Bobbie Dazzle and Silveroller at The Lower Third, London 2025

I’ve only heard support Silveroller’s gloriously titled ‘At Dawn’ ep once, and seen them at one festival, and yet their songs resonated with me immediately. They have a deep appreciation of Rock ‘n’ Roll combined with the energy and enthusiasm of youth. It’s like the early seventies all over again – complete with Rod Steward’s haircut. Not just an image band though, their performance displays chops that belie their age.

Singer Jonnie Hodson has a seemingly natural Rock Star magnetism as a frontman with the same kind of working man’s easy sexuality as David Coverdale as he leans towards the audience and thrusts against his mike stand without looking false or forced. Having seen them at Call Of The Wild I knows he usually throws his mike stand around a lot more than tonight, but the low ceiling of the aptly titled venue ‘The Lower Third’ has put paid to any vertical moves. He still manages to command the attention of the whole room and while the rest of the band are more understated, they bring amazing groove in the sense of old Led Zeppelin, although the overall effect due to Hodson’s raspy vocals is back to The Faces.

They have a new guitar player ‘Sammy’ who bears a passing resemblance to a young Jimmy Page – and it’s his first outing with the band – but the only sign of that was a false start on one of the songs as he got his hand stuck in his skin tight vintage 70s coat pocket trying to extract his slide for some bottleneck play. Not missing a beat Hodson gets the crowd to click, clap and sing a chant till Sammy recovers his composure. It’s a very small incident to which the crowd react like amused fond parents as the band is killing it and has already earned their goodwill!

The band began with some barnstormers ‘Hold’, ‘Follow The Black Crow’ and the new single ‘Trouble Follows Me’ which they released as a live version while they record a bunch of new songs for their first full length album.   London is not known for rapturous applause for new bands, but are forthcoming tonight. It’s fair to say they are not usually presented with such a fine support band. The big riffs of ‘Other Side’ make me think there’s a future for the kind of Rock music I love. Get on this train early as if there’s any justice in this world it’s going to run and run.

It’s time for Bobbie Dazzle who with a support slot with Alice Cooper under her vintage seventies, pirate buckle, woven leather belt also has every right to face the future with confidence, given her belter of a voice and lively performance style. This is her very first headline slot in London and it’s really well attended, no mean feat given the current cost of living crisis.

For those of us that were around for old English Glam Rock it’s so lovely to hear that stomping Slade-like rhythm again for ‘Revolution’. The current economic situation and rise of people power on the Internet echoes the Seventies and you never know, but flower power may come back in a triumph of the values of love and solidarity against a failing system. The room is full of people who really dig this vibe and as the energy has been raised so high by Silveroller Bobbie hits the ground running and is easily able to keep the crowd at fever pitch under her own steam. She also has a great machine behind her in the form of her band who are clearly enjoying it as much as her and the crowd and provide harmonies, big riffs and drive, the perfect backdrop to her vocals.

With her deep register and long dark tresses Bobbie reminds me a little bit of Ann Wilson of Heart and this comparison is always bound to be made as they unusually both play the flute – another link to a softer hippy age. Dazzle knows the importance of engagement with her audience and never stops reaching out to them and even when she plays the flute and her hands are occupied, she uses her eyes to maintain the connection. The flute is also a great extension of her arms when she waves it around after playing, the only other props she uses being a pink marabou fan.

She also rewards those who have dressed up, with a ‘Glam Rock Queen’ award going to ‘Ziggie’ in the audience, who gets a pink boa and heart shaped sunglasses to party to ‘Lady On Fire’. ‘It’s Electric’ reminds me a bit of Sweet the band being no slouch when it comes to musicianship behind the glitter.

As things draw to a close after the riffage of ‘Watch Out’ an ABBA cover, Bobbie is clearly disappointed that things are coming to an end, as are the crowd. The set has indeed gone by quickly! She announces that the gig has to come to an end as they don’t have any more songs, which gets a temporary disappointed sigh changing to a cheer when she announces that album no 2 is in the works. She finishes with the immense ‘Lightning Fantasy’ which includes lyrics her father wrote as a teenager and that element does indeed add even more spice to their heaviest song!

Even established bands are having trouble selling tickets at the moment, so it was truly heartwarming to see two new bands have a great well attended night, which I believe in each case to be just the beginning of something big. Rock is never dead, it’s always there waiting for you to pull on your glad rags. Despite the fact that venues are closing all over the country, here are two bands that have risen to meet the challenge. A reassuring sign, that for the talented, there will always be a seat at the table.

Dawn Osborne