Artist: Those Damn Crows
Venue: Wolverhampton, Wulfrun Hall
Date: 13 October 2023
If the performances I have seen in 2023 are anything to go by, then arena sized venues beckon for Those Damn Crows. Phenomenal.
Before the beginning of 2023 I had never been to a gig in Wolverhampton. This has been completely remedied now, as I have visited four times in just ten months. On this night it was also my first visit to the Wulfrun Hall venue, to see Those Damn Crows for the third time in just three months, still promoting their fantastic ‘Inhale/Exhale’ album.
By the time I took my place in the photo pit the room was packed. If it was not a sell-out then it must have been really close. When the lights went down, the band took to the stage like returning heroes. They launched straight into ‘Who Did It’ and the energy levels never let up for the next eighty minutes. Spending most of the year on the road has resulted in a well-oiled live machine and Shane Greenhall (vocals), Ronnie Huxford (drums), Ian “Shiner” Thomas (guitar), Lloyd Wood (bass) and David Winchurch (guitar) were tighter than the sardine like audience. ‘Man On Fire’ and ‘Send The Reaper’ followed in quick succession before Shane took a quick opportunity to welcome everyone to the show.
The TDC profile has really hit a high since the new album was released during the first quarter of the year, with venues and attendances getting bigger as the tours have progressed. The band’s musical style is gimmick free, straight ahead Rock, with a bunch of songs that have mass appeal. Even though there was a slight change in the TDC sound on ‘Inhale/Exhale’, newer songs, such as ‘Takedown’, ‘Find A Way’, ‘Wake Up’ and ‘Lay It All On Me’ sat nicely next more established favourites like ‘Blink Of An Eye’, ‘Go Get It’ and ‘Sin On Skin’. In fact, ‘Fill The Void’ was the only song from ‘Inhale/Exhale’ not to feature. Shane covered as much of the stage as possible and when there was no more stage left to conquer, he took to the balcony at the rear of the room, never missing a note throughout. Crowd favourite ‘Rock n Roll Ain’t Dead’ managed to raise the temperature levels even further and even the poignant ‘This Time I’m Ready’ had energy to burn.
Live music is my thing. It has so much more heart than studio output. When the stars align and the (already great) songs are complimented by a fantastic sound and an all-encompassing vibe, it is a thing of unparalleled beauty. On a Friday night in Wolverhampton, the stars had no choice but to line up and bow in appreciation. If the performances I have seen in 2023 are anything to go by, then arena sized venues beckon for Those Damn Crows. Phenomenal.
Reviews & Photos: Dave Bott
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