notes and his melodic tone is truly the best ever and his contemporaries just watch in awe at his level night after night. We salute you sir.
Say It Like It Is co written with his brother Chris who sadly passed last year didn't even make the debut Indiscreet and is a joy to hear.
Hot Wired from Indiscreet makes a welcome return and is played with a verve and passion that makes the heart beat faster.
Story Of My Life sees Steve's vocal leave the stratosphere and tug at all our heart strings and a well deserved standing ovation.
Other Side Of Midnight ends an evening of melodic rock heaven and the guy behind me said F**king Brilliant . Couldn't have said it better myself.
