Ricky Warwick brought his Fighting Hearts to Dublin last night and it was full on ear bleeding rock.
Not surprising when you look at who makes up the Fighting Hearts on this tour. On Guitar from The Sisters Of Mercy / Diamond Black, Mr Ben Christo, on drums from Tax The Heat, Mr Jack Taylor and on bass ex The Mission / The Only Ones, Mr Richard Vernon and they were loud!
Tonight was a night spanning Ricky’s career with songs from The Almighty / Thin Lizzy / Black Star Rides and of-course his latest album When Life was Hard and Fast.
Opening tonight’s set with Gunslinger a song from the aforementioned album and a Mink DeVille cover, its then straight into The Almighty’s Over the Edge and back to a Ricky solo song taken from the album When Patsy Cline was Crazy (And Guy Mitchell Sang the Blues) The Road To Damascus Street.
You Don’t Love Me up next before things start to get hot and sweaty with the Thin Lizzy classic Jailbreak ending in a loud police siren and blue & red lights flashing.
Up next its When Patsy Cline Was Crazy (And Guy Mitchell Sang The Blues) for the album of the same name. Never Corner a Rat, where after Ricky tells us the story of how the next song came about, the Almighty track Wrench to the crowds delight. Incidentally Ricky’s not doing much talking tonight as trying to save his voice which he has informed us isn’t holding up the best due to not being out on the road for the past two years (something I have heard is happening to many artists at the moment) But believe me this doesn’t stop Ricky delivering a set as hard and fast as if nothing is wrong and saying nothing is going to stop this tour, so powering on its the turn of songs like Still Alive / Fighting Heart / from the tour album, followed by Jonestown Mind (The Almighty)
You’re My Rock and Roll / Celebrating Sinking get an airing before an all time favourite of mine taking us back to a song Ricky says was wrote over 20 years ago its Tattoos and Alibis.
The tour album title track is next up When Life was Hard and Fast followed by Finest Hour ( Black Star Riders) and a cover of Motorhead’s Iron Fist. The guys finish out with The Almighty’s classic Free ‘n’ Easy.
Tonight has been a true rock and roll show with no frills just hard paste rock right through.
