Kickin Valentina, The Midnight Devils and Star Circus, Black Heart, London 2024 Review and Photos by Dawn Osborne

Star Circus opened proceedings with a new guitarist Owen Palmer who apparently is not a permanent member,although they would like him to be, and indeed he fitted in well with the band’s image and style of playing, giving them a bit more of a Thin Lizzy feel at times.

Having the extra guitar player back certainly beefed up the sound from when I last saw the band at Call Of The Wild. “F*ck Me it’s hot up here” says frontman Dave Winkler, but this evening has only just started. I can tell that there is something up with the monitors and he cannot hear himself, but he manages heroically.

Catchy songs that some of the audience seem to know and are singing and professional guitar solos with climactic power always make them a good bet as an opening band.  They finish with a much heavier song ‘Save Your Life’.

I saw The Midnight Devils at Hard Rock Hell and they are one of my favourite bands to see live out of anyone, huge bands included. The music is a cross between Punky Trashy Rock ‘n’ Roll and Van Halen with a couple of Punk ‘n’ Roll versions of songs like ‘Panama’. ‘Get Laid’ as played tonight reminds me of ‘Johnny Be Good’, and there are some mean guitar solos to be had, but to discuss the music alone is not possible in the context of this band. They are a baptism of fire and a completely immersive experience. They give the experience of Madison Square Garden in a nut shell and must explode out of the shackles of smaller venues very soon.

Sam Spade is a charismatic frontman with his own look which is part Greek God, part circus clown, part Sunset Strip blonde glammy, but it is his personality and speaking voice, part Dave Lee Roth, part Paul Stanley that is completely heart-attack-arresting from the off. Balancing his bass on one hand, high Wildhearts like jumps and a mesmerising stage presence make them compulsive viewing.

Jimmy Mess the drummer also has his own kinda weird lanky schoolgirl image, but he is stuck in the back in the dark tonight and it’s impossible to get a good image of him. The one in the dark with him greeting the audience at the end is the best I can get.

It is the first time the band have played London, but a usually plegmatic London crowd is screaming so loudly it reminded me of a cartoon where the noise of an audience blows someone’s hair backwards like a flame and melts their face. Spade reacts with a huge smile announcing “I believe in England Tonight”. I have only seen a reaction like this from a London crowd a handful of times ever. It’s like the excitement that the early Glam bands like Guns N Roses engendered. An Asian girl is pawing Spade’s chest and bowing down with both arms outstretched to him like an act of worship.

There are balloons and flashing devil horns thrown out to the audience and props like feather boas and laser wielding military caps. But all this is superfluous to Spade’s personality. He must be a trip to live with. Like a Kiss show in a telephone box sized venue this band burst out all over in the best possible way. I almost feel sorry for Kickin Valentina, as I would for any band playing it straight who had to follow them.

 

But Kickin’ Valentina have bigger balls that that and their own fire power to bring to bear. A few highly successful albums of infectious and rocket powered Rock ‘n’ Roll, a small army of fans who know all the songs and DK’s own strong personality as frontman with his ‘Tattoed Low Life’ baseball cap and willingness to connect so much to the audience he spends the whole gig pretty much standing on the monitors reaching out to them, barely standing on the stage itself carry the day.

The new material with songs like ‘Dirty Rhythm’, ‘Star Spangled Fist Fight’ and ‘Man On A Mission’ is so strong that the energy is kept up throughout the set.  Older classics like ‘Somebody New’ and ‘Turn Me On’ round out the night superbly.

Comedy moments include a drunk woman pulling the mike away from DK to sing, which she continues to do after the song finishes when the band are not playing after being given the mike to answer the question “What’s YOUR name?”. No answer is ever given, not indeed is there ever any acknowledgement of the question. When a tall gentleman seizes the microphone to shout “she’s my beautiful pig” said with obvious affection there is not a straight face in the house.

Tonight was an amazing party. Kudos to Kickin’ Valentina for picking support bands that are a challenge and meeting that challenge head on for a truly gobsmacking great night. They don’t happen like this very often. You had to be there or weep into your beer, simple as that!

Dawn Osborne