Album review: ORIANTHI – Live In Hollywood (CD and DVD)

Frontiers Music [Release date: 15.07.22]

For the uninitiated, Greek/Australian blonde bombshell Orianthi Panagaris is a platinum selling, guitar playing rock artist whose songs have registered many millions of hits online.
That’s when she’s not been treading the boards with Michael Jackson, Carlos Santana, Alice Cooper, Carrie Underwood and more recently, Richie Sambora.

She moved to Frontiers from Dave Stewart’s Robo Records for her last release, O, in 2020. Her new solo album on the label is due out later this year.

This live recording maintains her career momentum. It was recorded at the Bourbon Room in Hollywood in January, and expectantly, cherry picks from her 4 studio albums.

As a career best of, it was a wise move. None of her albums have the depth and stamina required for the long run, too often trading the slick and the superficial for rock solid songwriting. And so the live arena allows her to stretch out, to get into the musical dark corners that seem out of reach in the studio.

The last album’s big hitters come across best, all co-written with award winning producer Marti Frederiksen. Especially the songs tailored for today’s short attention spans.

The stomping, ramped up ‘Impulsive’ is a bigger song, done live. It’s tuned to the beating heart of a downhome Stonesy riff, casting off the pop treatment the studio album employed, and it works so much better.

Meantime, the viscerally kinetic ‘Contagious’, which seems to have acquired some dirt under its fingernails since leaving the studio, sends shockwaves rolling through an enthusiastic, receptive audience.

Balancing style and substance is always a challenge for a new kid on the blues block, it’s met head on by the slowed down, fiercely dramatic ‘Sinners Hymn’. Live, Orianthi and band slide into a groove that clearly connects with an appreciative crowd.

There’s an almost nostalgic tinge to the live version of ‘According To You’, a shiny pop diamond that became the artist’s worldwide breakout song in 2009. Performing it live now, 13 years later, Orianthi skillfully keeps the restrained fury of the original in check, transforming it into a passionate cry from the heart, no doubt echoed by women the world over. ***1/2

Review by Brian McGowan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)