Spike Quireboys, Camden Underworld, review by Dawn Osborne
Written by Dawn Osborne on September 14, 2023
Spontaneous to the last, when a cancellation slot came up last minute at the Underworld Spike decided to do a solo gig, but when Nigel Mogg found out about it and flights from LA were found to be reasonable, the idea of another Original Quireboys gig was born. Mercury is retrograde at the time of the gig and it is amazing that, not having played a gig for a good long while, Tyla of the Dogs D’Amour happened to have a sold out gig lined up already on the same night of which Spike was unaware. Really a brother band of the Quireboys and sharing probably most of their fans in common a competing Dogs gig on the same night was bound to affect numbers, as would the late notice, but although not sold out, the Underworld is still nicely packed out.
There’s no support, instead as the original plan was to do a Spike solo gig they split the show with Spike doing his Frankie Miller etc. songs for the first half with a full electric band including Mark Stanway on keys and Spike’s long time solo show collaborator Chris Heilmann. It’s good time fun including favourites such as ‘Fortune’ and ‘Cocaine’ and a tribute to recently passed Guy Bailey in a version of the Quireboys own ‘Have A Drink’. There’s a cheeky community feel with a mention of a couple who recently got married and Spike sharing advice from his father to go out with a girl for at least two years as that was long enough to find out if she was a “F’n nutcase”, and Spike winking at the crowd when telling them his pints are ‘alcohol free’. We’re also treated to some lovely Bluesy guitar solos from Pete Bonas. Spike takes time for a quick tribute to Bernie Marsden of Whitesnake who passed really recently with a quick acapella version of ‘Here I Go Again’ in trademark raspy vocal style. Thanking everyone for coming, Spike says he’ll be back in ten minutes (after a cigarette and getting his “red thong” on) with Nigel Mogg for some Quireboys songs.
And Nigel came on in his trade mark two-tone, standing on the left of the stage, unusual for him. It’s a shorter set of eight songs, very much a classic Quireboys set. Starting off with ‘Can’t Park Here’ there’s no slowing down these boys and age cannot wither them. Spike is throwing the mike and spinning and Nigel is holding his heavy bass aloft as if it’s as light as a feather, when it probably weighs more than him. As we get through the old favourites like ‘Misled’ and ‘There She Goes Again’ the energy is transmitted to the audience who are whooping and singing from the off. By ‘Sweet Mary Ann’ I am singing my head off despite still taking photos: knowing the band so well there’s no problem with me taking photos throughout the set. With the advent of the big ones ‘Hey You’ and ‘7 O’Clock’ the atmosphere is off the charts. I hear the best version of ‘I Don’t Love You Anymore’ I have ever heard (and I have heard it live at least a hundred times I reckon going back to the late eighties). The reason is, it’s not delivered as a slower ballad, but as an uptempo Rocker. Whoever had that idea, I’m guessing Nigel, it totally works, as instead of slowing down the set it put it over the top to finish as a triumph. The encore is the new single, the fifties Rock ‘n’ Roll inspired ‘Jeeze Louise’ (spelt in a few different ways on the various set lists).
But Boys, my only negative comment:It was too short. Typical eh… haha. All I can say is The Quireboys are the prime example of why this sort of music will never die, because the more you hear it, the more you love it. I remember once a few years ago when things weren’t going so well for me I went to a number of gigs and it was the Quireboys that made me forget my troubles and truly appreciate (and to quote the boys) it’s ‘Good To Be Alive’. Enjoy ‘em why you can .. like Coke they are ‘The Real Thing’.
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Sally Wild On September 29, 2023 at 12:36 pm
Another fantastic gig from the boys.
Spike has to be one of the best frontmen around.
I always leave a Quireboys gig with a stupid grin on my face & the memory of night stays with me for a long time afterwards.
Looking forward to the next time. This is how music should be. Keep rock n roll alive!