SLADE LIVE CONCERT REVIEWS

 

 

 

slade Noddy Holder1972I may be slightly biased, I accept that right from the word go, but it is my contention, that, having seen just about every 'name' band that has existed in the past 50 odd years, there has never been a finer band on any stage at any time than Slade. Not many even came close to generating the same level of excitement amongst their audience by the time they had reached the end of their set. Slade on the other hand walked out onto the stage to an almost tangible atmosphere generated by the assembled collective gathered to pay homage to them.

Holder, the showman supreme, had the audience in the palm of his hand, a knowing wink, a ribald comment or two and you knew he was one of us, at least thats what we all thought way back then. His tremendous vocal power coupled with his crunching rhythm guitar was a tour de force all of its own. Add the thunderous chest thumping bass of Lea, the simple but deadly effective lead guitar of Hill and Powells rock steady backbeat and you had a phenominal live act.

Slade simply were the best and LOUDEST band I ever saw live....

Slade In England has been collecting together the live reviews that can be found in old libraries, newspaper archives, fans scrapbooks and by actively going out and searching for them. Many have been sourced by the members of the Slade In England Facebook group, from the UK, Europe, Australasia and North America. My special word of thanks must go to Chris Selby who has done more than anyone else in this field of research. We all do it so you don't have to! If while you are reading through this archive you think you have something we don't...please, let us know...sign the guestbook and let us know you have something and we'll get back to you

 

 

SLADE / GREAT HALL, DERBY 4/12/1970

THE true sounds in progressive rock hit Derby like never before on Friday, and left everyone at the Great Hall, Kedleston Road, wondering if it was all really true, writes RICHARD COX. Slade, the ex- skinhead group, who had to change their image to get bookings, more than...........................READ MORE

 

SLADE / BISHOP LONSDALE COLLEGE, DERBY 2/4/1971

Aided by many pints of brown ale, which weren't really needed, a packed house at Bishop Lonsdale College, Uttoxeter Road, Derby, raved and writhed to the music of Slade, at the End Of Rebellion Dance, which brought Rag Week to a close. It was a return visit for this amazing ..............................READ MORE

 

SLADE / COMMAND STUDIO, PICCADILLY, LONDON 19-21/10/1971

It was an hour long set, packed full of goodies, witties and things, and a few name checks. Cameras popped everywhere, and bassman Jimmy Lee burst a string, but all was alright and the faithful throng drifted out into the London night air (yeuk) with warm hearts and tired limbs.........................READ MORE

 

 

SLADE / BRACKNELL SPORTS CENTRE 06/05/1972

Saturday's Slade Concert at Bracknell's Sport Centre was brought to a premature halt following complaints about the noise from nearby residents. The concert was stopped half an hour early by the organisers when they heard that people in the houses opposite in South Hill Road were unable to get to sleep...................READ MORE

 

SLADE / GREAT WESTERN FESTIVAL, BARDNEY, LINCOLN 26/5/1972

Visually, Slade can be pretty hard to take depending on how you like your music served up. Guitarist Dave Hill, for example, maintains an insane grin on his face while jumping on and off his speaker cabinets and scattering silver confetti around at regular intervals, but his.............................READ MORE

 

SLADE / CALIFORNIA BALLROOM, DUNSTABLE 24/6/1972

Even at its height, Beatlemania would have been hard pressed to produce scenes such as prevailed at the California, Dunstable, on Saturday night.Guys screamed for air and girls fainted as Slade rocked and socked it to a capacity audience behind locked doors.The dance floor was.....................READ MORE

 

SLADE / RAINBOW THEATRE LONDON, 29/7/1972

A gent to my left was heard to remark "they are going to be bigger than T. Rex" and no one in the vicinity ventured to disagree. Certainly those dancing in the aisles weren't about to. And anyway, it's girls who go to see T. Rex, whereas Slade pull in both the fellers and the birds......................READ MORE

 

SLADE / JEMELLE FESTIVAL, BELGIUM - 6/8/1972

JEMELLE IS A SLEEPY BELGIAN VILLAGE and district of Rochefort three miles east of the city centre, and famously noted for its smoked ham and sausage. In 1969 however the local youth movement decided to add a rock festival to their calendar and so it was that in 1969 the.........................READ MORE

