Therapy? were first up for the battle. This Irish trio have only recently reformed and how good it was to see them back on stage and clearly on form. I’ve seen these guys at Rock City before.  I’ve seen them second on the bill to Metallica at Donington Monsters of Rock when Therapy? were at their height.
And tonight? I wasn’t disappointed. Therapy? haven’t lost their edge; they haven’t lost their sharp, dark, moody music - ‘Screamager‘, ‘Nowhere‘, ‘Knives‘, ‘Trigger Inside‘, ‘Stop It You’re Killing Me’ and the classic ‘Isolation.’ Andy had the crowd rocking and begging for more.  It was a disappointment when they left the stage and I hope they’ll be back to Rock City very soon.
Next round of the contest
The Wildhearts.
‘I Wanna Go Where The People Go‘, followed by ‘Greetings From Shitsville’ - what an opener.  The tightly packed crowd were dancing, singing and yelling for more.  A grinning Ginger treated us to songs old and new - ‘Vanilla Radio‘, ‘Caprice’ - and told us that he spent more time at Rock City than in his home town of Newcastle. We loved it.
British Rock is the best, Ginger told us.  They’re even saying that in America.  And thanks for supporting us for all these years.
I first saw The Wildhearts at Rock City - eleven years ago - wedged between Kerbdog and The Almighty.  I’ve loved them ever since.  They play melodic rock that makes you want to get up and dance. They haven’t mellowed with age, they’ve improved and gotten stronger.  The Wildhearts are one of the best live bands that the British Rock scene has to offer.
Ginger loves encores - he reckons it’s a rock star kind of thing - “we leave, you shout, we come back”.  Then he treats us to forty more minutes of glorious music - ‘29 Times The Pain‘, ‘Caffeine Bomb‘, ‘Suckerpunch‘, ‘My Baby Is A Headf**k‘, finishing with my favourite, ‘Love You Till I Don’t‘.
Then it’s all over.  The crowd’s still milling around, talking and drinking; the roadies are clearing away the gear; the security men (who had been singing along!) look bemused by the sudden quiet.
Missed it? Well, The Wildhearts are hoping to be back at Rock City in December. Next time - be there!