Celebrating a remarkable 50 years as a trailblazing woman in rock since ‘Can the Can’ became her first hit single and reached No 1, Suzi Quatro followed up last year’s superb one off Royal Albert Hall gig with a longer UK tour including this near sell out at one of London’s equally prestigious venues.

After a brief intro film, the Suzi from those days stared out from an orange backdrop as the current version, an object lesson in how to age well but gracefully, came on stage in sequinned double denim. She opened with ‘The Wild One’, with a pregnant pause after the ‘I wanted to be somebody and here I am’ lyric. Actually, while the Palladium has only recently put on rock acts again, she did have previous here, telling us that on her last appearance she was ambushed by Michael Aspel and his ‘This Is Your Life’ red book.

It was the start of an opening quartet of her seventies hits, with ‘I May Be Too Young’, ‘Daytona Demon’- a particular favourite- and ‘Tear Me Apart’, delivered by a band augmented by a three man brass section and a pair of girl backing singers. However this was far, far more than one of those easy nostalgia sets. She introduced a series of songs from recent years, with the relevant artwork helpfully beamed onto the screen behind. The first was from this year’s ‘Face to Face’ collaboration with KT Tunstall and indeed ‘Shine A Light’ was a masterclass in simply written pop rock.

Suzi then mentioned she would bring on a couple of guests to help out with ‘Stumblin’ In’. While founder Pistol Glen Matlock, sporting a fine silver head of hair, took over bass duties, I secretly hoped her vocal duet partner might be Chris Norman, a name on my bucket list, but was in a minority as Boy George was rapturously received and to be fair did a sterling job. However, frustratingly, even a classic glam hit in ‘48 Crash’ failed to tempt anyone in an admittedly older audience to their feet.

Moving back to the newer material, there were a couple of songs written by son Richard, a slightly indie rock sounding ‘No Soul/ No Control’ and ‘The Devil In Me’. Then on ‘Slow Down’, the absence of collaborators Don Powell and Andy Scott who had graced the RAH show was compensated for by some lively instrumental work from pianist Jez Davies and sax player Tommy Schneller, who seemed to particularly enjoy his moments in the spotlight. Likewise a cover of ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ was a rare chance for tidy guitarist (and Bryan Adams lookalike) Tim Scott to rock out and show his paces, amidst some audience participation. The first half ended with a very personal moment as Suzi turned to piano, paying tribute to her late parents before playing ‘Can I Be Your Girl?’

After a half hour break, she returned in trademark leather jumpsuit and the second set also began with newer material, from ‘The Devil in Me’. ‘Motor City Riders’ came complete with a video backdrop of scenes of her native Michigan, from auto plants to Motown while ‘I Sold My Soul Today’ had a dark sixties sounding psychedelic and soul vibe. She introduced it with the quip of the night when describing a man who had wronged her as ‘now singing soprano’. From a recent covers EP she ripped through ‘Bad Moon Rising’ (with the link that CCR popularised the song ‘Suzi Q’) which, though enjoyable, didn’t really add anything to the original.

After she gave a speech with a potted autobiographical history recapping her rich and varied life, ‘She’s In Love With You’ was a personal favourite: as one of the relative youngsters in attendance, too young for glam first time round, this was one of her first songs I remembered, its new wave style keyboards complemented this time by some more brass work.

There had been a few changes from last year’s RAH setlist and another of the KT collaborations ‘Overload’ was one such then the R and B flavoured workout ‘Too Big’ was a vehicle to introduce the band. ‘Glycerine Queen’ was proof that her glam era had more to it than hit singles, and showcased a bass solo, then, showing she is a true renaissance woman, she went round the back of the stage to join in on drums.

My biggest gripe at this stage had been that despite an energetic display from both her and her band, a muted audience stayed resolutely seated. Fortunately she ushered people belatedly to their feet to dance to her best known hits, the aforementioned ‘Can The Can’ and a ‘Devil Gate Drive’ extended for the audience participation it was built for.

After going straight off and on stage again, I was relieved when she played one of my favourites and the first song of hers I really recall in ‘If You Can’t Give Me Love’, her voice at its huskiest and with a muted but sensitive guitar backing from Tim, before a change of pace in a cover of ‘Sweet Little Rock and Roller’, Suzi leaving the stage as the band played on and chanted ‘go Suzi go’.

Fortunately there was one final sighting of her as she returned on a stool, towel draped boxer-like around her shoulders, for a heartfelt cover of ‘Desperado’. Accompanied only by some keyboards in the latter stages by Jez, it also showed off what a versatile voice she has as raunch gave way to delicacy. There was even an unusual coda as she left the stage to a video backdrop of another ballad in the Elvis tribute ‘Singing With Angels’.

Her remarkable life was so brilliantly captured on that Suzi Q documentary. This evening could be seen as a companion live music piece, showcasing not just those much loved seventies hits but a half-century and counting of a musical career of surprising depth.

Review and Photos by Andy Nathan

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

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Power Plays w/c 29 April 2024

BRIGITTE PURDY Sugar Fried Candy (Dirtshack Records)
ATTIC THEORY The Legacy (indie)
THE HOWLERS I Need Your Love (indie)
VELVETEEN QUEEN Bad Reputation (indie)
WILLS AND THE WILLING Scuffed Knees (Smash & Grab Music Ltd)
READY THE PRINCE Still Believe (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 29 April 2024

09:00-12:00 PRAYING MANTIS Defiance (Frontiers)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023

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