Collateral, Friday 20th September 2019: The Asylum 2, Birmingham
Posted by: Paul H. Birch in Live Reviews on 23-Sept-2019
The members of Collateral obviously listened to their granddads talk about how back-in-the-day Deep Purple began their live act with the aural equivalent of a train crash; Blackmore screeching notes out to emphasis the metal behemoth scraping loose from its tracks. These young lads like the idea so much they not only deliver their opening number in this manner but a couple of others too.
Its been a long time since Robert Plant made wearing girls’ blouses a heroic manly thing to do in rock circles. The last time that look passed muster in Brum was either with Lone Star’s John Sloman at the Town Hall, or Van Halen’s Dave Lee Roth back when the Odeon held concerts. Fortunately for the ladies in the audience, no one passed that memo onto Angelo Tristan who could audition for the role of Joseph in his affecting long coat of many colours.
That’s if you could keep him still that is because he likes to roam the stage, acting out the part of a rock star in waiting. His workmates meanwhile unleash their collective thunder and lay out a throbbing groove throwing in hooks aplenty with guitarist Todd Winger’s whammy bar whipping up a frenzy before a short but sweet chunky fret devouring solo.
Before you can take a breath they’re straight into ‘Blowing With The Wind’ and coming across like Bon Jovi with balls, despite Angelo having picked up an acoustic for it adds a subtle but inspired dimension to their sound most of the night. The applause that follows its conclusion is loud and genuine.
Bass player Jack Bentley-Smith invites us to “Make some noise!” Fair enough, but I rather like the sounds on stage: deep resonating chords followed by a cool dip into Americana before whipping it up in a whiling merry-go-round with an unexpected wail of furious guitar fire. What’s more, Winger’s a tasty classy player who knows when not to overplay.
While the lead vocals coming through the PA tonight could be stronger, there’s a deeper timbre to Tristan’s voice with the next tune, the band’s strong on harmonies too. Jack Bentley-Smith will also apply the vocal melody line to his bass before they surge forth collectively to a racing finish.
After that second aural train crash, the front man has the audacity to tell us he hopes we’ll find peace within the next tune. However, ‘About the Boy’ features a joyous guitar melody, with some inventive percussion played underneath by drummer Ben Atkinson. With an audience clapping their hands over their heads they sing along and it does indeed make this miserable bugger feel happy, if not at peace.
After that second aural train crash, the front man has the audacity to tell us he hopes we’ll find peace within the next tune. However, ‘About the Boy’ features a joyous guitar melody, with some inventive percussion played underneath by drummer Ben Atkinson. With an audience clapping their hands over their heads they sing along and it does indeed make this miserable bugger feel happy, if not at peace.
Their cover of ‘You Give Love A Bad Name’ comes with added muscle, and the next number finds them in a party Kiss mode. Maybe there’s a little too much stage banter between numbers, but we can hardly complain about the music and they finish with a bang on the head bopping, audience ass shaking (both sexes) ‘Midnight Queen’ and encoring with ‘Lullaby’ comes across like members of Lizzy & UFO in their youthful prime trying to outdo each other.
“We’ll see you guys soon!” calls out Tristan. Yes, you most likely will.
Sadly, while the time taken to change stage sets deflates the general atmosphere a little, the voyeurs amongst us note the upbeat manner the members of Collateral fist bump and shake each other’s hands, those of roadies and Piston too, in a we’re-all-in-this-together vibe.
Link to article: http://ramzine.co.uk/reviews/live-reviews/collateral-piston-friday-20th-september-2019-the-asylum-2-birmingham