The fans may want a full scale Skid Row reunion but when it comes to the crunch they will settle for the singer who despite now being in his mid forties, is still as youthful and wild as ever before. Sebastian Bach drove the ladies wild in the nineties with his androgynous looks and bad boy image and many of those girls are still sexily dressed tonight, hoping to catch the eye of the wild one.

Support was originally due to come from Stormzone but after some dummy throwing antics, were thrown off the bill to be replaced at the last minute from upcoming rockers The Howling. Not that I cared one iota, as I was in the Nags Head pub around the corner getting lubricated and ready for someone that defines the art of being a Heavy Metal singer.

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As the band geared up and the chords for the intro to 'Slave To The Grind' were heard, out from the wings Sebastian Bach exploded onto the stage like a bucking bronco with his long mane swirling around and as he grabbed the microphone the wild stallion headbanged the mic stand smack on the forehead. Not that it mattered to the crazy horse too much as he carried on regardless looking at his band mates for clarification of any blood before he gets a towel from the roadies to clear up the splatter of blood.



The voice was a little hoarser than usual but Bach's energy levels were running on a high as ever before. The set was built around Skid Row classics and tracks from his latest solo album, 'Kicking And Screaming'.

When Sebastian Bach is not singing, he likes to talk. He cheekily invites Axl Rose onto the stage only to jokingly tell us he is not really here. "If Axl was joining me on stage, he wouldn't be here on time."

Bach also tells us of his love of England: "I want fish and chips with vinegar or bangers and mash with HP Sauce." And when one punter comments about his nationality, "Don't hate me for being Canadian, we're part of the Commonwealth. We've got the Queen on our Dollar bills."

As much as the audience loves Bach and his antics, he can still rub some folk up the wrong way. Normally men who are a little jealous of our Metal hero with one guy near me walking out after shouting "Fuck you Sebastian" with his middle digit finger raised to the air, not that anyone was taking any notice.



'18 & Life' and the ballad 'I Remember You' ensure mass sing alongs and after a riveting 'Tunnelvision' Bach refuses to leave the stage and plays the encore straight away and dedicates the next song to his young fine guitarist Nick Sterling, who at 21 years of age lived up to his name by giving a sterling performance. As Bach said: "It's good to have someone on stage who is still in his youth", before a blistering and fist raising 'Youth Gone Wild'.

Love him or loath him Sebastian Bach still gives 100% and that tattoo on his right arm wasn't such a bad idea after all. He still lives and breaths rock n' roll.





Set list:

Slave To The Grind
Kicking And Screaming
Dirty Power
Here I Am
Big Guns
(Love Is) A Bitch Slap
Stuck Inside
Piece Of Me
18 & Life
American Metalhead
As Long As I Got The Music
Monkey Buisness
My Own Worst Enemy
I'm Alive
I Remember You
Tunnelvision
Youth Gone Wild

Click here for Mark's video interview with Sebastian Bach

30.7.12