Live Review: The 69 Eyes - KK's Steel Mill, Wolverhampton
2nd October 2025
Support: South of Salem
Words & Photos: Scott Clarke
Autumn has arrived with a bang. As we enter the spookiest month of the year, the temperatures have dropped and the spattering of rain fills the darker night air. So it was almost perfect conditions for tonight’s gothic infused delights on stage as the ever welcoming KK’s Steel Mill played host to The 69 Eyes and South of Salem. The only question is, would the evening be a trick or a treat?
For starters, the queue of faithful fans stretched around the corner of the building long before the doors opened. For a Thursday night gig, it was a pretty impressive turnout and showed just what support both of these bands had. As the venue allowed admittance, the black clad gothic contingent moved like shadows along the stark walls of the building until the halls of KK’s housed the awaiting crowd.
As the bar drummed up good trade and the awaiting fans wet their whistles, I made haste for the merch desks to take a compulsory viewing of the available shirts, records and other paraphernalia that was on offer and I have to say, the selection and the design work from both bands is exceptional and heavily leans into the macabre and gothic themes.
Fast forward an hour and the room is filled, the energy is at boiling point, as we await the first of tonights acts to make their way onto the stage. The lights drop and as a musical intro plays, the voices of the crowd erupt to see, South of Salem, emblazoned on KK’s huge video screen.
Let Us Prey, from the debut 2020 album, The Sinner Takes It All is the opening number tonight as frontman Joey Draper leads the 5 piece macabre themed band on what would turn out to be an hour long set, showcasing their melodic yet ever gothic themed material.
From the initial notes, it’s an incredibly energetic performance. I’ve seen South of Salem in the past and in fact reviewed them before (check back through the archives for that one) and although there’s much to be said about the music, the way it’s crafted, the melodic nature, the catchy hooks and choruses, the fact that the songs don’t drift into a more melancholy trope that is usually associated with a gothic style, the impactful lyrics, the masterful and technical musicianship that blends rhythm and meaningful guitar solos as and when they make an impact and not just for the sake of showing off. Despite all of this, the one key thing that I’ve taken away from every South of Salem show I’ve seen is, theatricality.
The musical showcase on display was a nice blend of the bands 2 albums, The Sinner Takes It All and 2024’s Death of the Party which included Jet Black Eyes, Made To Be Mine, Static, Bad Habits, To The Moon And Back (a fantastic cover of the Savage Garden classic that has become a mainstay in the bands setlist), an acoustic stripped down version of Villain featuring Denis and Joey, Demons Are Forever, Hellbound Heart, A Life Worth Dying For and culminating in a two track encore of Pretty Little Nightmare and Cold Day in Hell.
This is more than a band that is the sum of it’s songs, they’re a band that are worth making the effort to see live because of the effort they put in and the show they want to put on for the fans. From LED lined coffin lids, to smoke and cold sparks shooting as high as the venue ceiling limits would allow, to a lighting show that was carefully orchestrated, they’re all elements that come together to create a visual and audible spectacle. Not to mention the band members themselves. Joey leads by example, smiling, conversing with the fans, constantly moving around the stage, occupying every inch of it and never staying still. It’s an infectious joy that permeates the rest of the band and the crowd, in contrast to the macabre themes, it’s actually quite joyous and happy and is a genuinely fun watch and a pleasure to be a part of. Denis Sheriff and Dee Vower on guitar and bass duties, complemented Joey’s on stage presence as they paraded around the stage while James Clarke was pounding out drum beats at the back. However, a special mention should go to guitarist Ed Van Egan, a guy who’s had two rehearsals prior to the show and absolutely nailed it, his chemistry with the established members of the band and also his interactions with the crowd and playing up to the cameras were credit to him as though he had been touring with the group for years.
This is the first leg of the double headline with The 69 Eyes, however no matter how or when you get to see them, I strongly urge any rock music fan to give them a try, they’re worth the price of admission and you’re guaranteed a truly entertaining, theatrical spectacle.
There is a bit of a delay next necessitated by the removal of so much stage furniture from the opening act and afterwards it actually leaves the place looking a little empty and void of character. However that was about to change as the lights dimmed for the second time tonight and a large roar erupted from those in attendance to welcome to the stage Helsinki rockers, The 69 Eyes.
One of the immediate stand out features of the band, aside from their appearance and themes which I’lll get onto in a little while, is actually their longevity. In a world with so much swapping and changing and variations to band lineups, The 69 Eyes have remained with the same personnel for the past 30+ years, since 1992 when the current lineup first made their impact on the scene.
Starting things off immediately with Devils, the ‘Goth N Roll’ group exude confidence and charisma befitting the very best vampiric characters from the outset. Jyrki Linnankivi, swaggers to the front of the stage like an enigmatic creature of the night, his tall stature and stage presence are enchanting and intimidating, in stark contrast to the opening high tempo act, his movements are smooth and deliberate. With a low timbre that acts with an almost hypnotic quality, it’s deep and soft, I wouldn’t be the first to provide a comparison to Peter Steele of Type O Negative and I certainly won’t be the last.
With an incredible thirteen albums over their tenure, The 69 Eyes had an abundance of material at their disposal for the set tonight and it was great that they were able to get representation from 8 of them into their time with us this evening in a well crafted set that toed-and-froed from the past to the present. From 1999’s Wasting the Dawn through to the latest release in 2023 of Death of Darkness via Blessed Be, Paris Kills, Devils, Angels, X and West End.
There’s a touch of glam to the macabre, a bit of light to the melancholy that shines through every now and then and it adds depth to the brooding display and dark undertones that permeate the lyrics. The show goes by fast including; Feel Berlin, Perfect Skin, Betty Blue, Gotta Rock, Still Waters Run Deep, Drive, Death of Darkness, The Chair, Never Say Die, Gothic Girl, Wasting The Dawn, I Love the Darkness in You, Brandon Lee, Dance D’Amour and closing with possibly their most well known track and one that pays homage to an iconic film in Lost Boys.
Throughout the night, Jyrki is flanked by a group of extremely talented musicians, Pasi Moilanen has an air of quiet confidence about him and his guitar playing speaks for itself, whereas in contrast Timo Tapio Pitkänen, who provides rhythm, is incredibly agile, his energy on stage is boundless. Archzie’s driving bass lines give weight and punch to the tracks while Jussi is a dynamic force on the drum kit, his powerful presence is prominent throughout in a role that can often see this member of any band cruelly overlooked. The cohesion on display is something that only comes from many years of playing together and through it all Jyki’s somewhat etherial vocals effortlessly shine through.
It’s a fantastic display that is adored and cheered by the KK’s faithful who do their own part tonight to make the Finnish group feel welcome, there’s a good exchange of mutual appreciation. With so many years behind them, the band still remain as dedicated and as passionate about their material and moving forward as ever. There’s a determination that lies behind the sunglasses and it’s probably what drives these leather clad, glam vampires to keep delivering for their fans on nights just like this one.
Photo credit: Scott Clarke
