Having a hit single is the biggest crime against music that any Hard Rock band can commit especially if that song happens to be a ballad, or so you’d think judging by the abuse levelled at Extreme on topping the charts around the globe with “More Than Words”. The fact that when Pornograffitti, the album that spawned the hit, was released it received glowing accolades across the board with many citing it as the most exciting and varied release for many years. Those very same people are the ones that turned their backs when the big time called Extreme; such is the fickle nature of the music business.
Extreme continued for a couple more albums and several more hit singles but ran out of steam after their Waiting For The Punchline album weighted in. The following years saw lead singer Gary Cherone take up the offer of leading Van Halen for one, less than successful, album while guitarist Nuno Bettencourt busied himself with solo projects and latterly with Satellite Party featuring Perry Farrell from Jane’s Addiction.
News that Extreme were getting back together after over a decade apart was met with something of a muted response in many quarters, however Extreme’s large fan base was delighted. Not content with playing the nostalgia market, Extreme wasted no time in putting out new material. Saudades De Rock was released earlier this year and their brand of groove laden Hard Rock has turned out to be one of the finest releases of the year.
Extreme’s appearance at the City Hall comes almost 13 years since their last appearance in Newcastle but you couldn’t tell when looking at the youthful Bettencourt and the agile Cherone who’s hyped up energy levels belied his years.
“Comfortably Dumb” from their latest release and “Decadence Dance” from the aforementioned Pornograffitti is as kicking an opener as any and set the pace for the whole night. This was Extreme, the Hard Rock band, not Extreme the Pop band as they grooved their way through 45 minutes of rockers before pausing for breath with “Rest in Peace”, “It’s A Monster” and “Cupid’s Dead” hitting home with a vengeance.
New drummer Kevin Figueirdo, Bettencourt’s former Satellite Party band mate, locked tightly with bassist Pat Badger, giving a more Bonham-esque groove to the band than they previously had. In fact, the addition of the superb Figuerido has certainly upped the ante in the band giving them a new lease on life.
Not surprising however, the stars of the show are Cherone and Bettencourt. The former is a front man of great character and flamboyance and the latter one of the finest guitarists of the last 20 years and it is this exceptional level of musicianship that sets Extreme apart from their contemporaries.
Bettencourt riffs and shreds like a madman yet always retains a catchy melody or hook line to reel you in.
New album Saudades de Rock features throughout the night with “Star” rattling along with some fine precision three part harmonies adding to its already melodic framework. Make no mistake however, this is serious kick ass Rock’n’ Roll, just how it should be.
Of course Extreme couldn’t leave the stage without playing “More Than Words” and after a short acoustic workout by Bettencourt that included a playful segment of “Stairway To Heaven”, the band duly obliged and played their biggest hit to a delighted crowd who drowned the band out as they sang along.
Closing the set with the Funk fuelled “Get The Funk Out” had the rafters rocking and the crowd baying for more. Returning to the stage for a surprising yet cracking “Am I Ever Going To Change” was one of the show’s highlights and the almost progressive structure of the song was a joy to watch unfold on the stage over the course of the piece.
As the closing notes of the sing a long “Hole Hearted” disappeared into the air the crowd started to make its way to the exit as the band left the stage only for Cherone to bundle Bettencourt back out for a rip roaring romp through Led Zeppelin’s “Communication Breakdown” in what seemed like an impromptu bonus encore.
Extreme may have been away for 13 years but you couldn’t tell on this superb, energetic, hard rocking display. With an excellent new album in the can and a successful world tour under the belt, it looks as though an exciting new chapter in the career of Extreme has just begun and hopefully there’ll be plenty more to hear from them in the future.
Be the first to comment