July
2008
A review and photos
of the show at the Moorfoot Tavern in Sheffield on Saturday
June 28th 2008
"Surely
this can't be right. They only split like a year ago.
No mistake though, the boys are back, and in our town
too as a bonus. Tara's Secret are in Sheffield for their
first gig since their rather short-lived sabbatical.
Putting a full-two hour set on in a pub for no admission
charge is one fine way of saying sorry for ever having
even considered packing up so obviously my incentive to
attend was healthily established here.
Frontman John Trowbridge and guitarists Craig Chapman
and Richard Beardsley return but bring with them a brand
new rhythm section of Dave Deaville on bass & piano
and John JT Thomas on drums, even though until I was told
of changes to the line-up, I still assumed it was the
same five that I'd last seen in action three years before,
at the Herringthorpe Centre in Rotherham.
Giving their absence, opening with a new number is possibly
a less than best idea but 'Natural High' is immediately
what we're on as regarding the tone of the evening. Chequering
covers and own produce for the ensuing forty minutes,
'Drive Me Home', 'Wild Frontier' and 'Closer You Get'
receive a reception warmed up in respective synchronies
by high octane runs through 'Why Can't this Be Love',
'Aint Talking About Love' and 'Fool For Your Lovin' (come
on, you know the bands) but we are humming along to each
and every number, no matter the composer.
An hour gone, there's no stopping these chaps tonight
as a couple more of their own self-crafted belters sandwich
a barnstorming 'Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting'
before they proceed to pull the bravest stunt an AOR act
dare - to cover a song by a 70's DISCO BAND. Swedish melodic
rock favourite Tommy Denander's old outfit Prisoner did
however get away once with performing Britney Spears'
'Crazy' on an album so what's the crime in digging up
Kool & the Gang's 'Ladies Night' eh guys? Especially
when you turn it into a full force hard rocker than replicate
the manufactured dross backing the original artists of
the piece.
An eerie reggae re-work of Bon Jovi's 'Livin' On A Prayer'
catches a lot of attention - the different playing style
totally failing to deter a
sing-along but I think that using the vocal medley from
the 94 acoustic re-mix helps too.
Sticking purely to originals from hereon in, it is a directly
balanced mix of old and new with 'One More Chance', 'Love
Shy', 'Homeland', 'Train Of Love', 'Final Regret' and
'My Reward' - who ever met a band who could put all their
covers in the first half of their set instead of at the
end? But it works! Dave, their new bass-boy also shows
his multi-instrumental abilities alongside Craig's by
also sticking in some solid keyboard work on 'One More
Chance' so in the process reminding people its not only
the songs that this band are good for, as well as generous
set durations.
Not having a dressing room at the Moorfoot Tavern means
that the lads just step out of view while we cheer them
back for an encore. and yes they've got time for two more.
'In Movies' gets people up and dancing along in the background
but not as much as the next song should, Zeppelin's 'Rock
n' Roll', a title which sums the set up in two words.
A great Saturday night for classic rock fans is witnessed
tonight and an even greater band witnessed playing it.
Tara's Secret celebrate their return in style with a strong
and faultless live show and one it is hoped will be repeated.
In the meantime, another album from these lads is keenly
awaited.
9.5 out of 10"
by Dave Attrill at www.metalliville.co.uk
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June 2008 - We are back
