Review & Photography by Paul Verner for MPM
On a night where Belfast streets and venues are filled with ghouls and ghosts and other random forms of fancy dress, it seems only fitting that Hotter Than Hell get glammed up and put on a Halloween show at the Mandela Hall in Belfast.
First up tonight, Alpha Sista. Opening their set with with Tales of Wow and quickly following with Miss Crimson, the set was a high octane powerhouse with plenty of rock n roll shenanigans from lead singer Storm Hayley who was outfitted in a Freddy Kruger style sweater combined with her now trademark green hair. The only let up the whole set was about half way through for Darlin’.
Great to see them on a bigger stage and taking full advantage of the space. They have some catchy songs and they can really put on a show. I look forward to seeing what they do next.
Next up Dub Leppard. There’s not much to say here, they bill themselves as Ireland’s ultimate Def Leppard tribute band and that may be because they’re the only DL tribute band in Ireland.
Kicking off their set with Lets Get Rocked, their timing and vocal harmonies were all over the place from the outset. It didn’t really improve as they screeched and scratched their way though a smorgasbord of Def Leppard hits. The lead singer at one point declaring they’d “practised their bollocks off” – really? It didn’t show. That being said there were plenty in the crowd who were happy to sing along and have a boogie to some great songs.
Finally time to set the stage on fire, literally – Hotter Than Hell, Europe’s No.1 KISS tribute show took to the stage, pyro and all. For fans who hadn’t see them before there was a certain amount of nervous anticipation as some had concerns as to whether or not they would be better than the previous band. From the moment the lights dimmed and the opening riffs of Detroit Rock City filled the venue, the nervousness dissipated and it was clear they were in for a show that went far beyond mere imitation.
The band brought charisma and professionalism, capturing the raw energy that defined KISS in their ‘70s heyday. Each member fully embodied their iconic counterpart, from “Starchild” with his signature winks and flamboyant stage moves, to “Demon” who took every opportunity to showcase his impressive tongue. “Space Ace” complete with smoking pick-up in his guitar and “The Catman”, holding it all together at the back on drums. The dedication to detail was obvious, as the group recreated the signature KISS make-up & costumes, including platform shoes and rhinestones and chains.
Not only did the band look the part, but vocally, and musically the band had the chops to tackle any KISS song they wanted with surprising authenticity. “Paul Stanley” could hit high notes with ease and “Ace Frehley’s” guitar solo’s were note perfect. Unsurprisingly, they mostly stuck to the hits, it was hard to go wrong, everything seemed to be a crowd favourite. Highlights included Lick It Up, Crazy Nights and Strutter. They closed the main set with “The Catman” singing Black Diamond.
It could be argued they kept the biggest hits until the encore, starting off with Love Gun and followed up with I Was Made For Loving You, God Gave Rock And Roll To You and closed the evening with the party anthem Rock And Roll All Nite.
While tribute bands can sometimes feel like a cover of a cover, Hotter Than Hell succeeded in capturing the essence and the spirit of a KISS show while giving it a fresh, high-energy spin. They honour the legend of KISS without relying on gimmicks, instead their skill and dedication gives the audience a genuine celebration of rock and roll. Go check their socials and catch them in a town near you.
Set List
- Detroit Rock City
- I Stole Your Love
- Deuce
- Shout It Out Loud
- Heaven’s On Fire
- Do You Love Me?
- Strutter
- Shock Me
- I Love It Loud
- Lick It Up
- 2000 Man
- Tears Are Falling
- Crazy Crazy Nights
- God Of Thunder
- New York Groove
- Black Diamond
- Love Gun
- I Was Made For Lovin’ You
- God Gave Rock And Roll To You
- Rock And Roll All Nite
