Time To Be Proud Xmas Party @ Black Box, Belfast, 10/12/2011 featuring - Brian Young/ SSSA / The Dollybyrds
(review & photos copyright Joe Donnelly 2011)
Only finished work an hour and a half before kick off time and I'd had the shittiest day ever , but this was one of those special shows you just couldn't miss no matter what , an extremely rare "Brian Young" ( Rudi / Sabrejets etc etc ) solo unplugged gig doesn't happen very often.
Tonights show was a bit of an unexpected curve ball ,as the last time he did a lone acoustic gig was (I think) sometime back in the early 1990s. But thanks to a bit of friendly persuasion from local record label boss , promoter and musician "William Maxwell" it actually happened.
It certainly was a much different laid back experience compared to what we're used to from Youngsy, but it was a hell of a lot of fun.
I've always liked the 'Dollybyrds ',they're an excellent band with an attitude about them ,they have a sharp setlist packed with great original songs like "Welcome to the scrapheap",and the recent 45 tunes "Number 21 & Broken Doll" amongst many others.
Its been a while since I last saw " The Dollybyrds" live , and tonight it seemed that they had overhauled their sound since our last encounter. To me there was a bit less of their abrassive " Clash" influence and more of an americanised punk vibe about them now. In my world thats no bad thing , and I really enjoyed their performance.
I saw SSSA play a short live set in this very venue only a fortnight ago , and I said at the time that it was clear to see that the band were now starting to gell and growing in confidence . Tonight they proved to me that my observation was correct.
From the opening number which happened to be their self penned theme tune " Stop Stop Start Again' they never let go and were tighter than ever , I've seen them play live numerous times but this was probably the best performance I've seen by the band up to now.
Its about time "SSSA" had at least an ep released of those excellent risque original tunes.
BrianYoung is a local hero in these parts ,having been around the local music scene since 1977 with the legendary Belfast punk band "Rudi" , and if anyone has a back catalogue that is worth revisiting then without a doubt its him.
And revisit those classic tunes he certainly did here tonight , much to the delight of everyone gatherd in the Black Box.
Add to that a slightly worse for wear female stage invader and "Paul Rowan" acting as impromptu venue security while flexing those big guns (lol) and you had all the makings of a very memorable night out.
There was no leaks or clues as to what Youngsy was planning to play and we all made our requests directly to him, but as they say in the showbiz world "wing it and It'll be alright on the night",and even though the setlist wasn't kind of sorted until the day of the gig everything worked out just fine even though he was still chopping and changing the final selections as he went along.
Brian looked very nervous at first but once the guitar was on it wasn't long until he was in his comfort zone and strutting his stuff while kicking up an acoustic storm .
There was vintage "Rudi" & "Tigersharks" tunes mixed with modern day "Sabrejets" songs including one number that is so up to date it hasn't even been recorded yet and a bit of "TRex / The Clash / The Bobby Fuller Four / Hank Mizell" thrown in for good measure and all performed in a rockin style.
Add to that a christmassy bit of Mud via The Yobs /Keith Richard / Chuck Berry and you had a time travelling eclectic but very enjoyable set , check below for the whole fantastic list of choons.
We were expecting something really special and we got it alright ,anyone who wasn't here can only pray that he doesn't leave it for another 20 odd years before thinking about doing it all over again .
A retrospective cd with all the songs you love done once again in an acoustic rockin style is planned for sometime in 2012, and I'm really looking forward to hearing it!.
Merry Christmas everybody!
Joe Donnelly Belfast 11.12.11.
Check this Setlist out.
