Buckcherry, Corporation, Sheffield, July 25th
Buckcherry played at the Corporation in Sheffield on July 25th
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By Adam Leveridge. |  |
Sunday, 26, Jul 2009 04:43
Richard Chamberlain on an energetic, adrenalised performance from the rock survivors.
Despite taking to the stage at the ungodly time of 7pm, the Crave manage to kick Buckcherry's four-band Sheffield show off in a suitably rocking fashion, even if their fusion of hard rock riffs and infectious melodies is missed by most of the Corporation crowd who are slowly filtering into the venue.
By the time Brit upstarts Heaven's Basement hit the stage the crowd, and atmosphere, is building. The band play their role of whipping the audience up into a frenzy of anticipation for Buckcherry to perfection, delivering a set crammed with foot-stomping, fist-pumping future classic rock anthems and are certainly one to watch.
Unfortunately, much of Heaven's Basement's good work is undone by the insipid Dear Superstar, whose hard rock/screamo combination falls a little flat and while they have plenty going for them, great musicianship and enormous stage presence for starters, they just don't have the songs to back it up.
One band that certainly do have the songs to back up their talent are Buckcherry. The Los Angeles five-piece roll onstage to the Mission Impossible theme, which is ironic because as far as this gig's concerned, it's pretty much mission complete as soon as frontman Josh Todd snakes onto the stage, with the charismatic vocalist holding the crowd in the palm of his hand right from the off.
A collection of cuts from last year's Black Butterfly and the band's smash 2006 comeback album 15 form the bulk of the set, while a smattering of classics from their self-titled debut and follow-up Time Bomb sit side-by-side in a fan pleasing collection of tracks.
Tired of You, Next to You and Broken Glass get things kicked off at a blistering pace, before monster hit Lit Up nearly blows the roof off the venue, with its crunching lead riff getting the Sheffield crowd bouncing amid a sea of flailing limbs and flesh.
Todd is very much the ringmaster of the show, cutting a manic figure in the centre of the stage, covered almost head to toe in tattoos and absolutely pouring with sweat while spitting out lyrics with every ounce of energy he can muster.
Next to him guitarist, and fellow Buckcherry founder, Keith Nelson puts on a virtuoso performance, throwing out searing solos and licks, while trading riffs with Stevie D and Jimmy Ashhurst. At the back of the stage Xavier Muriel beats the drum skins with sticks the size of tree trunks, pounding out the beats that the rest of the band paint their hip-shaking, sexually-charged sound on top of.
Oldies Check Your Head and Ridin' ensure that there is no mid-set lull, as Buckcherry put in the kind if performance more befitting a classic rock arena show. Speaking of which, a cover of Deep Purple's Highway Star keeps the adrenaline levels high, before slow-burner Sorry brings things back down, giving an exhausted crowd a much needed breather.
If Lit Up threatened to tear the roof off the venue earlier in the set, foul-mouthed ode to sex Crazy Bitch rips a very intimate part of its anatomy off. Its huge riff and singalong chorus ensure that the Sheffield crowd stretches its collective vocal chords while showing off a dance move or two, allowing Buckcherry to depart as the night's heroes after one of the most energetic performances the venue is likely to see for many a year to come.
Richard Chamberlain