By Chris Rockson

There's something about this venue that keeps me coming back, time after time. I can't quite put my finger on exactly what it is, maybe the location, right in the middle of Student land, a mile from the City Centre, just down from the 'Curry-Mile' - where you have a choice of over 200 Indian restaurants and diners/takeaways crammed into a linear mile...some of the best asian cuisine in the country can be found here....if you like that kinda thing!

Or is it that its such an intimate venue, capacity can't be more than a few hundred, good lighting, great sound board and good bar staff to boot...like I said, I can't quite work it out, but anyway, here I am again, on a strangely warm November night in Manchester to witness the return of old-time glam punks, Hanoi Rocks, supported by the wonderful, talented bunch of 'almost-locals', Dear Superstar.

Having met the lads backstage earlier to interview them for the next issue, I took my place down the front to start snapping pics for the forthcoming interview.

Right on-time, they enter the stage, looking cool and ready to rock it out! These lads are blessed with an abundance of talent, and they ain't afraid to share it with ya!!

Kick Ass sounds, killer attitude and a fuckin' great frontman = BigTime success! These guys are right on the verge of something major and I think they know it! What is certain, is that they are a down to earth, straight talkin' nice bunch of guys with a professionalism about their work, absolute MUST HAVE'S to be in the Big-League.

Tonight, they're back on 'home turf', with something to prove...they have a new album to tour and promote, as well as being support for a 'legendary' band they obviously admire...all these things can, for some, take the focus from the show, but that's where 'Class' comes in...with all that stuff going on around you, and the media and press attention, you have to be able to rise above and deliver killer shows, time after time after time....I think these guys will be alright!

 

Kicking off tonight's show, to a good sized, and well-enthusiastic audience, the lads go straight into their well-rehearsed set. The crowd go wild for them as they swagger through a catalogue of numbers that would lead you to believe that they've been around for far longer than the five or so years since they formed, just up the road from here.

I have a feeling that it won't be too long before they're selling out the likes of the Apollo and the Big Sister Academy One, same in any city, in any country...and then, who knows? The US is the target for most if not EVERY Rock band in the world....I think this one would have no problem at all taking the West Coast by storm!!

Go Lads! Go Superstars!

Set List

Brink of Destruction
Diseased & Distraught
Rock Bottom
Live Love Lie
Signposts to Bedposts
Brothers in Blood