Cast your mind back. It’s 1992, and America’s award winning best new Hard Rock/Metal band, Firehouse, triumphantly open for the mighty Status Quo’s UK tour in Sheffield. Twelve years on, after performing some of the most memorable hair rock tunes the melodic hard rock world has witnessed, Kieran Dargan, put his money where his mouth is, and brought his favourite band, Firehouse, back to the UK, supported by Vaughn, (currently reforming Tyketto), Pride and Deadline. He had no idea if the crowds would come, like Wayne in Wayne’s World II, but book the bands he did and the crowds they came.
Pride opened, followed by local band Deadline; both provided fitting entertainment before Vaughn, inspired by Danny Vaughn, took to the stage. With irrepressible enthusiasm he blew the audience away with a passionate performance, proving that he could still attract the fans, “standing alone”, without Tyketto. Opening with ‘Fearless’, he captured the partisan Firehouse crowd up into the palm of his hands.
Vaughn didn’t pull any punches with tracks including ‘Wings’, ‘Haunted’, ‘Was There A Moment’, and ‘Lay Your Body Down’. With an encore of the classic ‘Forever Young’, Vaughn had well and truly thrown down the gauntlet. Could Firehouse rise to the challenge?
The lights dimmed and the prelude for “Rock On The Radio” commenced. Firehouse casually walked on stage, and without introduction, set the stage alight, bursting into ‘Rock On The Radio’ from their self-titled album, an outstanding track that instantly engulfed the crowd. Without pausing they hurtled into the classic, ‘All She Wrote’. This track showcased what Firehouse do best, good time rockin’ tunes with great melodies. No angst, no aggression, no real message forced upon anyone. The band, were here to give the audience a great evening of music. Baggy trousers and hoodies not needed!
Did Firehouse deliver? You bet they did, in style, and then some, with killer tunes: ‘Shake & Tumble’, ‘Overnight Sensation’, ‘Reach For The Sky’ and ‘When I Look Into Your Eyes’. Firehouse also showcased tracks from their current album “Prime Time” and drummer Michael Foster took the limelight during ‘Door To Door’.
As CJ Snare took to the keyboards and began to caress the first notes to ‘Love Of A Lifetime’, the crowds’ arms instinctively rose in unison, and lighters aloft, gently swayed from side to side. This Rock ‘N’ Roll fuelled roller coaster paused momentarily, giving CJ an opportunity to display a tear-jerking rendition of this classic ballad.
Firehouse’s incendiary performance was completed by, ‘Don’t Treat Me Bad’, which razed the Corporation to the ground and kept the audience glowing like embers way into the dead of the winter’s night.
Kim Davies - 16th March 2004