Music > Live Reviews

Slade

The Adrian Flux Waterfront

12/12/17

I was just nine years old when I first fell in love with Slade. 1971 was the year when I bought Coz I Luv You as a 45rpm single (there were no other options then kids!), their second hit and their first self-penned one at that. It went to number one in the charts (it meant something then) and it also brought them their debut on Top of The Pops. Oh, it brings back such great family memories from that time of watching them on TOTP and of playing that record over and over again much to my mum’s delight. I wished I could just pop back in time to see that setting again!!! Good times indeed.

Whilst they, Slade became leaders of the great British glam rock period, they have always had a fabulous reputation as a live band - there was always so much more to them than Dave Hill’s dodgy fringe, his high heeled silver boots and his fantastic YOB guitar or Noddy Holder’s mirrored hat and great big bushy sideburns. They were a great rock band and for years, and no one came even close. Holder had the most amazingly unique voice and was apparently first choice to become the new front man for AC/DC when Bon Scott died back in 1980. He turned them down.

So here I am some forty six years later watching them for the very first time! How did that not happen before now? Both original band members and songwriters Jim Lea and Noddy Holder left some time ago, but Dave Hill and drummer Don Powell remain. John Berry and Mal McNulty have replaced Jim and Noddy and more than do a decent job filling in on shared vocals and guitar.

A three quarters filled venue is in the mood to partyyyyyyyy tonight and they get nicely warmed up thank you very much by a very talented covers band Kassettika from Oxfordshire, who play many a classic rock song to get some of the more mature members of the audience’s joints moving in the right direction before the main event.

It’s a very nostalgic occasion to see two of my old music heroes walk on stage - both Powell and Hill are seventy one and look amazingly well for their older years, full of energy that certainly is not befitting of their age. Yes Don can still thump the drums with all the ferocity of the band back in their heyday, but remains a fine drummer as he indeed was back then and Hill just never stops stomping around the tight space or climbing onto the monitor yet again. It’s just brilliant to see the energy levels remaining this high after all these years.

They trail blaze through the hits and more, Gudbuy T’Jane, Take Me Back ‘Ome, Everyday, Coz I Luv You, How Does It Feel (Noel Gallagher’s favourite Slade song), My Friend Stan, Far Far Away, Mama Weer All Crazee Now, Cum on Feel The Noise and of course Merry Xmas Everybody.

As they salute the audience upon heading to the dressing room probably for a lay down (or a cuppa soup?) after a full on eighty minute set, Powell takes great delight at flashing his upper deck gnashers to the fans! Now how many times have you been to see a band where that happens? To think that they formed in 1966, the year that the England national football team won the World Cup gives you something of a reminder of just how long they have been around. There may have been fifty one years of hurt at watching yet another disappointing England performance at many a major football tournament in this time, but Slade have certainly never stopped winning in all of this time. Back in the early seventies this band were my musical heroes and tonight I feel nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for them as clearly they are having as good a time as we are.

Dear Santa, can I please have some of whatever Mr Hill and Powell are on for Christmas?

So here it is merry Christmas, everybody’s having fun………..and come Monday morning my ears are still ringing, but quite frankly I don’t really care. It’s Christmassssssssss.