Mitch Malloy / Kaato - Boulevard, Wigan (UK) - 15 September 2016
This is my first time seeing a band play in Boulevard, even though I have been frequenting the establishment since it opened many years ago. The venue is basically an extra room in a downstairs bar so the capacity is small, the atmosphere cosy, and the fact it is one of the warmest days of the years means a couple of extra sprays of deodorant before setting out was a prudent move.
I have seen Mitch Malloy on numerous occasions and he has never failed to give anything but a great performance. Even though there are only fifty or so people in attendance tonight he plays like it was fifty thousand. The Rock Star looks are in place and despite the minimal floor space he utilises every inch, constantly throwing shapes and flicking his hair. The set is only an hour long and features fan favourites from the classic self-titled debut album (hard to believe it is now twenty-four years old), alongside a couple of new songs and one from the "what might have been" writing/recording sessions with Van Halen.
What is obvious from the start is that the guy can sing. Opening new song 'Rock & Roll' is anthemic Melodic Rock and thankfully the sound is really good and loud. 'It's The Right Time' is the VH song that never was, keeping the momentum going before we are treated to great renditions of 'Mission Of Love' and 'Over The Water'. 'Nobody Wins In This War' is a vocal tour-de-force and shows that even when things get emotional, the energy levels needn't dip. When someone from the crowd shouts out for some Rainbow, Malloy jokingly thanks Ritchie Blackmore for the riff at the heart of 'My Therapy'. 'Our Love Will Never Die', 'Forever' and 'Anything At All' bring things to a close in style alongside a promise to return next year. Kudos to the guys from Kaato who all put in sterling support as Malloy's band. The musicianship and backing vocals were spot on and though I wasn't really enamoured with their own set (their Sleazy take on Stones/Faces wasn't my cup of tea), it was evident they had talent.
I suppose that in these days of reality TV and cringe-worthy talent shows, it is a shame that an artist like Mitch Malloy goes generally un-recognised (when I told people in work who I was going to see there were blank faces all round) and it is to his credit that he put on such a show in front of a meagre middle-aged gathering of Melodic Rock fans. He looks fantastic for his age (fifty-five I believe) and has a voice that puts most singers to shame. It was a fantastic way to spend a sweaty night in Wigan and there were a number of like-minded scribes in attendance who seemed to feel the same way.
Dave Bott
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