Live Review : Wolfsbane + The Spangles + Spunk Volcano And The Eruptions @ Waterloo Music Bar, Blackpool on December 7th 2023

So what could drag me out on a trip to the seaside on a cold, wet filthy night? The chance to spend the evening at The Waterloo Bar in Blackpool watching the original lineup of Wolfsbane of course! These rock stalwarts are back on their Tough as Steel tour and playing at the Waterloo Bar tonight.

The first of three bands, Spunk Volcano And The Eruptions kicked off proceedings at 7.15 pm prompt. I know very little about these, as the band enters the stage with a very definite punk attitude in tow. Then emerging from stage left, the main man Spunk Volcano himself, a very tall robust imposing chap resplendent in a spiky leather jacket and balaclava with safety pins complete with an orange Mohican on the top! 

We are treated to a thirty-minute long, nine-song set which is reminiscent of somewhere between The Macc Lads and The Ramones. The band are tight but are having fun, their songs are written about ordinary everyday things that we of a certain age can relate to, like hanging around the off-license when underage, trying to get people to buy cigarettes and beer for us, or our pride and joy motor, in this case, an XR3.

Next up are The Spangles, again I’ve not seen this three-piece punk-inspired band before, however, a couple of the members are familiar from other bands…Polly Phluid from The Idol Dead and Ben Marsden from Warner E Hodges band. Again the punk theme is very evident and the guys are having a whale of a time up there. They open up with the storming ‘Don’t Wanna Go’ and then launch into ‘The Only One’ after which we have a very brief interlude while Ben runs off stage to grab the spare guitar after unceremoniously breaking a string!

There is plenty of interaction with the crowd and we get a blistering ten song set including ‘Get Over Yourself’, ‘Back on the Meds’. They finish up with ‘Growing Up’, most of the crowd are singing along with the songs which are all well received. Job done by the guys as we are suitably warmed up for the main event…

The anticipation builds along with the crowd after visiting the merch stands and the bar, the place is pretty much full by 9.00pm when it is time for Wolfsbane to enter the stage. First on is guitarist Jase Edwards, followed by drummer Steve Danger and bassist Jeff Hately, last on is frontman and vocalist Blaze Bayley to complete the original line up from the late 80’s/early 90’s. They launch straight into ‘Steel’ from the “All Hell's Breaking Loose Down at Little Kathy Wilson's Place”. Blaze works the crowd into a frenzy as the howling mad frontman always does, we get ‘Spit it Out’ and ‘Killing Machine’ in quick succession then the obligatory sing-along on ‘Money to Burn’. 

Blaze informs the crowd that with all their collective recent health issues they shouldn’t even be here, let alone be able to deliver a full-on rock n roll show. Guitarist Jase is dealing with both a broken back and a rare form of cancer too which is why he is seated stage left for the shows; however he has steadfastly refused to cancel any of the gigs. Drummer Steve is also a wounded soldier, seriously debilitated by arthritis and a shoulder injury from a past motorcycle accident. However, none of this affects affect his ability to smash the hell out his drums all night.

And then we have Blaze himself who is recovering from a recent quadruple heart bypass. However, even though they have more collective ailments than a major traumas unit nothing has dimmed the band's enthusiasm and desire to be on tour.  Tonight they give 100% and thoroughly entertain all of us who have ventured out in a blustery December evening.

Amongst all the medical appointments they have even found time to record a new album “Genius” of which four tracks are aired this evening.  The aforementioned ‘Spit it Out’, ‘Zombies’, ‘Rock City Nights’ and ‘Things Are Getting Better’. They demonstrate that Wolfsbane are back on form and still writing great rock songs. In Blaze Bayley the band has a consummate frontman who interacts with and commands the audience. He regales the throng with stories and tall tales to not only link and introduce the songs but also to whip the crowd up, instigating the numerous sing-alongs. 

We get a main set of sixteen songs before a two-song encore of ‘Ezy’ and the ever-popular rabble-rousing ‘Paint The Town Red’. Blaze then teases the crowd with the possibility of a Waterloo Bar Wolfsbane Weekend next year asking if anyone would be interested and receives a deafening wholehearted definite hell yes, if this happens then I will certainly be there at the front, here’s hoping…

Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!
Wolfsbane, The Spangles, Spunk Volcano And The Eruptions