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.