To quote Eddie Van Halen: “Mitch is a shining light in a very dark world! He is an amazing singer, a great songwriter and a fine guitar player.” Could Mitch Malloy live up to such an accolade? A select Boardwalk audience would pass judgement, as Mitch, accompanied only by his acoustic guitar, launched straight into the proceedings of the fourth date of this 12 stop 2004 European Acoustic Tour with ‘You Lift Me’, a powerful, feel good melodic rock track from his ‘Shine’ album. Continuing with ‘Forever’ Mitch then went back to ’91 to reserve a special mention for Bonnie Raitt, slowing the tempo with ‘I Can’t Make You Love Me’. Fittingly, The Boardwalk was then decked with ‘Ceilings And Walls’ as Mitch’s Nashville connections shone through, before bringing us right up to date with ‘I’m On Your Radio’.

     Self- titled ‘Mitch Malloy’ and ‘Shine’ albums dominated from here on in, as we were taken down ‘Another Road’, a modern rock track about what’s in your heart. Naturally, vociferous requests from a small group of aging rockers followed, and Mitch duly obliged with ‘Stranded In The Middle Of Nowhere’, which proved extremely popular with the crowd, leaving them between pure rock and a dark place. The Boardwalk rocked, ‘creaked’ ‘n’ rolled as Mitch polished off his virtuoso performance with ‘It’s About Love’, ‘Love Made A Liar Out Of Me’, and ‘Nobody Wins In This War’.

     The lights dimmed, applause resounded, and when Mitch returned to ‘draw the line’, the audience were spellbound by a sublime rendition of Journey’s ‘Open Arms’. Mitch was, without doubt, in excellent voice. And, to put your mind at ease, the night would not be complete without ‘Anything At All’, which Mitch fittingly performed as the final song.

     But had one of America’s finest rock voices lived up to Eddie’s claim? You’d bet 'anything at all'.

 Kim Davies - Friday 24th September 2004      

                BACK TO REVIEWS   PHOTOS OF THIS GIG BACK TO MAIN