Gig review: ROMEO’S DAUGHTER – Borderline, London, 1 April 2016

ROMEO’S DAUGHTER – Borderline, London, 1 April 2016

The renaissance of Romeo’s Daughter has been one of the unlikeliest stories in rock of recent years. After reforming after a 15 odd year break for Firefest in 2009, subsequent tours with FM then led to a couple of fresh albums and – on the evidence of this healthy Friday night London crowd – they are now playing to bigger audiences than when trying vainly to make the big time first time around.

Indeed this was a top double bill of melodic rock with Blood Red Saints, hot on the heels of their excellent debut album, coming down from the North-West to make their London debut in support.

Openers ‘Kicking Up Dust’ and ‘Mercy’ were an appetiser for one of the best AOR songs of recent years, ‘Best Of Me’, Pete Godfrey singing like his idol Steve Overland of FM, while ‘Dangerous’ was a real grower.

Blood Red Saints – Borderline, London, 1 April 2016

However I felt their performance was less impressive than the one I witnessed recently at the ‘Just Say Yes’ fundraising festival. An excerpt of ‘Wanted Dead Or Alive’,  complete with guitarist Lee Revill in cowboy hat,  seemed unnecessary while the joking over equipment mishaps and Pete taking English self-deprecation to extremes may have been endearing to some, but to me was unnecessary modesty selling short their talents.

Blood Red Saints – Borderline, London, 1 April 2016

‘Unbreakable’ had the air of some of Mr Big’s more melodic moments while after a heavier and as yet unreleased song, with drummer Pete Newdeck sharing the vocals, ‘Better Days’ was another excellent illustration of their melodic potential.

In contrast to their support, Romeo’s Daughter had nothing to prove with a crowd of confirmed admirers, though it was a surprise to see them come on devoid of keyboard player- though not of sounds being piped in to the mix.

I was delighted to see them open at their rockiest with ‘Heaven In The Backseat’, complete with bassist Ed Poole adding the Lange-esque gang vocals, as it had been absent from recent non-headline sets I had seen, together with another old favourite in ‘Velvet Tongue’.

ROMEO'S DAUGHTER – Borderline, London, 1 April 2016

However with a pair of albums behind them since reforming, including last year’s ‘Spin’, RD can no longer be filed under nostalgia with the newer songs taking the lion’s share of the main part of the set. Not all of them hit the mark for me, but the gentle melodies of ‘Bittersweet’ were insidious and the song outro had people swaying from side to side, and ‘Alive’ created an even more joyous atmosphere, while ‘Lightning’ also impressed.

While they lie on the poppier end of the melodic rock spectrum, understated guitarist Craig Joiner really got the opportunity to rock out on a pair of songs, ‘Already Gone’ and ‘Perfect Plan’, the latter even having the feel of seventies American classic and southern rock.

ROMEO'S DAUGHTER – Borderline, London, 1 April 2016

Her willowy frame clad in black and trademark raven fringe, sensual singer Leigh Matty must keep an ageing portrait in her attic. It is also a relief to see someone comfortable enough to avoid the usual foul-mouthed frontman clichés, and chatting to the crowd in a relaxed manner as if we were friends invited to her local wine bar.

‘Tripping Out’ really began to bring the crowd even further to the boil before a belated return to the oldies with ‘Attracted To The Animal’ from the underrated sophomore ‘Delectable’ album giving way to ‘Cry Myself To Sleep At Night’, featuring a mellifluous extended solo from Craig. The way the crowd shouted the lyrics word for word, with ‘I’m A Romeo’s Daughter’ loudest of all, signalled the way this is increasingly regarded as a classic, before the simple  catchiness of ‘Inside Out’ was a perfect closer.

ROMEO'S DAUGHTER – Borderline, London, 1 April 2016

I secretly hoped ‘Don’t Break My Heart’ might be brought back for an encore but instead they returned with the acoustic ‘Will Be’ before in complete contrast they rocked out  on ‘Wild Child’, a song so good it is always worth reflecting how Heart chose it as the lead off cut for the multi-platinum ‘Brigade’ album.

While Romeo’s  Daughter will never reach those heights of success they radiate an uncomplicated joy in what they do, and in the gig post mortems I was not alone in fans who remember both their eras in proclaiming this their most satisfying performance yet. They can be added to the select list of bands that have reformed and eclipsed their original achievements.

Review by Andy Nathan
Photos by Paul Clampin


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.

Josh Taerk Sunday Sessions 2024

Latest session: Sunday 25 February
Next session: Sunday 14 April

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 March 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 5 March 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 18 March 2024

GYPSY’S KISS We’ve Come To Play
FM Out Of The Blue (Frontiers)
SHOTGUN MISTRESS Shot Down (indie)
ATTIC THEORY Violent Delight (indie)
FLOYA Yume (FiXT)
SAHAJI Tell Me All Your Feelings (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 18 March 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023
12:00-13:00 LEAVES’ EYES Myths Of Fate (AFM Records)
14:00-16:00 HOLLY LERSKI Sweet Decline (indie)


To see our Tweets you need to be logged in to a Twitter account



Popular (last 10 days)


This entry was posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply