Rock has always gone through fads and phases. In the 80s it was spandex and hairspray as Hair Metal dominated MTV with songs of booze, fast cars and even faster women. As the 80s made way for the 90s it was all plaid shirts, cargo shorts and down tuned Grunge blowing the stack-heeled Glamsters into the “Where Are They Now?” file. On into the noughties, it was the singer-songwriters who dominated the airwaves and selling out shows.
Mike Tramp has lived through it all and come out of the other side in pretty good shape. With White Lion came the hair and the hits. For a while the stadiums were their oyster and tours with KISS, Motley Crue and Aerosmith made their eyes pop.
While many of his peers fell by the wayside, killed by Grunge, Tramp adapted with Freak Of Nature, an altogether heavier, more intense project before moving into a more mature, reflective singer songwriter territory which is where he resides today.
Tramp’s last ever show with the original White Lion lineup was back in 1991 at the Mayfair and it was to Newcastle, who Tramp raised a glass in thanks to the loyalty of his fanbase, who came in large numbers to hear Tramp reinterpret songs from across his career with just his voice and an acoustic guitar.
For two hours, Tramp ‘s warm and charming personality kept the crowd transfixed as he reworked White Lion classics Wait, Broken Heart and Lady Of The Valley, a dramatic, epic song on vinyl stripped back to its component parts and sounding magnificent in the process.
The heavy weight Grunge songs by Freak Of Nature, Candle and What Am I, reimagined in acoustic format took on a whole new feel as Tramps unique, melodic voice explored the stark melodies afresh.
In between songs, he regaled the crowd with tales of the road and stories behind the songs including explaining to his 10-year-old son that the old White Lion song, Hungry, was a story about an astronaut, in a bold attempt to avoid explaining the true meaning of the risqué lyrics.
Fortunately for Tramp, he did follow the advice of Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and wrote lyrics that he could sing years later, as a more serious artist. When The Children Cry and Cry For Freedom cover issues such as war and apartheid while the more recent Bow and Obey delves into political control as Tramp’s passionate, heartfelt performance brought an intense meaning to every word.
Review and Photos By Mick Burgess
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