Gig review: MIDNITE CITY- Downstairs at The Dome, London, 11 May 2024

Midnite City gigs used to be quite rare down south, as the melodic rockers concentrated on the north and Midlands where that particular scene always seems more established. Yet in relatively short order, 11 months after they played Camden’s Black Heart, they returned to the capital and at the larger and rather better appointed Dome just up the road at Tufnell Park. It was a tough call with When Rivers Meet also playing in town, but memories of that show, plus the fact ‘In At the Deep End’ was one of my favourite albums of last year, influenced my decision.

There was a support slot from The Continental Lovers, a band with a punky feel and a degenerate glam image who reminded me of many of the bands I saw at the Marquee in late eighties and early nineties. They were not my scene personally, though theirs was still a dynamic and energetic performance.

To an audience slightly larger than last time but still disappointingly failing to get into three figures, Midnite City opened with ‘Ready to Go’ with its anthemic chorus and ‘Atomic’ with singer Rob Wylde leading a clapalong. Unfortunately at this point some technical gremlins, mainly with Josh ‘Tabbie’ Williams’ bass, needed sorting and a blast of ‘Happy Birthday’ for Star Circus’ Dave Winkler who was in the audience helped fill time.

With those problems solved, ‘Girls Gone Wild’ was a typical feel good anthem, even with a little touch of ‘Livin’ On a Prayer’ on its strong chorus hook, while ‘Someday’ prominently featured the keyboards of Shawn Charvette, even though he and drummer Ryan Briggs were rather hidden from view on the dimly lit rear of the stage. The mid tempo ‘Hardest Heart to Break’ with its concluding ‘who-oahs’ was a real grower and ‘One Step Away’ from their debut album was a particular crowd favourite.

As well as looking the part of a glammy rocker, I realised quite what a masterful frontman Rob is, constantly picking out individuals at the front to engage with. Another thing I noticed was quite how big a contribution ‘Tabbie’ makes with his backing vocals.

‘Good Time Music’ was a perfect summation of the band’s approach while another anthem in ‘Summer of Our Lives’ had a few of us bouncing in the air. ‘You Don’t Understand Me’ was a brilliant mid tempo song, which had me thinking wistfully that it would have been a sure fire MTV staple in the late eighties while Rob commended people to check out the video for latest single ‘Like There’s No Tomorrow’, filmed in Japan.

Ever smiling guitarist Miles Meakin ensured his fluent and melodic solos were kept brief and in the context of the song, but he did get to show off his technical skills with a longer solo slot, entitled ‘Sonikku to Nakkuru’ apparently.

After the title track of the tour in ‘Raise the Dead’ was significantly heavier, the mock-horror ‘They Only Come Out at Night’ with its big ‘na na nas’ was one of my favourites, while ‘Girls of Tokyo’ was equally fun, reminding me of Reckless Love.

‘Can’t Wait For The Nights’ was another anthem, Rob leading audience participation with a few pogoers at the front. Their stylishly delivered invocation of the sounds of the likes of Danger Danger, prime-time Bon Jovi, Nelson, Poison and Firehouse is a winner for me, and it is frustrating that their following is not greater in this country.

In a tightly packed hour and a half, there was no encore as such but a set that had featured the most recent album heavily ended with a couple more of their best loved ‘oldies’ in ‘Give Me Love’ and ‘We Belong’. By the end of them, the smiles throughout of those present had grown even broader after a night of feel good anthems.

Review and Photos by Andy Nathan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)