SLADE

 

IF last friday night was a crazy night for Slade, it was pandemonium for everyone else. Bradford St George's Hall was packed with a capacity crowd of swaying sweaty bodies, all intent on pressing themselves as close to the stage as possible. Girls were crushed, chest high against the stage, arms outstretched to Dave Hill and Noddy Holder.

The show had a great communal party atmosphere. Two girls, picked out early as the best Noddy Holder lookalikes, were presented onstage with an album and a cassette tape recorder. The act has changed a bit to take in new songs, but they still hold on to numbers like 'Take Me Bak 'Ome', which they opened with.

While Hill is playing to the gallery - they never miss any part of the audience out - Noddy is controlling the main body into complete acquiescence.

They wave when he tells them to and they sing 'Everyday' just as loud as the band when he encourages them. Jim Lea gets his moments when he is featured in 'When The Lights Are Out', and it's the first time that a British audience has seen Don Powell since his road accident.

The Slade tour is a grand event, slightly larger than life. Hill, carefully picking his way across the stage in precarious high heeled boots, poses and postures like a ballet dancer.

And on that thought, it was good to see support band Beckett do so well.

They lost the audience only once when they slowed down a number, but for the most part they handled the loud impatient Slade crowd really well. I think this tour will do them a lot of good.

 

ROSALIND RUSSELL, DISC MAGAZINE, 27 APRIL 1974

From the archive of Slade In England

Slade in England © 2015