For adherents of '80s hard rock, the Electric Ballroom in Camden is abuzz tonight as Michael Monroe, former singer of incredibly influential '80s glam metallers Hanoi Rocks, is back in London. Support is from Sweden's Hardcore Superstar, one of the first vanguards of modern glam metal, instrumental to the movement's second wind, converting youngsters such as Crashdiet, Veins of Jenna and Crazy Lixx to yank the sound into the 21st century. The Electric Ballroom tonight is populated with some of the original glam metal subscribers in addition to fluffy-haired, eyeliner-clad teenagers.
Formed in 1997, Sweden's Hardcore Superstar have done an admirable job re-purposing '80s hard rock to attract an international audience of fans who were not even conceived in the aforementioned decade. With a punk-tinge to their riffs and catchy pop-punk choruses, it is not hard to see why these Scandinavians would be a popular fixation for teens who have dipped their toe in Motley Crüe but desire something more fresh-faced. Exhibiting a bouncing stage presence, the Swedes bat out new tracks 'Don't Mean Shit' and 'Touch the Sky' alongside crowd-pleasers (heavily weighted to the 'Split Your Lip' album) 'We Don't Celebrate Sundays', 'Moonshine' and 'Last Call for Alcohol'. A notable portion of the crowd basks in the sleaze rock with plenty of attendees crooning along to the choruses while devouring each note and beat of music.
Wasting no time, Michael Monroe and his backing band launch into '78' from the highly acclaimed 'Sensory Overdrive' album, contemporary hard rock bristling with punk adolescent vitality. Despite being 53 years old, the dynamic Finn hardly remains immobile for the entirety of the show, covering every inch of the stage, jumping off it to get up close with the front row and even clambering up to a tremendous vantage point on the stacked amps. With fans pogoing near the front and fist pumping further afield, the crowd appears to be heartily entertained.
Hanoi Rocks were always enthralled by punk music and the glam punk genre is heavily indebted to them. Monroe's solo efforts remain true to this heart, possibly more punk than hard rock. Guitar riffs are punchy and abrasive; drums are stripped-down lending the focus to Monroe's attitude-laden shouts, engineering a loud and reckless sound. Songs from new album 'Blackout States' such as 'This Ain't No Love Song', 'Old King's Road' and 'RLF' continue the modern punk sound while Hanoi Rocks classics 'Oriental Beat', 'Malibu Beach Nightmare' and 'Tragedy' are more New York Dolls influences albeit with a strong punk face. 'Hammersmith Palais' from Monroe's post-Hanoi Rocks stint with Demolition 23 strikes a particularly controlling chord with the fans singing along to the chorus.
Not only does Monroe proffer his vocals for the night but he also wields his saxophone and harmonica on occasion, imbuing the rocking tracks with an unorthodox dimension that bears pleasing results. He has fun with his band and the audience, delivering an outstanding spectacle. After the outstanding 'Dead, Jail or Rock 'n' Roll', the stage is vacated but the band return for a delicious rendition of Demolition 23's 'Nothin's Alright' one of the highlights of the night and a robust way to conclude such a fantastic performance. Monroe has been in the music industry for over three decades and his experience is revealing, putting acts half his age to shame. Here's hoping Monroe maintains this level of performance for many more years to come.
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