The room we are in tonight is pretty basic for a venue with such a huge history (it’s the old Factory Records HQ). Bare walls, a small stage, not even any proper stage lights. Yep, basic covers it. The bar is well-stocked though and the atmosphere is warm and inviting in anticipation of one of Germany’s finest up-and-coming hard rock bands.

The evening starts in a more laid-back fashion though. Leonie Jakobi is a young lass from Frankfurt now living in Liverpool and she is alone on stage with only her guitar and voice to offer. Both turn out to be pleasant, and although the chattering masses at the bar are a little irritating during her first couple of songs she manages to grab their attention with a rather spiffing cover of Whitesnake’s ‘Here I Go Again’.

As the crowd join in she now has their full attention and gets a warm reception for the rest of her set. It’s stark but at the same time quite lush. The melodies are good, the lyrics are thoughtful and there’s even a couple of power chords to keep the more metal-inclined happy. They get even happier with the final song as it’s a sunny version of Journey’s ‘Anyway You Want It’ and on that note Leonie leaves the stage to loud applause.

The New Roses have previously been called the German Bon Jovi in these hallowed pages – Von Jovi if you like. It’s meant as a compliment, not a derogation; their brand of upbeat, happy, singalong rock is very addictive and great fun to watch. They are currently touring on the back of their latest album release “Addicted To Danger” so the set starts with the title track. This is a slick, polished piece of happy hard rock. Already we have a singalong chorus and a bouncy beat. If death metal is a legitimate genre then it seems that The New Roses must surely be purveyors of the finest life metal? They are all about the happy, even their power ballad has a positive message as singer Timmy tells us what it’s like ‘When You Fall In Love’. Does anyone remember Feast ice lollies? A soft outer with a hard centre? That’s what this music is. It’s tough enough to qualify as rock but it’s also a bit gooey and melty around the edges. Something for everyone means that screaming solos and soaring vocals are paired with whoah-oh choruses and punch-the-air anthems until everyone reaches a crescendo of happiness. That’s the other thing about The New Roses, they exude happiness and it spreads into the crowd like a wildfire. There may be guitarface and posing but it’s all done in good humour and with a cheerful demeanour.

Crowd interaction is all part of the show, and with there being very little space between stage and floor there is a lot of close-up action. It’s not all about the new songs either, old favourites such as ‘It’s A Long Way’ and ‘Thirsty’ get an airing and asses are obligingly danced off at the front of the stage. It’s all energy, with the band feeding off the crowd and firing on all cylinders for the whole show. There’s a tinge of country as the acoustic guitar comes out for a road song, but not enough to change the atmosphere.

For a band that can sometimes come across as a little insipid and bland on their recorded output these guys really take it up a notch in a live setting, and their energy and enthusiasm is second to none. There are fistbumps and high fives galore, and for a little  while it’s hard to see where the band ends and the crowd begins.

For an encore we get Timmy singing with just an acoustic guitar, crooning out a song that is a duet on the album. It's beautifully done. They end with probably their two most well-known songs, ‘Usual Suspects’ and ‘Down By The River’, and the crowd is with them for every moment. It may be a cold night in Manchester but everyone present has been able to take a little of the warmth exuded by this band away with them.

Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!
The New Roses + Leonie Jakobi