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Every time a band announces a tour the internet socials are awash with “Why not my town?”, “Nothing near me” and “That’s hardly a UK tour if you don’t play…”. Bands can’t play everywhere, the maths simply don’t add up, so when one of my favourite bands announced a tour that kept them even further away from Devon than most, there was nothing for it but a road trip to the famous KK’s Steelmill up in Wolverhampton.
The journey was a random one, Devon to the West Midlands via Wales due to a closed motorway, stopping for lunch at a new services to find the “cafe” was a table next to the oil display, and finally finding our hotel in the middle of a housing estate complete with a spa that had a lukewarm tub and no towels!
After a walk down a street that seemed to consist of nothing but sweet shops and finding what appeared to be Wolverhampton’s one pub selling food we weren’t entirely sure what to expect from our first visit to KK’s but WOW, what a venue. Great drinks and prices, a huge stage, great sound and lighting, and little reminders of the owner’s past everywhere.
Just a two-band bill tonight with the job of warming up the full crowd going to Dea Matrona from Belfast.
Performing as a four-piece with the addition of drums (Ross) and guitar (Declan) to supplement their usual pairing, Mollie McGinn and Orlaith Forsyth laid down a lush and classy, Fleetwood Mac-like sound. The two swap between guitar and bass and complement each other with gorgeous harmonies. Perhaps an odd choice as support to a high-energy band such as Royal Republic but their cover of Peter Green’s “Oh Well” certainly woke a few people up and added to the class of their own material such as “Stuck on You” and “So Damn Dangerous”. For me, set closer “Red Button” saved the best for last, and as they left the stage to a well-deserved reaction they should consider their job well and truly achieved!
When a band takes to the stage in matching outfits of black, motorcycle jackets with pearl epaulettes, a keytar, and a light-up shark fin guitar you know that they are something a bit different. Eclectic is definitely the term!
Kicking off with “My House” from the New album “Love Cop”, Adam, Hannes, Jonas, and Per hit the stage like a hurricane. Adam Grahn is one of the best frontmen around. Physically commanding the stage and with a powerful voice allied with serious guitar skills. Beside him Hannes is never still as he layers on more guitars, Jonas throws his keytar around like the best guitar god and behind them Per somehow looks both relaxed and a blur of sticks at the same time.
It is impossible to describe Royal Republic. You simply have to hear them. Better yet, see them! “Love Cop” takes disco and makes it heavy. “Getting Along”, for me not one of the strongest tracks on 2016’s studio album “Weekend Man” works so much better live but it is “Baby” that, now in the crowd and able to just enjoy the gig, really kicks the night into orbit and I can’t help but join in with “Cheese Nachos Baby!”. “Boots” is followed by the sheer craziness of “Stop Movin’” with the delightfully fun synchronised walk across the stage and the return of the keytar.
I have a little smile whenever I hear “Anna Leigh” played live as it took me FAR too long to realise what the song was about and following it with “Back from the Dead” with no time to rest kept energy levels through the roof. “Freakshow” is one of the strongest songs on “Love Cop” for me and Grahn introduces it as the song to finally get that “Parental Advisory” sticker on the product in record shops.
If you really want the essence of “Royal Republic” it comes around now. “Full Steam Space Machine” is off the scale, then, to play with those energy levels, the band leaves their instruments and comes to the front for an acoustic interlude of superb close harmonies and even a kazoo solo (or duet to be exact). No “Addicted” tonight, but instead we get “Wow Wow Wow” and then “Boomerang” which works brilliantly performed this way. “Electra” from the new album ends with Adam climbing into the crowd to encourage a volunteer to add “more cowbell” (which she keeps afterward btw) for “Ain’t Got Time”.
The set has flown by but just in case anyone has energy left the pairing of “Fireman and Dancer” and golden oldie “Tommy Gun” become musical vampires that feed off the crowd and keeps them moving, bouncing, and singing.
Of course, we get an encore. Actually we get three!
First up is “Lazerlove”, followed by the traditional and irreplaceable Metallica cover of “Battery”. Finally, to ensure nobody leaves with an ounce of unspent energy, the final song is “RATA-TATA”.
The reaction is genuine on both sides of the barrier as the band seems reluctant to leave, first handing out drumsticks, pics, and setlists to as many as possible and then sticking around and just having fun with each other and the crowd.
I have said before I have no idea how to describe Royal Republic to anyone that I tell about their music. They are chameleons of the music scene. Each album generates a new look and a change of sound. Sometimes at first listen that can prove challenging. Then on a second listen it grows and grows until somehow you have earworms galore. Then they take to the stage and they all sound different again, sometimes WAY heavier and sometimes stripped back to an acoustic base.
All I know is once again I came away with a massive smile and simply wanted to know when they may be playing somewhere, anywhere, within travelling distance of my home in the SW!
Review and photos – Rob Wilkins/Celtography
Connect with Royal Republic, HERE
Connect with Dea Matrona, HERE
