The New Crew [Gig Review]

Skeleton Crew

Ye Olde Salutation Inn [The Sal]

Nottingham

24.01.14

Skeleton Crew have returned to the Sal after a year long absence, sounding and looking a tad different, with not one but two new members in the band the five piece power rockers from the East Midlands are not waiting for an alibi that’s for sure. The Crew have beefed up their act and having heaved too and weighed anchor they’re about to take to the stage here at Ye Olde Salutation Inn on Maid Marion Way smack bang in the middle of Robin Hood country.

Just across the city Skindred have ‘sold out’ the world famous venue that is Rock City so it’s testament to the popularity of Skeleton Crew that here at the Sal there is more than a respectable turnout to see a mammoth two hour set featuring around twenty one songs of mainly original numbers with a few familiar covers thrown in for luck.

I first saw The Crew back in 2008 at the Sitwell Tavern Derby, since then I’ve been to many of their gigs and last year they appeared at the Rock & Bike festival which was the first time I saw Rick Townhill, he’s the fourth singer I’ve seen front the band and along with other newbie Jon Hillman (lead guitar) they’re joined on stage by old lags Drew Taylor (drums) Steve Evans (bass) and Graham Byron (lead guitar).

It’s around nine thirty and it’s show time, opening up with Oppressor a fast paced song from their second studio album Theatre of War they swiftly follow this with the title track from the same album before playing Four Letter Word a third song from that disc, it’s a catchy song and the crowd are hooked with plenty of dancing and head banging taking place at the front. I can still remember Skeleton Crew launching the Theatre of War album at this very venue back in 2012 they really pushed the boat out that night.

With this new line-up I’m hoping that a third studio album is in the offing, with all due respect to their previous lead singer new man Rick Townhill offers much more in way of powerful vocals and stage presence although it has to be said he could do with moving around a bit more, I know that was difficult with five guys on a stage the size of the Sal’s but something to think about all the same.

The fourth song is Thin Lizzy’s Waiting For An Alibi along with Hard To Handle, Out In The Fields and Breaking The Law making up the quartet of covers scattered liberaly throughout the set. Skeleton Crew are great value for money, tonight it was free entry and after around two hours they reached their final song of the evening, All Or Nothing it’s the opening track of their first studio album, Bring It On, it has very catchy ‘sing along’ lyrics and brings the curtain down a fabulous show, the boys from The Crew definitely don’t believe that less is more I think only Ken Dodd would have played longer.

Checkout Skeleton Crew on their website: http://www.skeletoncrewrocks.com/

GD Manofmetal