It’s been twenty-nine years since Lillian Axe headlined a tour the UK (ten years since they played here in any form) and bringing with them Riot Act and Kaine makes this a great package for all those hard rock/metal lovers. The first night of the tour sees them in Bilston at The Robin.
The line-up may be different from when they started, but Kaine are as tight as they ever were. Revitalised after coming off their hiatus in 2018, they lead the charge for the evening with their hard-charging brand of metal. Classic yet modern with hints of NWOBHM, they’re an ideal opener for tonight with their headbang-inducing rhythms and riffs which have the force of a battering ram. There’s a sense as they finish their set that they were only just hitting their stride, the set ing in a blur and ends all too soon.
Riot Act play their classic Riot set, hitting all the favourites. It might not be quite the same as the LA Guns situation as Riot Act share their lineage with Riot V but it makes for a bittersweet evening regardless. Whilst Lou Kouvaris may be absent due to his ing, there’s never a sense of him being replaced. Instead, Riot Act’s set is all about reverence for their past and by extension, the idea of bluesy hard rock. It may be more Americanised compared to some blue-tipped hard rock but in the context of tonight’s bill, it’s a perfect fit.
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As their first UK tour in almost three decades, not counting a brief visit over here for a Hard Rock Hell once upon a time, Lillian Axe have a lot of time to make up for. Whilst they may be riding on the release of a new album, they dig from as much from their back catalogue as possible rather than shoving in half a dozen from the new album which is great news for those people gathered in The Robin.
Using “Breathe” from the new album, From Womb to Tomb, as the intro tape before opening up into “I am Beyond” covers the “new” part of the deal. The more prog-focused sound found on the new album builds the anticipation before heading into the vaults for ninety minutes. The glossy sound found on most of their songs dials them from metal into hard rock, allowing them to straddle both sides of the divide without causing an identity crisis.
Much like the bands who were on before, there may not be much of the original line-up left but it doesn’t faze anyone in the room. Lillian Axe know exactly who they are and what they’re about, paying homage to their past, rather than being forced to serve it like so many bands. Instead, the only thing written on everyone’s face is enjoyment as they dig deep, showing no signs of first night fatigue. As the edgy take on AOR allows them to work with with these s, there’s still subtle hints of sensitivity in their songs, allowing them to bring originality to the evening.
Appropriately, it’s “Show a Little Love” which ends the night without the fuss of an encore, instead serving as the band’s victory lap as “Ascension” from the new album plays them out for the evening as they depart the stage.
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Pics by Sean Larkin Photography
