Review: Skid Row/Ugly Kid Joe – Rock City – 25 October 2013

Last year when I saw UGLY KID JOE they were supporting the legendary Alice Cooper at the Royal Concert Hall where I found myself watching from the nosebleeds, tonight they were playing the Rock City main stage and it certainly felt a much more suitable venue for a band I’d grown up loving.

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Having initially formed in 1991 the band got back together in 2010, after parting ways in 97, and have since been touring pretty heavily as well as releasing the EP Highway to Hell in 2012.

The band, of course, are best known for their 1992 cover of Harry Chaplin’s Cat’s in the Cradle, which hit number 7 in the UK charts and is a dead-set rock classic, and it is no surprise that this was the stand out track of the night with the entirety of Rock City joining as one to belt out the lyrics:

“And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man on the moon”

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Even this erstwhile reviewer couldn’t resist joining in (be glad you were not subjected to that – Ed).

This was a passionate, energy filled set from a band that were clearly having a great time on stage and are loving what they are doing.

Up next for this “joint headliner” show were New Jersey’s SKID ROW, a band who I’ll admit I knew little about, the band who formed in 1986 had, probably, their biggest success with 1991 second album Slave to the Grind which debuted at number one on the US Billboard chart upon release.

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Despite not being overly familiar with the band ahead of the gig I was certainly won over during their set that showcased the bands talents and had the crowd chanting for more, the band may no longer feature original vocalist Sebastian Bach – with Johnny Solinger taking over vocals when the band reformed in 1999 – but that didn’t seem to make any difference to those in the crowd tonight.

This may not have been the busiest gig I’ve been to at Nottingham’s most famous venue but it certainly had one of the best atmospheres as well as a sense of intimacy to it that made it feel all the more special. Add to the fact that I was given the chance to meet and interview one of the bands I grew up loving as a child and this was a definite gig that will live on in my memory.

Review by Geri Patterson

Photo’s by White Rabbit Photography

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