The Sweet, The Novatines, Islington Assembly Hall, December 18, 2019

The Novatines managed by Andy Scott of The Sweet definitely have their roots in 70s hard rock seen though the prism of the 90s. Whilst looking pretty seventies, there is definitely a noisy and punky side to their material. They reminded me of the Monkees, that had been through Grunge, commercial and yet deconstructed, someone else described them as a mixture of Led Zeppelin and Nirvana and that’s not a million miles off.

However I was here to see The Sweet, kicking off with ‘Action’ the new line up mean business. No one sounds like them and it was great to see them back. Combinations of the big iconic riffs and complex perfect harmonies (with four singers in the band) and the ability of Paul Manzi Of Cats in Space to mimic the histrionic/angst ridden trade mark unique and almost speaking style of Brian Connolly they were able to transport everyone back to the 1970s with ease.

Covers like ‘Back in the New York Groove’ and ‘Peppermint Twist’ were just entertaining foreplay and things really started to rock when they got to ‘Wig Wam Bam’ and ‘Little Willy’. Glam Rock was huge in the UK and it’s obvious that, while there are some younger members of the audience, most people were there the first time around and they danced and let their hair down being taken back to their pre teen and teenage years by the classic material. Glam Rock is often trivialised in the press, but it is monumental and seminal for rock music and Sweet exemplify it at its best. I was in heaven and confess I had a good dance and sing myself which doesn’t always happen at all gigs. By this point people had lost all inhibitions and were chanting ‘We Want Sweet’ super loud. I had forgotten how sublime ‘Love is Like Oxygen’ is. On a par with the best songwriting in the world in any genre. Also Sweet are heavier live than they were on record back in the day and so it was like watching metal versions of the famous pop rock versions that hit the charts.

Andy Scott, now 70, but with naturally white blonde hair so thick it would put most 30 year old’s hair to shame was visibly moved by the fantastic reception they received and the obvious love and respect they received from the audience. Explaining that The Sweet had not been invited to play many larger gigs in the UK recently, at least compared with the big festivals they play in Europe, he thanked the audience and said he had taken heart from the wonderful reaction of the crowd. His reminding of the crowd that the music playing was 100 per cent live made the performance seem even more fantastic as it was flawless and masterful and full of craft and skill of the best musicianship possible. Finishing with ‘Fox on the Run’ and encores of ‘Blockbuster’ and ‘Ballroom Blitz’ the performance tonight was a triumph. Leaving the stage to thunderous applause something tells me they will be back and are on an upward trajectory again.

Dawn Osborne