Review & Photography by Manny Manson for MPM
Opening for Spike at the Old Cold Store was no small task, but Rhiannon Hill, vocal powerhouse from Kira Mac, took it in her stride.
Well, mostly. With her guitarist Joe Worsley stranded in Belfast, she had to take on the set solo, turning what could have been a nerve-wracking situation into an effortlessly entertaining, laugh-a-minute performance that won the Nottingham crowd over from the get-go.
If there were any hiccups, no one cared, except Rhiannon herself, who filled the gaps between songs with self-deprecating humour, wild anecdotes, and profuse apologies for things that didn’t need apologising for. Her natural ability to tell a story had the audience hanging on every word, whether she was setting up a song or going off on a hilarious tangent.
She opened with “What You Listening To,” her voice rich and full of soul, instantly drawing the room in. Stripped back and raw, the song took on a whole new life in this acoustic setting, making every lyric hit just that little bit harder. She pointed out that with the band she is “KIRA MAC” but on her own (acoustically) she is known as “Rhiannon”.
Even without the full force of Kira Mac behind her, she brought plenty of fire to “Hellfire & Holy Water,” delivering a performance that was both fierce and full of grit. With no lead guitarist to fall back on, all the weight was on her voice, and her guitar ability, something she admitted was meh at best, but it didn’t matter, she more than carried it, proving just how powerful and dynamic a vocalist she is, who’s not too shabby with the noodling too.
Then came a curveball with a cover of Queen’s “Fat Bottomed Girls,” which went down a storm as the crowd joined in, turning the Old Cold Store into an impromptu sing-along session. Her sense of humour shone through, jokingly blaming the absence of a full band for how much more noticeable any slip-ups were—though, to the audience, everything sounded spot on.
Rounding off the set, she took on Miley Cyrus’ “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart.” The track suited her perfectly, her voice brimming with emotion and soul, proving that even without the big production of the original, the song could still hit just as hard, especially when you’re Rhiannon Hill good!
Between songs, she confessed her love for acoustic performances, admitting that Kira Mac’s latest album had taken a heavier direction, oh and I forgot to mention it was laid down in a freezing cold Canada, she joked. You could tell she relished the chance to strip things back, even if she spent half the set joking about how underprepared she was. If you’d caught any of the Kira Mac tours in the past, she has been known to knock out a couple of acoustic numbers.
By the end, it was clear: Rhiannon Hill didn’t just get through the short set, she absolutely nailed it. With a voice that soared and a personality that shone even brighter, she turned a solo gig into a full-blown experience. No band? No problem. She had the crowd in the palm of her hand, and if this was her off-the-cuff performance, I can guarantee Nottingham will be lining up to see what she can do with the full setup next time out.
After a glorious opening set by Kira “Rhiannon” Mac the stage was set for a night of more music, laughter, and outrageous storytelling. The legendary Spike brought his “Up Close and Personal” acoustic set to the Old Cold Store on his current UK tour. Tonight’s show, happily coincides with Rock Vibes PR boss, Lisa Morrison’s, yet another, 21st birthday, and so the evening inevitably starts on a high with a rousing, if slightly chaotic crowd sing-along of ‘Happy Birthday’ before Spike, introduced by Lisa, took the centre stage, or rather, his own unpredictable route just off it!
Kicking things off with a hysterical rendition of Rod Stewart’s ‘Tonight’s the Night,’ Spike wasted no time in going off-piste, highlighting some of the more questionable lyrical choices with a hilarious twist. It set the tone for an evening where the songs, great as they were, served mostly as punctuation marks between his riotous anecdotes, stories and his inability to get Black Sabbath tickets.
And what stories they were! From duetting with Bonnie Tyler only for his mother to ask which voice was his, to polishing off a bottle of Courvoisier mid-flight with an unsuspecting older lady who turned out to be Bono’s mum, the tales came thick and fast. To having a collection of his Mam and Da’s favourite song and being told to record it, his reply “I can’t it include Fucking Edelweiss”, to huge laughter.
He had the crowd in further stitches recounting a scuffle with Michael Schenker and a plaque being laid to his memory of knocking him out! and to the time he inadvertently ‘sorted out’ a problem on a Whitesnake tour – three days before it actually ended, earning himself an early exit. His David Coverdale impression? Pure ‘Spitting Image’ material, delivered with pitch-perfect flair as he told how Coverdale had repeatedly dined out on the story.
Chris Heilmann accompanied Spike on guitar through-out, sat watching from the back, sometimes in disbelief at Spike but mostly wiping his eyes from laughter.
The written setlist – most of which wasn’t played – included:
- ‘Raining Whiskey’ – a Frankie Miller song and a fitting tribute to a legendary singer-songwriter.
- ‘Roses and Rings’
- ‘You + I’
- ‘Fortune’ – the big hit with Bonnie Tyler, a voice and a legendary drinker.
- ‘Cocaine’ – another Frankie Miller track, with Spike weaving tales of his dusty past.
- ‘Have a Drink with Me’
- ‘711 Roses’
- ‘Fall in Love’
- ‘House of the Rising Sun’ – this epic Animals tune got the full Spike treatment.
- ‘There She Goes’ – a huge sing-along moment, after finding his setlist and saying, “I’ve not played any of these yet.”
- ‘Ya Gotta Move’ – played on the harmonica and sung through it, making his voice raspier than ever. He started by asking his roadie, Kev, if it was in the right key.
- ‘7 O’Clock’
- Encore: ‘Close the Coal House Door’
- ‘Streets of London’ – his husky voice was the perfect foil for this folk classic, his Mam and Da would be proud.
In short, it was night that wasn’t just about the Quireboys, although Spike spoke fondly of his lost friend and cohort, Mr. Guy Bailey. Despite recent goings-on, you could tell he misses his friend dearly, toasting his name repeatedly throughout the show.
The night had a few covers, especially by his great friend and fellow rock n roll hellraiser, Scotland’s Frankie Miller, and the frequent outburst of everyone being tight arses and not buying his albums, Waldorf Street was on sale at the merch stand.
The sing-along to ‘There She Goes’ had the room bellowing along, and as the night wound down, Spike dedicated his final song, Ralph McTell’s ‘Streets of London,’ to his mum and dad. The Nottingham crowd joined in full-heartedly, closing the night with a poignant and powerful moment that cut through the madness with real sincerity.
Of course, the evening didn’t end there. Spike made sure to mingle, posing for photos and keeping the stories flowing well past closing time. A true character, a born entertainer, and an unfiltered storyteller – Spike proved yet again why he’s nothing short of a legend.
