heaven's basement live

I first saw Heaven’s Basement live a year ago… and I’ve seen them whenever I could since then, and downloaded every song they’ve ever posted and bought everything they’ve released like some sad fan girl. No band has excited me like this for decades. Tonight they were playing to a sold out Wolves crowd… the venue was turning them way at the door because of fire regulations. Unfortunately the fire limit didn’t seem nearly enough and playing to this few people is a travesty. But nevertheless, unsurprisingly to those that have been blessed to see them before, they rose to the occasion effortlessly. They commanded the stage from the first minute, and as always played as though they were in front of 50,000 at Wembley.

Tear Your Heart Out kicked the night off, always one of the real stormers in the set and then there was just no let up as they went into the two tracks from their latest MCD, Can’t Let Go and Misunderstood. What a start. Catchy sing-a-long wo-ah wo-ah choruses, classic rock guitars, pounding drums with drummer Chris Rivers expertly twirling his stick effortlessly throughout.

The slower Dead Man lets everyone get their breath a bit, and the pulsating Reign on my Parade is dedicated to those who haven’t been able to get in tonight. The set is whizzing by way too fast.

Vocalist Richie Hevanz, complete this tour with new short spiky hair, stands mid-set with hand on hips staring out confidently at the crowd getting his breath as the rest of the band rock out in the instrumental part. Anyone else wearing eyeliner and black nail varnish in a classic rock band would probably look out of place, but he carries it off perfectly, his new hair cut seems to make him more confident on stage. No longer hiding behind hair, he seems more defiant somehow.

Mirrors is given a new acoustic style makeover with an epic guitar solo. Heaven’s Basement manage to make such things fit perfectly; they’re not some ego-boosting tedious filling addition to a song. And pin-up guitarist Sid Glover, wearing fetching emo style eye make-up tonight, plays them perfectly. The guitar was invented for the coming of Sid Glover.

The crowd was treated to a new song Life of Hell which shows Heaven’s Basement have no intention of stopping the writing of better and better catchy classic rocks tracks any time soon. They finish it off with the classic 70s sounding Executioner’s Day, Glover trashing his guitar at the end, guitarists Jonny Rocker & Glover snarling at the crowd and urging them on. It’s not long before the crowd persuade them to come back for an encore.

Heaven’s Basement are a classic rock band with amazing songs, brilliantly competent and tight as hell on stage. They always hit the stage running at 110 miles an hour from the first chord and, the absolute most important thing of all looked to be loving what they did. And that's what makes me buzz. Lots of bands have good songs; lots of bands can play them well live. But what makes you stand out and be special? Whatever it is Heaven’s Basement should bottle it and sell it. They were even more confident tonight than ever before, there was an aggression about them; they were totally fired up, and it was exciting and infectious. How do they keep getting better? Yet somehow they do.

Heaven’s Basement make me remember what it’s like to be excited about music. I hope the sold out Little Civic crowd appreciated this tonight, they have seen something special before the band go onto greater things. I cannot stop grinning for these guys; this is how live raw passionate rock’n’roll should be. Earning your spurs with great live shows, by word of mouth and because you love playing.

By far and away Heaven’s Basement is the best rock band in the UK right now.

by Lynn Wyeth