Sheffield O2 Academy 2

Sunday 7th

February 2016

Evyltyde had already taken to the

stage by the time that I arrived on a cold

and wet Sunday evening in Sheffield. The

majority of their set was taken from last

year’s self-titled debut album. The four-

piece Metal outfit from London feature the

Gandalf-like guitarist Danny Merton,

drummer Isaac Marques, bassist Russ ‘The

Bear’ Wark and are fronted by vocalist

Hannah Delany.

It was the first time that I had heard

Evyltyde so I was unfamiliar with any of

their songs but remember ‘What Have We

Become?’ and the excellent ‘Your Darkest

Fear’ with its time changes that also

demonstrated the band’s obvious musical

talents. They finished their enjoyable set

with ‘Guilty’ which they dedicated to the

hair-metal bands of the eighties. Though

not in the same league as many of the

Symphonic Metal female singers, Delany

can certainly hold a tune and belt them out

with the best of them. Evyltyde were

obviously enjoying the opportunity to

support Graham Bonnet and the crowd

certainly warmed to the metal fans in

attendance.

Having seen Graham Bonnet just

over a year ago at the same venue I had no

hesitation in returning to see the veteran

entertainer. Add to the latter the loss of so

many great musicians of a similar age and

it became a no-brainer to brave the

elements this evening.

Bonnet has had a great career but is

probably best known for the one album

that he recorded with Rainbow, the classic

‘Down To Earth’. The latter, for those who

know me, was the first album that got me

into rock music back in 1979. Tonight the

band kicked off the show with the opening

songs from that album, albeit in reverse

order, ‘Eyes of the World’ and the massive

hit single ‘All Night Long’ where the

crowd were all too happy to sing-along.

The sound was very good, especially for

the O2 that is not renowned for its

acoustics. The 68 year old still has the

pipes and is obviously still enjoying

playing live and his interaction with the

crowd was as entertaining as ever.

Up next was the Russ Ballard

written ‘S.O.S’ from Bonnet’s 1981 solo

album ‘Line Up’ followed by ‘God

Blessed Video’ and ‘Will You Be Home

Tonight’ from the 1985 Alcatrazz album

‘Disturbing The Peace’. Although I am big

fan of Bonnet’s voice I never really took to

the Alcatrazz material, however, was

impressed with the one album that he

recorded in 1982 with Michael Schenker,

‘Assault Attack’. The first single from that

album ‘Dancer’ was played first but it was

the outstanding ‘Desert Song’ preceded by

the equally classy ‘Love’s No Friend Of

Mine’ that was most impressive. Bonnet

mentioned on more than one occasion the

‘Levi incident’ where he was infamously

fired after only one concert, at Sheffield

University, for drunkenly exposing himself

on stage.

‘Night Games’ is another of my

favourite Bonnet tracks and he sang it with

full emotion.

Throughout his career Bonnet has

played with numerous guitar greats from

Ritchie Blackmore to Michael Schenker

and Yngwie Malmsteen to Steve Vai.

Guitarist Conrado Pesinato plays great

homage to these axe legends. Bonnet has

got himself an established, tight band

including the rhythm section of Mark

Zonder on drums and the eye-catching

bassist Beth –Ami Heavenstone that could

be improved, however, with the addition of

a full-time keyboard player instead of

having them as a piped backing track.

The pace was reduced with The

Marbles (Bonnet’s band with his cousin

Trevor Gordon) and Bee Gees written

‘Only One Woman’.

The biggest reaction of the evening

came with the main set closer and another

Russ Ballard composition ‘Since You’ve

Been Gone’.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg2S

qGEyPAk

The band left the stage briefly

before returning for a two song encore of

‘Assault Attack’ and the brilliant ‘Lost In

Hollywood’.

Another great performance from

the man from Skegness who gladly shows

no signs of joining the great gig in the sky.

Mark Donnelly

1 - Eyes of the World Rainbow - Down To Earth (1979) 52 - All Night Long Rainbow - Down To Earth (1979)3 - S.O.S. Graham Bonnet - Line Up (1981) 24 - God Blessed Video Alcatrazz - Disturbing The Peace (1985) 25 - Will You Be Home Tonight Alcatrazz - Disturbing The Peace (1985)6 - Night Games Graham Bonnet - Line Up (1981)7 - Suffer Me Alcatrazz - No Parole From Rock 'N' Roll (1983) 28 - Dancer MSG - Assault Attack (1982) 39 - Love's No Friend Rainbow - Down To Earth (1979)

10 - Desert Song MSG - Assault Attack (1982)

Graham Bonnet BandSheffield O2 Academy 2

Sunday 7th February 2016

10 - Desert Song MSG - Assault Attack (1982)11 - Mirror Lies Graham Bonnet - Thy Kingdom Come EP (2015) 112 - The Witchwood Alcatrazz - Dangerous Games (1986) 113 - Only One Woman The Marbles - The Marbles (1970) 114 - Island In The Sun Alcatrazz - No Parole From Rock 'N' Roll (1983)15 - Since You Been Gone Rainbow - Down To Earth (1979)

Encore:16 - Assault Attack MSG - Assault Attack (1982)17 - Lost in Hollywood Rainbow - Down To Earth (1979)

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5Graham Bonnet Band - Sheffield O2 (07/02/2016)

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Rainbow - Down To Earth (1979) Graham Bonnet -Line Up (1981) Alcatrazz -Disturbing The Peace (1985)Alcatrazz - No Parole From Rock 'N' Roll (1983)

MSG - Assault Attack (1982) Graham Bonnet -Thy Kingdom Come EP (2015)Alcatrazz -Dangerous Games (1986)

The Marbles - The Marbles (1970)