Live Review: Black Stone Cherry - Resorts World Arena, Birmingham
31st January 2023
Support: The Darkness, Danko Jones
Words & Photos: Tim Finch
We’re all set for a full on raucous rock assault this evening as we head to the Resorts World Arena, Birmingham for Black Stone Cherry’s show. Support for the evening are the fabulous The Darkness and Toronto’s own Danko Jones.
The huge venue has filled up early for Canadian rock sensation Danko Jones and his band. They are not, as yet, a house hold name in the U.K. hence a low billing despite their international reputation. Their sound is out and out rock and roll, with the occasional hint of something a little heavier, all delivered with Danko's trademark smile. They obviously love what they are doing and the fans feed off that, appreciative of such entertainment so early on in the evening. If you like your music a little less heavy then these guys are well worth checking out.
As the action starts to heat up, quite literally as we are about to find out, it’s time for The Darkness to hit the stage. ABBA’s ‘Arrival’ rings through the PA as the band appear and launch into ‘Growing on Me’ with a shower of sparklers reigning from the heavens. Those same sparklers caused a fire earlier in the tour but tonight the stage does not burst into flames and the band continues.
Despite being second on the bill the band treat it as a headline set and there’s plenty of pyro flares and burst of energy to warrant closing act status. The full hour plus showing includes the likes of ‘Black Shuck’, ‘Love Is Only A Feeling’ and ‘Get Your Hands Off My Woman’.
Justin Hawkins, ever the showman, ditches the faux fir coat he arrives in early on, just as well as a whiff of that pyro may have set him alight, and it’s not long before he’s riding his security guards shoulders through the crowd whilst playing along. It’s the showman ship that makes this band, every single member on point, in your face and showing what they’ve got. But all too soon ‘I Believe In A Thing Called Love’ and ‘Love on the Rocks With Ice’ round out a magnificent showing.
After a quick turn around it’s time to round off the evening in style with American rockers Black Stone Cherry. Hidden by a huge curtain, the band kick off with ‘Me and Mary Jane’ the crowd is bouncing, singing along at the top of their lungs audible above the music pumping out of the PA, as the curtain drops revealing the quartet. As they bound through ‘Burnin’ and ‘Again’ it is obviously the band are relishing being back on stage once more. Grins from ear to ear span the musicians and the crowd this evening.
As the evening rolls on the fans are hot an sweaty by the time the ever popular ‘Blame It On The Boom Boom’ blows the roof off the arena. ‘White Trash Millionaire and ‘Lonely Train’ see the main set close, before the band return with a cover of ELO’s ‘Don’t Bring Me Down’ to round out a perfect evening.
It’s been a long time coming for fans and band alike, two years since they last played the city, in a much smaller venue, and this evening proved that rock is alive and well in Birmingham!
All photo credits: Tim Finch Photography
