I’ve said it Mosh has itted it in a previous review but Ugly Kid Joe aren’t a regular feature of my listening habits but every time they hit the UK, you can bet I’m there because they never fail to entertain. Now on their final leg of their Rad Wings of Destiny tour, Glasgow’s Slay plays home to the last show of the tour before they make their way back to America (presumably still the country’s least wanted).
Now, in the past, Ugly Kid Joe have had some excellent bands and touring partners, and when they last toured this country with Massive Wagons, I thought, “Hang on, you know who would be a great fit and go down really well?” And it would appear someone else had the same idea and put The Virginmarys on the bill. With two and a half weeks on the road under their belt and the excitement of the conclusion of the tour taking place in their beloved Glasgow, they hit the stage, and are likewise greeted, like natives. Having watched them at Uglyfest at KK’s Steel Mill and selling their merchandise in Nottingham (a massive thank you to them and their new management for putting their trust and faith in me), it’s already a known fact they’re at the top of their game and tonight is no exception. It’s elevated to the next level, intent to finish the tour on a high. The duo of Ally Dickaty (vocals/guitar) and Danny Dolan (drums) open up with “The Meds” for a trademark intense intro for those unfamiliar. It’s going to be loud, it’s going to be raucous and it’s certainly not going to take any prisoners, as shown when they follow it up with the evergreen anthem “Portrait of Red”. It allows for an early piece of audience interaction and for those inclined to jump about (and unless you’re physically unable to, who stands still at a Virginmarys gig?).
For the most part, Ally and Danny rely on newer material like “Devil Keeps Coming” whilst showcasing their ion and authenticity which is reflected in Ally’s words about their love for Glasgow and the brotherhood that has formed between them and Ugly Kid Joe. Likewise, the bond between Ally and Danny is like a third member onstage, almost communicating telepathically when either needs a second to get ready for the next song. Bringing their unique hard-edged alternative rock to a rapidly filling Slay only entices them to go harder as the set progresses. Ally wrenches every last bit of energy out of him and injects it into his jagged riffs, blending blues, punk and grunge into a potent mix whilst simultaneously delivering vocal chord-stripping screams against thought-provoking lyrics that anyone in the room can relate to. Meanwhile Danny matches him beat for beat, attacking his drums as if they’ve wronged him and sacrificing his hands in the process all in service of his art, making more use of his small kit than drummers with twice the gear.
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The thrashy “Lies Lies Lies” allows for some serious headbanging as its razor-sharp riff butts heads with gargantuan drums before it gives way to the return of “Northwest Coast”. Having made its debut a couple of years ago when the pair toured with Ricky Warwick and hometown heroes Anchor Lane, it’s been given a fresh lick of paint. It’s still a groovy motherfucker but now it’s filthier and even more potent than it already was. Fan favourites “Just a Ride” and “Look Out For My Brother” propel them forward until they hit the finale of “Bang Bang Bang”. For one final dose of bombast on their final song of the tour, they batter through the well-worn number to finish the evening on a high with most, if not all, of Ugly Kid Joe and their crew watching on. It’s safe to say they’ve made an impression on the band, newcomers and another reminder of why a Glasgow Virginmarys show isn’t to be missed.
It’s a tall mountain to climb to match tonight’s but it’s one Ugly Kid Joe are more than capable of. By now, Slay is packed and my voice is ruined from screaming and singing along for the best part of forty minutes. But that’s immediately forgotten as the headliners charge through tonight’s set. Once the band rattle through their instrumental intro, they’re ed by enigmatic and magnetic frontman Whitfield Crane and launch into “V.I.P.” and any discomfort is forgotten as I’m singing along with Crane (as are most of the crowd) for the chorus. It’s quickly followed up by “Neighbour” and “Jesus Rode a Harley”. In other words – Ugly Kid Joe aren’t fucking about. Not that they ever have on any previous time we’ve caught them. What does become obvious is that whilst I don’t have them on heavy rotation, they know how to write songs that can immediately be pulled from the memory banks and have you singing along.
They’re full of energy and frankly, this current line-up is the tightest they’ve had to create the best performance I’ve witnessed from them in the dozen years I’ve been going to see them. Long-standing guitarist Klaus Eichstadt (and the only other original member beside Crane) trades licks effortlessly with Chris Catalyst who has swapped from bass on the last tour to guitar. It also allows him to flex his chops and be a real musician rather than be relegated to operating a laptop for The Sisters of Mercy. Indeed, he tackles the entire catalogue as if it’s his own, playing with grace and style, never being flashy for the sake of it but managing to show why he’s been able to play with The Wildhearts, The Professionals and, for a time, perform as a Nameless Ghoul. Meanwhile drummer Cam Greenwood and bassist Mike Squires lock in in perfect sync for rhythms that have you headbanging, nodding and/or shake your leg to. Between the four of them, they create a solid bedrock for Crane to act as master of ceremonies who is frankly an underrated frontman. If he tells you to wave your hands, you follow. If he tells you to scream, you do it. If he tells you to jump, you do it with more enthusiasm than a five-year-old mainlining sugar.
Tonight, the band are pulling from every corner of their catalogue and whilst for many in the room, it’s a trip down memory lane given most people in the room are… ahem, of a certain age, the newer songs from 2022’s Rad Wings of Destiny slot in like they’re also household classics. Elsewhere, Stairway to Hell’s punchy “No One Survives” and the gritty “I’m Alright” shows that their comeback was just as creatively fulfilling as their original run and simply not paying lip service. However, it’s only natural that most of the set is from their 90s catalogue. But there’s also just the sheer love for music as Crane adlibs an audience request and they play (for one night only) AC/DC’s “Sin City” which is rather apt since the Young brothers were born in Glasgow. It’s not the only cover with their version of “Cats in the Cradle” mentioned as one of their hits and included on America’s Least Wanted to fill a space. It’s not dedicated to anyone in particular like it was to Beth, Ben and Lexi in Wolverhampton but there’s still a loving atmosphere in the room given its lyrical content. And of course, the other cover. Its bassline intro will never not get the hairs on the back of my neck to stand to attention and Lemmy himself may have itted he wrote dozens of better songs but if “Ace of Spades” doesn’t increase your heart rate, you’re likely clinically dead.
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For a band that plays no-nonsense hard rock with its tinge of punk and grungy tones, they’re a band who know how to have fun onstage and they’re one of those bands you can tell live to perform in front of an audience. And it’s harder to tell who’s enjoying it more – us or them (we’ll call it a tie). Eichstadt also takes a turn on vocals as he leads us through “Mr Recordman”, their tongue-in-cheek view of band life and how it was meant to play out for artists in the 20th century. He’s more bashful than Crane but the figure he cuts during that song simply works before they ramp it back up for the home stretch.
It simply wouldn’t be an Ugly Kid Joe show without that song. It may have had the surly attitude of an edgy teenager when it was released but now it’s simply joyous and you wouldn’t want the night to end with anything else. Its upbeat poppy sheen creates a room full of elation and grinning faces who sing it word-perfect, and it’s the exclamation mark on the sentence which is tonight. The band are way past the point of the “reunion period”, it doesn’t seem like they’re stopping any time soon and on the strength of tonight, you wouldn’t want them to because they’d be missed. They’re playing better than ever and given their very reasonable asking price for tickets, they make sure you get your money’s worth but there’s a sense that even if they were playing to a dozen people, they’d still go out and give the performance of their lives. They’re back on UK shores later this year for a festival appearance so fingers crossed they’re able to squeeze in a one-off somewhere (and bring The Virginmarys along for the ride!) because it’ll be the best night of live music you’ll get all year.
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