Skid Row -The Gov – Tuesday 23 October 2018
Words Geoff Jenke
Skid Row formed in 1986 and are probably best known for their two multi-platinum albums, the self-titled debut, Skid Row and the follow up Slave to the Grind. Singer Sebastian Bach left the band after the release of the third album, Subhuman Race. Except for a short hiatus in the late 1990’s, Skid Row have soldiered on with different singers. The current vocalist is ex DragonForce front man, ZP Theart.
Before Skid Row, we had Adelaide’s own Matterhorn on stage at The Gov, giving us their “classic metal” influenced sound. Their influences come from Judas Priest, Dio, Sabbath et al but they inject their own passion into original songs. Vocalist Amanda Ozolins at times sounded just like Ronnie James Dio, no mean feat considering Ronnie’s vocal range. The song Memory of the Guilty, about the Bali nine, was the highlight of the evening, although the cover of Iron Maiden’s Hallowed Be They Name, went down a treat with the crowd. They have a new album out, Crimes of Man which is worth investigating if you like your metal heavy.
It must be hard coming on board a band as a new singer and having to sing all the classic songs from the band’s past. Skid Row took to the stage to the sound of The Ramones, Blitzkrieg Bop and two songs in, Slave to the Grind and Sweet Little Sister, it was obvious ZP Theart was embracing this opportunity and giving the band his all.
Skid Row gave the people what they wanted, songs from the first two albums. Surprisingly only one song from the more recent United World Rebellion E. P’s, in We are the Damned was played.
After the onslaught of Slave to the Grind and Sweet Little Sister, we were told this is the first time Skid Row has been to Adelaide since 1990 and they were going to make up for it. The ferocity continued with Piece of Me and Chain Gang. The guitar interaction between Scotti Hill and Dave Sabo was outstanding and a joy to watch.
18 and Life gave the crowd a chance to sing along with the band and Forever, a previous 1988 unreleased track that made it’s first appearance on the 1998 Best of album, was a surprise highlight. Rachel Bolan took the microphone for a stirring version of The Sex Pistols God Save the Queen, Rachel looking every bit as punk as Sid Vicious ever did.
Medicine Jar from the Subhuman Race album was another welcome surprise before the band closed out the set with Monkey Business, which developed into an epic guitar battle between Scotti Hill and Dave Sabo, finally ending in what may be the best guitar duo “solo” I have ever seen. Definitely the highlight song of the night for me.
The crowd may have been small but the sound was huge to get the band back on stage for an encore. They came back and slowed proceedings down with I Remember You before ramping the sound levels back up with We are the Damned and closing song, the slightly ironic Youth Gone Wild. Ironic because the average age in the audience was far from being youth. However, we can all dream of being “that” age and wild again. Alas the evening was over all too soon.
For those who lament Sebastian Bach not being in the band any more, and there was a smattering of S Bach T-shirts in the crowd, should give ZP Theart a chance, and go see the current version of Skid Row. He channelled the energy and vitality of Sebastian wonderfully and is the perfect front man. The band took ages to leave the stage, high fiving and chatting with the audience before they left.
A bit of trivia: when they first formed in 1987, Nirvana played under the name Skid Row for a short while.
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