Y&T melt Belfast

If you're going to kick off a European tour, there are only two ways to do it - in Belfast and in style.
And Y&T did exactly that, when they delivered a set that really could reduce this review to two simple words: fucking awesome! Or, outstanding as my mate Wez constantlt repeated throughout the night.
All too often, Belfast audiences are cheated by visiting legends: but, it's only been a little over 12 months since Y&T graced the stage of the Spring And Airbrake, and so they knew what to expect from the crowd - and exactly what that crowd expected from them in return. And they didn't disappointed, more than sating that expectation with two and a half hours of some of the best rawk n roll you're likely to hear, well, this side of San Francisco.
It didn't get off to the best of starts, mind you. As the booming intro tape of 'Prelude' died, Dave Meniketti stood mid-stage with nothing happening: his guitar wasn't plugged in. As his faithful tech rushed to remedy the situation, the affable Californian merely looked the audience square in the face and muttered, "O fuck!", before belatedly ripping into opener proper "On With The Show". Just as the band hit their stride with a magnificent "Mean Streak", sound problems resurfaced: this time it was guitarist John Nymann who was the victim, leaving Meniketti to save the day with an impromptu solo rendition of "Hang 'Em High".
But, you don't stay in the dirty old business that is rock n roll by not being on top of your game at all times, and the band quickly overcame this latest difficulty and (despite continuing wails of feedback for the next 40 minutes or so) delivered one of the most kick ass sets this town has ever seen.
Early highlights came in the form of "I'm Coming Home" and an awesome "I Believe In You", at the end of which I swear Meniketti was close to tears at the reaction, before blistering versions of "Black Tiger" and "Bar Room Boogie". Highlight of the new material from the excellent "Facemelter" album had to be the rocking "Blind Patriot", while "Dirty Girl" had the whole place singing and dancing on their seats.
Two hours in (well, Meniketti had promised us at least that), the MTV-generation hit "Summertime Girls" kept up the momentum, before the fantastic "Forever" finished proceedings on a high - and, we could have gone on forever. Of course, the band weren't going to get away that easy and were soon back: "OK, that's the first half of the show over, we've another 24 songs to do," joked Meniketti, But, I didn't hear anyone complaining, as blistering versions of "Midnight In Tokyo", "Open Fire" and "Rescue Me" finally brought the curtain down on a set that I timed at exactly two hours and 31 minutes.
With the only down side being the absence of Phil Kennemore, Y&T nevertheless proved that, more than 30 years into their career, they still can deliver the goods, first class, special delivery. God help the good people of Petaluma, wherever the fuck that is, when the tour finishes there in a few weeks' time.

Yesterday... Today... Tomorrow

Yesterday... Today... Tomorrow

Tomorrow evening, one of the true standard bearers for classy hard rock return to Belfast – and it’s going to be a facemelting experience.
I am of course referring to Y&T. Although the band will be without founding member Phil Kennemore (currently battling cancer), the San Francisco no doubt will rip another hole in the roof of the Spring And Airbrake when they hit the stage around about 9.30 or so. And, I’ve just one question: are you ready to rawk?
Y&T can truly be called originators of a genre: tracing their roots back to 1974, they slogged their guts out for eight years, crafting their sound and paving the way for the likes of Ratt, Motley Crue, Dokken, Great White and a whole raft of other ‘big hair big attitude’ bands who, like it or not, can pay more than lip service to the influence of Dave Meniketti and company.
Originally called Yesterday and Today, the band released two albums on London Records before, at the dawn of the down and dirty eighties making probably the best two decisions of their lives – switching to the then shit hot A&M roster and shortening their name! The result: one muthafucka of an album that brought them onto my radar – and that of millions of rockers around the world: 1982’s frankly awesome ‘Black Tiger’.
It’s hard to believe that was 28 years ago. But, almost three decades later, it sounds as fresh and as exciting as when I first slipped it from it’s sleeve and tentatively placed my old Binatone deck’s needle into it’s groove: slipping through the instrumental preview of ‘From The Moon’, the salvo that is ‘Open Fire’ still raises (now greying) hairs on the back of my neck.
OK, if you’re ready this, you’re more than likely a Y&T fan, so I’m not going to bore with you all the details of what has happened since... needless to say, ‘Black Tiger’ and the follow-up ‘Mean Streak’ remain two of my favourite albums, regularly finding their way onto my now vintage Sansui turntable (fuck, it might be 20 years old itself but it gives off one helluva sound), and a Y&T track essentially playing at any Paradise City night.
Having returned to glorious studio form earlier this year with ‘Facemelter’ – their first album in 13 years – Y&T continue to prove that, without them, the hard rock genre as we know it today probably would be a very different prospect indeed.
Going back to 1982, Dave Meniketti opened ‘My Way Or The Highway’ with “I’ll tell you what I want girl... I want respect... and I’m going to get it”. One thing’s for sure: he sure as hell has got the respect he and his comrades in arms are due. See you all tomorrow night \m/

Once again, a list of the forthcoming rock and metal gigs that the PC crew know about. Once again, the list is restricted to gig taking place in Belfast...

