It’s been a long, long wait, over four decades in fact, but they finally made it.
Riot, who morphed into Riot V, following the death of founder and heart and soul of the band, Mark Reale 5 years ago, have never played in Newcastle but were about to correct that wrong at Trillians.
After travel problems flying to Glasgow the day before knocked them off schedule, Riot V were in Newcastle hitting the stage at a more civilised hour than the previous night and quickly set the tone with Victory from their stupendously good new album Armor of Light before dipping into their classic Thundersteel album, celebrating its 30th birthday this year with Flight of the Warrior.
Over the next two hours any sense of jet lag was quickly banished by a hard hitting, energetic set drawing songs from right across their recording career from 1977’s Rock City (Tokyo Rose, Warrior) right up to their latest release Armor of Light (Messiah & Angel’s Thunder, Devil’s Reign) with a plethora of classics including a liberal sprinkling of Thundersteel chestnuts in homage to it’s 30th anniversary meaning a thumping rampage through Johnny’s Back and set closer Thundersteel itself. Well it would have been were it not for the insanely enthusiastic throng demanding more when they literally stopped the band leaving the stage until a brutal Fight Or Fall sated their desire.
With Riot V marking chapter five of the band coinciding with the recruitment singer Todd Michael Hall, who was inspiring throughout coping with the demands of the works of previous incumbents Guy Speranza, Rhett Forester, Tony Moore et al. Quite an achievement and one delivered with so much energy and enthusiasm.
In the driving seat were Don Stavern on bass who first joined back in 1984 and guitarist Mike Flyntz, who has the longest unbroken tenure in the band, clocking up over 30 years and counting. Both doing the legacy of Riot total justice, keeping the promise made to Mark Reale and his father. Reale would undoubtedly have looked down with pride as his music was kept well and truly alive in a scintillating evening that was well worth the 40 year wait.
Review and Photos By Mick Burgess
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