Live Review: Royal Republic - KK's Steel Mill Wolverhampton
2nd November 2024
Support: Dea Matrona
Words & Photos: Scott Clarke
Well I made it and that was an accomplishment in itself tonight. With Wolves football team playing at home, Diwali and Bonfire celebrations in full swing and an accident thrown into the mix causing road closures, I was driving around for 30 minutes trying to find a place to park, with car parks and every space in the road full, at one stage I doubted if I was going to make the gig at KK’s Steel Mill tonight as headliners Royal Republic were set to take the stage. Perseverance and a long walk in the drizzle paid off as I made it with mere minutes to spare before the opening act Dea Matrona began their set.
As the lights dimmed, the crowds voices lifted and onto the stage walked Dea Matrona. The Irish 2 piece consisting of Orláith Forsythe and Mollie McGinn are aided tonight with additional guitar and drums, however throughout their support set, it’s proven that they have no qualms with mixing things up between themselves, interchanging vocal, guitar and bass duties masterfully. This is a key feature for this group and if they can continue in this way then I can foresee a good future for them. The usual stereotypical positions in a band and their impact or importance/ visibility seems very much out the window here which is a brilliant and refreshing thing as the two ladies work to their strengths, sharing and helping each other to create wonderful tunes that compliment their styles. From a photography perspective it also creates great dynamism and variation on stage visually.
With a recently released album, For Your Sins, the Irish duo have a good range of their own material to source a live performance from. Their styles vary and influences seem broad as they have rock tracks but also lean into blues, a little country and some funky rhythms thrown in for good measure, its a real 70’s vibe.
Opening up with Stamp On It, the duo who were a 4 piece tonight with the addition of Declan on the guitar and Ross on the drums, set things off on a great track and went down a storm with the crowd. Mixing it up with playful banter, the set was a substantial size given their relatively short time in the spot light tonight however, they utilised every second well and played to perfection with Get My Mind Off, Stuck on You, Oh Well, Black Rain, So Damn Dangerous, a wonderful acoustic piece in Glory Glory, and closing with Red Button
Mollie asked part way through, who had seen them before when they had appeared at KK’s Steel Mill in 2023, there was a scattering of cheers, but it was evident that a lot of people here were seeing Dea Matrona for the first time.
Its a refreshing performance. In a time where bigger, louder and as many guitars as possible = better, Orláith and Mollie prove the opposite, especially in parts where things are stripped back to their acoustic performance, their talent is evident with superb musicianship alongside their amazing voices that are captivating. The playful interactions with the crowd and on stage confidence they possess only solidify they’re in the right place and on the right track. Their vocal controls give them each a power for the rockier tracks yet also provide softer and more subtle tones for the stripped back numbers as well as when they alternate on backing vocals providing brilliant harmonies to each other. I have to say
I thought they were brilliant, clearly most people here tonight are here for Royal Republic, but I do think after tonight a lot of these people will be keeping a keen eye on Dea Matrona. I hope to see them again soon and I don’t think there’s a better endorsement than feeling like you could listen to more.
The headline act for tonight hailing from Sweden, a place already bustling with music royalty, comes rockers Royal Republic, touring with their sixth studio album and tour of the same name LoveCop.
Dea Matrona did a wonderful job early doors in warming up the crowd and it’s evident with the cheer that erupts as the house lights dim for the second time tonight and onto the stage we welcome Per Andreasson on drums, Jonas Almen on bass, Hannes Irengard on guitar and Adam Grahn leading with his vocals.
First things first, from a style perspective, Royal Republic are like the other side of a coin to that which Dea Matrona presented earler. Their style of over the top, in your face hard rock starts from the get go with eccentricities on full display. This is a band that seems to be all about letting loose and leaving every bit of energy out there and the fans love it.
