Was the 1970s the best decade in rock history? I would argue that it was. But I’m biased as I was a teenager then, growing up with the sounds of Zeppelin, Purple and the rest all around me. If you grew up in another decade, you might have your own bias. But there seems to be a growing number of young rockers out there who are taking their inspiration from rock’s formative years rather than their own and channelling their inner ’70s rocker. DeWolff and Silveroller are two prime examples.
DeWolff – Silveroller
The Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh – 14 March 24
Words: Ian Sutherland
Photography: Colin Campbell
DeWolff
DeWolff from Geleen in the Netherlands still seem to qualify for the young rockers category despite having ten albums under their belt already. They’ve been busy boys in the time they’ve been together with over a thousand shows to their name so it’s a relaxed, confident trio that takes the stage in front of a packed venue.
With Pablo van de Poel on guitar and vocals, his brother Luka on drums and vocals and Robin Piso on the unique sound of the Hammond organ and backing vocals they have a very full on vibe for a three piece.
It took me a while to realise that the bassy edge of the sound was coming from Piso’s left hand. He’s somehow providing the bass lines at the same time as providing wild keyboard flourishes with his other hand, which is very impressive stuff.
That’s not all that is impressive about them. Pablo, up front, is full of chat from the start and it doesn’t take him long to get the crowd singing along to Heart Stopping Kind Of Show.
They’ve fully embraced the live performance done ’70s style so the songs change and develop and have different feels. But there can be long drawn out guitar moments that remind the more experienced among us of Ten Years After. Other times there are soulful touches and there’s even a Santana riff thrown in at one point for good measure.
The references and influences are all there to be discovered, but what makes the evening work is some strong songwriting, coupled with out-of-this-world musicianship and bags of personality. There’s never a dull moment, and the garrulous frontman even gets away with joking at our expense. I was feeling old until I looked out at you all, indeed!
The set seemed a little short until the encore of Rosita stretched out for twenty minutes plus. It was full of twists and turns, superb harmonies, and repeated crowd walkabouts from their hyperactive vocalist and guitarist.
This is a superb set of rock of the really classic kind from a band who, judging by the reaction to this tour, are on the up and up.
Catch them before they hit the big halls.
Silveroller
English five piece Silveroller start off proceedings and despite it being a tight squeeze on the stage to fit all of them and all their hair onto the stage they manage to put in an energetic performance.
You get the feeling that singer Jonnie Hodson may have watched a video or two of Rod Stewart in his Faces days, but he has his own swagger and cheeky way of interacting with the audience.
He is obviously having a ball up there and the rest of the band seem to feel the same way. There’s lots of smiles and laughs through the set and Ross Munro plays the organ standing up with hair flying around as often as from a sedentary position.
They work their way through most of the songs from their debut EP, At Dawn. The songs are soulful and bluesy at times and have that ’70-style groove yet somehow maintain a contemporary vibe, maybe in the way The Black Crowes do without really sounding much like that band at all.
Tonight’s set was limited to thirty minutes, and judging by the reaction around me and the busy merch table afterwards, that wasn’t long enough at all.
Longer sets and bigger stages await these guys.
