Tonight’s main support should have been Empyre, but unfortunately they have been hit by the dreaded ‘rona (get well soon guys) so local band Cry For Mercy were drafted in to open the show instead. They are a 3-piece outfit from Wrexham, and they open with just a guitar and vocals, which I quite like. Unfortunately though this is due to a technical issue rather than by design, and once someone works out how to plug the bass in the sound gets a lot better! The style is bluesy, but in a commercial and catchy way, and it’s OK. My first thought on hearing them is that they sound a bit like Thunder. There’s also a bit of a 70s groove happening with a nod towards Free, and a bit of Hendrix-inspired soloing. The vocals are good, and overall I have nothing to complain about, which makes a nice change.

I had encountered Before The Storm quite recently when they supported Scarlet Rebels at the Tivoli, and if you remember I wasn’t overly impressed. Mainly because I didn’t like the vocals much. I believe they weren’t overly impressed with my review either! Anyhow, tonight is another day and as the set starts my heart sinks a bit as the sound is somewhat muddy with some screeching feedback. But. And it’s a big But. The actual set itself is a lot more enjoyable. The vocals still make me wince a little but once the sound is sorted out they seem almost like a different band to last time. I think possibly this is because we are in a smaller, more intimate venue with different acoustics and they are better suited to it? They plough through a couple of hard and heavy rock numbers and then much to my surprise as they go into a jangly, ballady song I realise that the vocals have grown on me and I am actually quite liking it. There’s a more laid-back vibe to the rest of the set, the sound is kind of mid-west Americana and I much prefer this lighter Before The Storm to their rockier side. They dip a toe into U2 territory soundwise, and my own toes are now tapping. My inner jury is still out on those vocals but I enjoyed the set much more this time.

I have some concerns about headliners Collateral tonight. We are in the “little” room at the Live Rooms, and the stage is tiny – how will all 6 of them fit on it? Well for a start they have left the keyboard player at home as he has some other stuff going on, so although space is at a premium there’s just enough for the rest of them. Any cats in the vicinity must remain unswung tonight, and the lack of space means that their usual shape-throwing and stage interaction is somewhat curtailed. This does not impact the quality of the show though, and from the opening bars of first song ‘Lullaby’ to the last chord of closer ‘Merry-Go-Round’ they still manage to swagger and bounce in a way that makes the stage feel at least twice the size.

That’s a really good way to describe Collateral actually – they are swaggeringly good. Their sound is pure commercial bubblegum rock, with catchy riffs, giant choruses and perfect harmonies. There is no doom, gloom and death here, they sing of love lost and found, boy meets girl, life being for living. They certainly appeal to the female rock demographic in terms of audience, and it’s heartening to see a front row of ladies having a good old boogie to them. There is a lot of hip-wiggling going on, both on stage and off, and the atmosphere is that of a happy party. There are old favourite songs in the set and also a couple of new ones. Their next album is currently a work in progress, and from the songs aired tonight it’s going to be a corker. They have lost none of their sass, and are the absolute kings of power ballads. They still manage to cross genres a bit though, especially with the more country-inspired ‘About This Boy’ which showcases their versatility. Don’t imagine for a moment that it’s all lightweight froth though, oh no. Lead guitarist Todd Winger can (and does) shred with the best of them, and gives us many blistering solos. Second guitarist Lous Malagodi chips in with the odd moment too, and the whole set is a riot of power chords and flying hair from start to finish. Frontman Angelo holds it all together with soaring vocals and some bollock-crushing high notes.

The band have a busy few months coming up, with support slots with Dan Reed, Skid Row and H.E.A.T in their diary as well as several festival appearances planned. You’ve got lots of chances to go and see them so I highly recommend that you do; they are on fire right now and you are pretty much guaranteed to have a damn good time.