Neon lights flood the arena, guitars have their own in built lights, even the drum kit is bright and colourful with lights glowing through the skins. Initially the stage lights are dark as the bright logo is emblazoned on the background and Adam comes centre stage, silhouetted with his magnificent guitar changing colour and making an immediate visual impact opening with My House and the title track of the new album and the tour, Lovecop. Attention to detail is brilliant with Adam wearing leathers with embroidered Lovecop emblems. Little touches like this show that the band have put so much effort into crafting their show.
As their own sequenced lights blazed in time with the tracks and amplified the experience as well as timely showcasing the lights on the instruments, we are Getting Along next from the Weekend Man album. A high tempo start is what we had and it never let up, I think they all must have been Duracell powered because the whole band had more energy on that stage than the Duracell bunny. Baby was next on the list, catchy and bouncing giving the crowd something to sing along with, not that they weren’t in fine voice anyway. Boots, a track from Lovecop saw the crowd dancing till their boots came off.
With an extensive back catalogue of material to scour through, there are a few extra additions but it’s obviously an evening to showcase the newer album which does not differ from their usual quality and the reception from the adoring fans is proof.
For a band that doesn’t, the ironically named Stop Movin’ was up next from the Club Majesty album following with Anna-Leigh again from the same album, both tracks feel like they could’ve existed in the 80’s which plays amazingly well alongside Adam who is similarly dressed to an Outside era George Michael.
It’s not very often that I pick up drums because I’ll admit I’m no drummer and couldn’t hit a cymbal and kick drum at the same time if I’m honest but I want to mention how amazing the drums sounded tonight, I can’t pin point the reason why, you had to be there to experience it, be it Per Andreasson’s relentless pounding or the way they were miked up the sound was so powerful and deep but it didn’t drown out anything else or the vocals, it just provided an amazingly impactful beat, this was especially evident in Back From The Dead that followed with Freakshow and Full Steam Spacemachine, another that got the crowd shouting the chorus at the top of their voice.
After a bit of a change with mics, all 4 members of the band came to the front and centre of the stage for an acoustic performance with Wow Wow Wow complete with kazoo and Boomerang along with harmonica. It’s a fantastic interlude, it keeps up the pace of the night with a little break for the band from the high intensity that has been on full force since the beginning. Retaking their positions for the next track from LoveCop, it’s Electra.
The interaction with the crowd and getting everyone involved with the performance is like little that you see from many bands, the whole room is literally jumping at times and singing along and its not a concert in the way of fans just listening to the music, Royal Republic turned the whole night into a party atmosphere. At one point with Adam being gifted a wireless mic and proclaiming with the power he now possessed that he may finish up the rest of the show from the dressing room, the level of humour was embedded throughout the set and it never seemed forced or put on, it was all about having a good time. As we all know with great power comes great responsibility, as such Adam made his way with the wireless mic into the crowd where he performed Ain’t Got Time with the help of a member of the crowd who became an honorary member of the band after being presented with a cow bell.
Reaching back to the archives for the follow ups in Fireman & Dancer and Tommy Gun before the first real break of the night as the lights dimmed the crowd shouted and chanted demanding more. Royal Republic duly obliged, returning to the stage for a further 3 songs, Lazerlove which I have to say was one of my favourites of the night, a Metallica cover in Battery before closing the night with Rata-tata that culminated in a literal photo finish as the humour continued to the very end on the final note the band held their positions on stage in a freeze frame for what must’ve been an uncomfortably long time, yet it gave the chance for the crowd to give their full appreciation for a fantastic night.
I know they’ve been around a while now and been on many circuits, I’ve heard people talk about them but tonight was my first time experiencing it for myself and, musical prowess aside, the amount of feel good factor they leave you with is unquestionable. I haven’t heard a KK’s crowd so into the show from beginning to end for a while and its testament to the band who really did put on a show in all aspects tonight, visually and audibly. The technical abilities of all members of the band are clearly on display, to be able to perform to such a high degree all while putting so much effort into a stage performance is astounding and a sight to behold and the humour that is so naturally a part of the way they are as entertainers is something that brings together every single aspect in making something very memorable indeed.
Photo credits: Scott Clarke Photography
