Newcastle Cluny2 - 8/10/19
Can’t believe that it was March 2018 when Jdog first brought Hannah Wicklund & the Steppin' Stones to my attention (by way of a signed CD); Not so much that 18 months have passed but that they’re actually here, touring; so many of the bands we discuss either don’t make it over or else do a UK tour of London.
Anyway, that aside, last night’s shindig was actually part of the latest Roadtour from Planet Rock, their first for a couple of years. It was originally promoted as a double-header, Hannah & her band along with Manchester’s Gorilla Riot, then the tour was augmented by the addition of Midlands hard-rockers Piston; each band getting an hour in the spotlight.
So, tonight’s rotation saw Piston opening, a hard rocking, twin-guitar, five-piece. They didn’t put a foot wrong, crunchy debut CD to promote and a couple of well chosen covers, AC/DC’s Rock City and a turbo-charged Proud Mary. Otherwise nothing startling aside from guitarist Jack Edwards’ very pretty brace of guitars for the evening.
Piston - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDajod9RsnQ
Closers for the event were Manchester’s Gorilla Riot, and once again, Planet Rock have found a bunch of crowd-pleasing rockers; certainly the appeared to have a loyal following. Described, accurately as a “dirty rock ‘n’ roll blues machine” they seemed in equal parts Guns an’ Roses and Blackberry Smoke (I’d call them “Gunsmoke” but it would take too long to explain to anyone born pre-1980). From what I saw, a quality, swaggering set.
Gorilla Riot (Manchester show) Most Wanted - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeIC8L2LYuo
However, for me, the pick of the evening was Hannah Wicklund& the Steppin' Stones and as I’d been hoping for a year that she’d appear on these shores, her set was a well anticipated treat. Opening with a powerful instrumental, she showed that it wasn’t just the boys who could shred an axe. And then, she started working through her album, and unleashed her second weapon, that powerful, almost feral voice that send shivers up the spine and blistered the paintwork. Toward the end of the set, with just Hannah alone on stage with guitar, we were treated to a new song, Can't get Enough which hopefully means a new album is in the pipeline and a haunting rendition of her current album’s closer Shadow Boxes & Porcelain Faces.. Then, the band back on stage, loved the run through Ghost before they charged for the end and Hannah doing a bit of the Peter Framptons with a voice-box solo.
In short, she really did “Bomb the Breeze”, Not an easy ask for a diminutive 21y old sandwiched between 2, gnarly hard rock bands, but she managed to surface above. Comparisons have been drawn, as diverse as Lizzy Hale, Pink, Susan Tadeschi & Chrissie Hynde - sounds about right. Amazingly, she’s already a “seasoned pro”, just wait till she really gets started. Going to be a "must see" on the next Blues cruise, and from the couple of t-shirts from the last one, people are already making notes.
From Norwich, earlier in the tour:-
Witness - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHaH25bheeo
Ghost - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owXFScx7wc4
Can’t get Enough - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQPEI5Rgmqo
Bomb Through The Breeze - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WH8XFta01vY
PS. Not often I’d do this, but a nod to the guy behind Hannah’s merch stand, Indiana; I think there’s a family connection, cool guy, well met.
When life gives you lemons; don't make lemonade.
Give back the lemons. Why were the lemons free? What's wrong with the lemons?
Do Not trust the lemons...
