Tribute acts occupy a curious position in the musical community; at their best, they live vicariously through their heroes and, having nicked their wardrobes and honed their chops, enjoy a little slice of rock n roll ecstasy. Limehouse Lizzy, however, are something different all together. Now active for nearly two decades, they have garnered a stellar reputation on action-packed, pyrotechnic live shows; closer in style to the zenith than the still active, John Sykes-fronted Thin Lizzy.
Local boys Vintage are the perfect opening act; half an hour of well-chosen 70s rockers was just enough to get the half empty floor in the mood. As a first-time customer, frontman Stevo’s Fogerty-esque howl took me by surprise, really doing the business on classic cuts by Bad Company, Led Zeppelin and a stomping rendition of Creedence classic ‘Fortunate Son’.
At 8:45 the venue began to fill up, snowy tops and protruding bellies were the order of the day, but spirits were high as the lights went down. The sirens wailed, and Lizzy storm the place with ‘Jailbreak’ and ‘Waiting for an Alibi’. Singer Wayne Ellis effortlessly purred his way through with the same hammy machismo as the late Mr Lynott; vocally he remains uncanny, though his protein shake build is a marked contrast to Phil’s wiry frame. Guitarists Tim Read and Greg Alcock have the Robbo/Gorham sound down to a ‘t’; marching about with grins permanently grafted on their faces and swashbuckling the audience during those signature harmonies.
Forgotten gem ‘Wild One’ gets a rare outing and the crowd lap it up, only to be beaten over the head by a dervish ‘Me and the Boys’ – poles apart in the Thin Lizzy canon, they only emphasis the breadth of Lynott’s song writing. Closing with anthem ‘Cowboy Song’ and the ubiquitous ‘The Boys Are Back in Town’, the four walls of Fibbers are in good spirits with ‘special guest’ roadie Julian Turner-Bell joining in the tomfoolery with some inflatable axe-slinging. Concluding the encore was an inevitable, rocking ‘Whisky in the Jar’; Ellis and co. remains unmatched in keeping the dream alive.
Philip Lynott passed away in 1986, and though his band Thin Lizzy never scored a number one in this country, his legacy as one of rocks finest song writers is undeniable. Catch Limehouse Lizzy live and be a part of that legacy!
Tour dates available at: http://www.limehouselizzy.co.uk/tour_dates.php
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