Red Neck Blues
Number One
I love to boogie
Overcome by fumes
Time to be Proud
In & out of love
Frozen by your touch (*Brilliant Rudi song and one of my setlist requests*)
Run Baby Run
Crimson
Don't turn your back on love ( New! )
I fought the law
Big Time
Faded Photo
Sometimes
Devil Drives
Too fast to live / Too young to die
Lonely this Christmas / Run Rudolph Run
Jungle Rock
Only finished work an hour and a half before kick off time and I'd had the shittiest day ever , but this was one of those special shows you just couldn't miss no matter what , an extremely rare "Brian Young" ( Rudi / Sabrejets etc etc ) solo unplugged gig doesn't happen very often.
Tonights show was a bit of an unexpected curve ball ,as the last time he did a lone acoustic gig was (I think) sometime back in the early 1990s. But thanks to a bit of friendly persuasion from local record label boss , promoter and musician "William Maxwell" it actually happened.
It certainly was a much different laid back experience compared to what we're used to from Youngsy, but it was a hell of a lot of fun.
I've always liked the 'Dollybyrds ',they're an excellent band with an attitude about them ,they have a sharp setlist packed with great original songs like "Welcome to the scrapheap",and the recent 45 tunes "Number 21 & Broken Doll" amongst many others.
Its been a while since I last saw " The Dollybyrds" live , and tonight it seemed that they had overhauled their sound since our last encounter. To me there was a bit less of their abrassive " Clash" influence and more of an americanised punk vibe about them now. In my world thats no bad thing , and I really enjoyed their performance.
I saw SSSA play a short live set in this very venue only a fortnight ago , and I said at the time that it was clear to see that the band were now starting to gell and growing in confidence . Tonight they proved to me that my observation was correct.
From the opening number which happened to be their self penned theme tune " Stop Stop Start Again' they never let go and were tighter than ever , I've seen them play live numerous times but this was probably the best performance I've seen by the band up to now.
Its about time "SSSA" had at least an ep released of those excellent risque original tunes.
BrianYoung is a local hero in these parts ,having been around the local music scene since 1977 with the legendary Belfast punk band "Rudi" , and if anyone has a back catalogue that is worth revisiting then without a doubt its him.
And revisit those classic tunes he certainly did here tonight , much to the delight of everyone gatherd in the Black Box.
Add to that a slightly worse for wear female stage invader and "Paul Rowan" acting as impromptu venue security while flexing those big guns (lol) and you had all the makings of a very memorable night out.
There was no leaks or clues as to what Youngsy was planning to play and we all made our requests directly to him, but as they say in the showbiz world "wing it and It'll be alright on the night",and even though the setlist wasn't kind of sorted until the day of the gig everything worked out just fine even though he was still chopping and changing the final selections as he went along.
Brian looked very nervous at first but once the guitar was on it wasn't long until he was in his comfort zone and strutting his stuff while kicking up an acoustic storm .
There was vintage "Rudi" & "Tigersharks" tunes mixed with modern day "Sabrejets" songs including one number that is so up to date it hasn't even been recorded yet and a bit of "TRex / The Clash / The Bobby Fuller Four / Hank Mizell" thrown in for good measure and all performed in a rockin style.
Add to that a christmassy bit of Mud via The Yobs /Keith Richard / Chuck Berry and you had a time travelling eclectic but very enjoyable set , check below for the whole fantastic list of choons.
We were expecting something really special and we got it alright ,anyone who wasn't here can only pray that he doesn't leave it for another 20 odd years before thinking about doing it all over again .
A retrospective cd with all the songs you love done once again in an acoustic rockin style is planned for sometime in 2012, and I'm really looking forward to hearing it!.
Merry Christmas everybody!
Joe Donnelly Belfast 11.12.11.
Check this Setlist out.
Red Neck Blues
Number One
I love to boogie
Overcome by fumes
Time to be Proud
In & out of love
Frozen by your touch (*Brilliant Rudi song and one of my setlist requests*)
Run Baby Run
Crimson
Don't turn your back on love ( New! )
I fought the law
Big Time
Faded Photo
Sometimes
Devil Drives
Too fast to live / Too young to die
Lonely this Christmas / Run Rudolph Run
Jungle Rock