Gig Review: Lixx / The Hellfire Club – Dreadnought, Edinburgh (20th April 2019)

New venue for this photographer tonight here at the Dreadnought in Bathgate. We are here to catch up with Lixx who I last saw at the Edinburgh Venue back in 1988, back then they were well touted in Kerrang and Metal Hammer as being the next big thing alongside Faster Pussycat, etc. Their debut mini album, Loose on You, got a lot of well-deserved good press in all the above rock magazines but the music business is fickle and the boys never quite got that break. Fast forward to now and they are back along with the debut album being picked up and re-released with 6 extra tracks by American label Demon Doll Records. The band is currently working on album number two and tonight they played a number of new tracks from the forthcoming album.

The Hellfire Club (c) Gary Cooper
The Hellfire Club (c) Gary Cooper

We have a support band to listen to and watch first in the form of The Hellfire Club who start us off with two crackers in the form of “What’s Real” with its Clash style vibe followed by “Hearts and Minds”, a great start to their set. They play one of my favourites of their set next with “Fight the Feeling”, which again has that early punk feel to it. Hud has one of those classic voices that flows well through their music – seems like Lixx are not the only ones taking me back in time tonight. We have a few more including guest spots “When the Coffee’s Cold” with Chris Coyle on guitar, “Hold You Tighter” with Mark Thorburn on guitar, “Perfect Timing” and the boys end a most enjoyable set with “I Hear Music” featuring Will Campbell and Mark Thorburn on guest guitars. The band has a great all-round classic sound and I for one thoroughly enjoyed their set and will definitely catch them again.

The main event now as Lixx hit the stage running with “One Way Ride” from Loose on You and there may be less hair but the fire is still there as Joe lets loose those vocals backed up by Nazz on guitar, Robin on bass and bringing up the rear is Steevo sporting a huge grin and rightly so. A stunning start that takes you back to those early Faster Pussycat, Motley Crüe days. We get two new tracks in the form of “Come On” and “Turn It On” which really bode well for the new album they will be part of. “She Got The Look” really takes it up a notch now with Joe getting his Iggy Pop on the go – that microphone stand must be tasty with the way he is licking it.

Lixx (c) Gary
Lixx (c) Gary

The guitar work is fantastic tonight with Nazz really setting things alight, Robin pounding away on bass and speaking of pounding, the mad grinning Steevo at the rear drumming away looking like a kid in a candy shop. We get two on the trot from Loose on You in the form of “Hot Shot” and “In For a Riot” being the first of the extra tracks on the re-issue with its different, harder Iggy vibe. We have another new song now with the “Thrill of it All” and again looking forward to the new album with these quality songs which show the grown up version of Lixx while keeping that fun edge to them. We catch the “Freeloader” next before we hear another two of the extra tracks with “Alive” followed by the fabulous “Killer Inside” – definitely a favourite of mine tonight. Joe is killing it tonight – the man was born to be a frontman.

Lixx (c) Gary
Lixx (c) Gary

We have “In for the Kill”, another new one before “Someday” with its crunching guitar, bass, drums and Joe’s killer vocals pull you in – definitely a crowd sing-along with the “Someday, someday, someday” chorus line before Nazz lets loose again. We get a couple more to end an all too quick night including a fabulous cover of what else but Iggy Pop’s “Search and Destroy”. I was not sure what to expect tonight and a bit worried they would not live up to my memories of rocking out to them at the front in the hot sweaty Venue, but I should not have worried and, along with a packed Dreadnought, had a fantastic time watching a band still at the top of their game and with a lot more to give. I cannot wait to hear the new album given the tracks played tonight and to catch the boys again soon hopefully. The boys had a ball tonight, Nazz even jumping into the crowd to play guitar at one point.

If you get the chance go see the boys live as they will be in Dundee and Edinburgh soon and have secured a well-deserved spot on the HRH AOR bill next year. The future is looking good for the boys, and based on tonight’s performance, rightly so. If you like your rock music with a bit of Sunset Strip meets Iggy Pop then this is the band for you, get the Loose on You re-issue from Demon Doll Records, relive your youth and get ready for the next chapter of Lixx. I certainly will be.

Setlist:

  • One Way Ride
  • Come On
  • Turn It On
  • She Got The Look
  • Hot Shot
  • In For a Riot
  • Thrill of it All
  • Freeloader
  • Alive
  • Killer Inside
  • In For the Kill
  • Someday
  • Search & Destroy
  • Born To Lose

Photos by Coops Gig Photography

Lixx: facebook | twitter

The Hellfire Club: facebook | soundcloud

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments