There were support bands - The Standard played, good, solid, straight-down-the-line indie while Peg & The Bouffants played another addictive set that ahd the audience on its feet, and which you can read all about in many of my 2008 reviews of the band - more will come, undoubtedly.
But tonight, for me, was all about The Daze. Billed as their "comeback gig", this was the first outing from the new band with Rise guitarist Alan Turner taking up the role of bassist and backing vocals, so it was with great anticipation that I awaited the arrival of the band onstage. Right from the start, you knew things were going to be different as the band began with what used to be the infinite stretch of the epic set closer "New Day Dawning". I would never have guessed that this could work so well as an opener, giving a glimpse into what the band are all about as the song climbs and drops between verses and chorus, slow to mid-paced but solid as a rock, the twi guitars chiming away, the lead guitar rising on top, while the rhythm section drive ahead as Robbie's vocal sound even more impassioned than before, and you realise what a tremendous song it is. The outro guitar-driven finale is now a lot shorter but less dense and, sensibly, more striking as Scott adopts a much sharper tone to the guitar lead as it stands tall above the riffing, soloing to perfection but only for a few minutes before the song ends, shorter, sharper and to the point. Forgive me if I get this wrong, but I think they then went into the solid rocking surge of "Young, Free And Easy" that showed the band had lost none of their fire, and while the song struck home, with its swaying chorus and surging verses, Robbie's vocal, clearly heard, seemed a bit "unsteady", but, as you'll see further on, I think he waas just finding his "match fitness" at this point. Then came a new song called, I think, "No-One Knows", which featured the first of a few dual vocal collaborations as Alan joined in on harmonies and added what was a truly stunning new element to the song, complementing and addiong to the strength and depth of Robbie's vocal to perfection as the song itself just soared, in a sort of optimistic mix of joyous, broooding and intense, again the band playing a blinder as the guitars rang out and the new rhythm section seemed totally at ease with the playing, stronger than ever. A selection of "oldies" as the band described them, gave us sparkling renditions of "Come Undone" and "She Was" that had lost none of their commercial appeal but which didn't seem quite to have the same spark of excitement that I'd remembered, great songs but maybe performed a bit tentatively this time, although they possessed the necesary swing to still come across as anthems by anyone's standards, stil catchy, still with the guitar riffs and hooks driving them home and still with that yearning vocal performance leading the way.
So, we came to the last three songs. Now THIS was what clinched it!!
First up, there was a new track - I did catch the title but I've forgotten it (I think it's on myspace but I want to get this review done from my memory of the gig before I hear anything there). Now this track just sprang into life a the band showed that, not only are they still able to come up with a sure-fire winner of a commercial yet long-lasting pleasure of an aindie anthem, but that the song itself was played absolutely flawlessly, with the band on fire as the addictive verses and hooks were delivered by Robbie's finest vocal so far, with Alan on harmonies, on a song that reminded me of something off Alan's recent solo CD-EP, and the two of them showed here just how crucial an addition his joining the ranks, is going to become. The band shone and you were left thinking that this surely has to be a single, eclipsing even the older anthems of before. But then the band announce that the next track is to be the single - and, as the guitars-driven hook rings out, you realise you've forgotten all about "All The Same". But, by now, the band are cooking and they proceed to deliver one of, if not THE, finest version of the track I've heard to date. With its irresistible rhythms, it's guitar hooks, its insanely catchy verses and chorus, the band reached stellar heights on a song that had the entire place jumping and then eclipsed even the greatness of the new song that had just preceded it. The electric moment was jaw-dropping as the hairs stood up on the back of your neck at the sheer brilliance that this song had become on this night. Single - and then some!! A sure fire hit!!
So, to the final track - the band announced it's a new one, called "Music Is My Maker" - and so the journey began. As it turned out the group had composed another epic track with which to close the sets. But this was wholly different from the previous mantras that "New Day" had become. The song itself for a start is more muscular, with Robbie's strong vocal really flowing as the tightness of the rhythm section steered the guitar into sparkling avenues of power and chiming glory. But, a the song finished, the band embarked on the extended instrumental finale, and here was where you noticed another major change. First off the new rhythm section really flexed its muscles as you heard the solid bass and crunching drums really coming to the fore, the drumming to date solid and dependendent, but now seriously catching fire as the two of them let loose. Over this the rhythm guitar riffed while Scott's lead guitar was a genuine lead guitar rather than an fx-laden wall of sound, and this guitar break was breathtaking as the band powered along in a blaze of muscular riffing, red hot rhythmic strength and nuclear lead guitar. In short, they got it absolutely spot on, a final epic that, by virtue of its songwriting directness, purposeful arrangement and spot-on tightness of playing, had the whole crowd going with it, as opposed to before when "New Day" split its lovers and haters right down the middle.
Thus ended the comeback gig - overall, an unqualified success and, considering everything, a polished and accomplished performance. This is a band that truly mean business, who are creative as they are commercial, as adventurous as they are addictive and who can take your heart and fill your head with equal amounts of passion, power and perfection. Phase two of The Daze "world takeover" starts here......