Friday 3 September
Tied To Machines + Are We Supposed To Look This Good + Sons Of Encouragement + I Saved A Saviour + Torn Into Fire: The Front Page (8.30pm)

Saturday 4 September:
Electric Red (album launch) + For Christ Sake + Death of a Salesman: The Limelight (5pm)
Prozest Vito (album launch): Front Page (8.30pm)
Strictly No Ballroom: The Empire (9pm)

Saturday 11 September
For Ruin, devilmakesthree, Atheos, Corr Mhona: The Limelight (5pm)
Rockaholics: The Empire (9pm)
Thursday 16 September
Delirium Tremens + Common Bred Trigger + The Glory Holes + Like A Ninja: The Pavilion (9pm)

Saturday 18 September
Any Means + Gacys Threads + Interrogate + Exit Wound: The Limelight (5pm)

Saturday 25 September
Lesshelp + Mental Deficiency + William Christ & The One Man Orgy + I’ll Eat Your Face: The Limelight (5pm)
Black Freeway + Inch High + Paradise City (Macmillan Cancer fundraiser): The Pavilion (8pm).

Sunday 26 September
Elliott Minor + TBA: The Limelight (6.30pm)

Monday 27 September
Y&T + Support: Spring And Airbrake (8pm)

Thursday 30 September
Reckless Love + Jett Black + Rebels By Nature: Auntie Annie’s (8pm)

Saturday 2 OctoberGeneral Fiasco+ Support: Mandela Hall (6.30pm)
Ricky Warwick (Acoustic Show): Spring And Airbrake (7pm)

Sunday 3 October
My Passion + Dead By April: Auntie Annie’s (All Ages Show) (3pm)
Mudhoney + Unnatural Helpers: The Limelight (8pm)
A Storm Of Light + Stand Up Guy + Slomatics: Spring And Airbrake (8pm)

Tuesday 5 October
Trucker Diablo + Exit + Bandwagon + R51: Auntie Annie’s (8pm)

Thursday 7 October
Gacys Threads + Beyond Perception + By Any Means + Hunt The Fallen: Lavery’s Bunker (8pm)
Escape Fails + Alaskan Death Jacket: The Pavilion (9pm)

Saturday 9 October
Glenn Hughes + Scott McKeon: Spring And Airbrake (7pm)

Tuesday 12 October
Porcupine Tree: Mandela Hall (8pm)

Friday 15 October
Therapy? + LaFaro + Axis Of: Mandela Hall (8pm)
Desaster + Altus Astrum + Decayor + Sorcery: Spring And Airbrake (9pm)

Monday 18 October
Ozric Tentacles: Spring And Airbrake (8pm)

Saturday 23 October
Bowling For Soup + Forever The Sickest Kids + A + The Dollyrots: Spring And Airbrake (6.30pm)

Tuesday 2 November
Robert Plant and The Band Of Joy: Belfast Waterfront (8pm)

Thursday 4 November
Cancer Bats + Trash Talk: The Limelight (9pm)

Sunday 7 November
Paul Gilbert: Spring And Airbrake (7.30pm)
White Wizzard + Primitai: Auntie Annie’s (8pm)

Sunday 14 November
Fozzy + Support: Spring And Airbrake (9pm)

Saturday 20 November
Diamond Head + Howlin’ Widow + Two Tales Of Woe: Spring And Airbrake (7pm)

Sunday 21 November
Young Guns: Queen’s Speakeasy (3pm)
Gogol Bordello: Mandela Hall (7pm)
Exodus + Man Must Die: Spring And Airbrake (8pm)

Monday 22 November
The Gaslight Anthem: Ulster Hall (8pm)

Friday 26 November
Volbeat + Black Spiders: Spring And Airbrake (9pm)

Sunday 28 November
W.A.S.P – Mandela Hall

Friday 3 December
Dannie Vaughn + Support (TBC): The Rosetta (8pm)
Municipal Waste + Saviours + Ramming Speed: Spring And Airbrake (9pm)

Sunday 5 December
Airbourne: Ulster Hall (8pm)

Thursday 9 December
Pat McManus Band + Last Known Addiction + Paradise City: The Pavilion (9pm)

Sunday 12 December
The Sword + Support: Stiff Kitten (9pm)

Tuesday 14 December
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club + Support: Mandela Hall (8pm)

Saturday 18 December
You Me At Six + Support: Ulster Hall (8pm)