Voodoo Johnson - Eddie's - Saturday 31st January 2009

A late, and unavoidable, cancellation from the Gypsy Pistoleros meant that the support slot went to...

Martyr de Mona. Again it's no secret that I've got a soft spot for these fellas. Variety is the spice of life so they say, and their classic/stadium rock style with a more metallic edge, was a welcome change from my usual more extreme leanings. Despite the small gathering they launched into the set with gusto and played an absolute cracker, mixing old, new and covers frighteningly well. They have been in the studio lately, the two tracks they have been working on featured early on. “Mind Ruined Bodies” was a stunning starter, and “Eva” seemed to have a new lease of life. Don't get me wrong, it's always a highlight, but tonight's rendition was superb. Melodic yet heavy this one was relentless. “Try To Mend” is a new song and follows the old slow verse/heavy chorus routine – except there's nothing routine about this one. Great dynamics and a sure fire favourite when they inevitably move up to bigger stadia. There were two covers as well – Stone Temple Pilots' “Meat Plow” and Life Of Agony's “Weed” - which were worthy inclusions. A stylish performance from a band who ooze class – let's just hope it's recognised soon. Setlist; “Mind Ruined Bodies”, “Am I Sorry?”, “Identity”, “Eva”, “Try To Mend”, “Meat Plow”, “Weeds” and “In Our Defence”.

Eight days after their blistering performance at a packed Scruffy Murphy's, Voodoo Johnson again produced a set that will be remembered for a long time to come. Same setlist, same conviction, equally stunning. This band are dynamite live and are surely on the verge of breaking through. An appearance on Classic Rock's next covermount CD can only do them a favour too. Despite the bass player Rich suffering major technical difficulties (first with his wireless, then a couple of lead changes) this was another stunning display. They inhabit the classic rock/stadium rock domain, but there are so many other influences that this description now seems more than slightly restrictive. Throw blues, Southern rock, sleaze, and a harder, rockier, edge into the melting pot and you're getting close. Picking highlights is tantamount to impossible (and irrelevant) but set-closer “Dirty Angel” is destined to be a classic, quite simply it gets better every time you hear it. The two covers worked well too – Velvet Revolver's “Slither” is an obvious inclusion, whereas “All Along The Watchtower” has been re-worked so cleverly that the band made it their own. Momentum seems to be gathering apace, let's hope 2009 is the VJs springboard to bigger and better things. Setlist; “The Art Of Losin'”, “Another White Lie”, “Seven Years”, “Inhale”, “Slither”, “Nowhere Inbetween”, “Non-believers”, “Longest Day”, “Bad Habit”, “All Along The Watchtower”, “Blow Me (away)”, “Stalker” and “Dirty Angel”.

Shame about the woeful attendance, otherwise two classy performances and a highly enjoyable evening.