 

SLADE / SPA BALLROOM BRIDLINGTON - 26/8/72

The brash bawling of Noddy Holder has led Slade to more triumphs than a team of David Bedfords. And Saturday's volcanic eruption at Bridlington Spa Ballroom was no exception. It was a stormer, proving beyond doubt that Slade have reached the all important step where they no ..........................READ MORE

 

SUNDOWN THEATRE, MILE END, LONDON 7/9/72 - SOUNDS

"HANDS UP all those girls with red knickers on. Hands up all those girls with white knickers on. Hands up all those girls with NO knickers on!" Noddy Holder in glistening topper, tartan britches and braces, red shoes and hooped socks, looking every inch like one of Ken Dodd's ..................................READ MORE

 

SUNDOWN THEATRE, MILE END, LONDON 7/9/72 - DISC

The audience responded so well that at one time as everybody stamped their feet the whole balcony literally shook. You don't really review Slade's music, you either like it or you don't. The amplification was full on and the group ploughed on through "Darlin Be Home Soon" ...................................READ MORE

 

SUNDOWN THEATRE, MILE END, LONDON 7/9/72 - THE TIMES

Slade handle their music with the delicacy of a demolition gang, or, more correctly, a demolition gang on a works outing because they communicate a robustness to their audience that on this East End opening threatened the very structure of the renamed Mile End Odeon ....................................READ MORE

 

ACADEMY OF MUSIC, NY - 16/9/72 -VARIETY / NY TIMES

Slade? The reports were true. First rate raunch delivered with expedient power and requisite simplicity, packed irresistibly in a durable highly visible outer coat of pure flesh. Noddy Holder and Dave Hill walk off with top honors in Raw Vocals and Subliminal lead Rhythm Guitar.......................READ MORE

 

SLADE/ EMPIRE POOL WEMBLEY, LONDON/ 28/10/1972 / DAILY EXPRESS

The fans of course know of the organisation and co-operation that went into making this great weekend. Slade breaking a European tour specially to appear........ British European Airways working overtime to bring their gear to the airport at 3 a.m ...... the assistants who ..............................READ MORE

 

ALIVE AND A - ROCKING - EMPIRE POOL WEMBLEY - 28/10/72 - SOUNDS 1972

THE EMPIRE POOL, Wembley, must be one of the most unsuitable places on earth to hold rock and roll concerts. Saturday was the fifth time I have been there to see bands, and although more enjoyable than others I still came away disappointed, the volume was loud enough to pin ....................READ MORE

SLADE / NEWCASTLE CITY HALL - 3/11/72

IT IS eighteen months since Slade were first on the receiving end of knickers thrown on stage. Noddy Holder still has them "to clean me guitar with". Six months ago the first bra fell at their feet and since then it's been a never-ending saga of underwear hurled at the band. Opening night ...............READ MORE

 

SLADE / LIVERPOOL STADIUM - 18/11/72

I've never seen anything like it, though you may have. The kids come jostling in and pack the halls every time. Two or three thousand people stomping and clapping and shouting “WE WANT SLADE! WE WANT SLADE!” hen they come on, it's like a combination of Beatlemania in full bloom and ...............READ MORE

 

SLADE / GREENS PLAYHOUSE GLASGOW - 23/11/72

THANKSGIVING DAY in Glasgow? But where else? I am in Scotland, on tour with Slade, and if you read this column regularly, you know I'm here because "Slade Alive!" is the first album I've heard in years that cures everything from the acute schizophrenic-paranoid blues to the creeping boredom...............READ MORE

 

SLADE / LONDON PALLADIUM - 7/1/73

SLADE'S AUDIENCES come ready to rock, and boy they sure do that. In the unusual surroundings of the London Palladium last Sunday the band's camp follower's packed the Palladium twice in a day for the band's special Fanfare For Europe concerts backed by Newcastle's Geordie. The at..............READ MORE

 

SLADE / LONDON PALLADIUM - 7/1/73

After all, in the first house it was said if you were sitting in either of the circles you could actually feel and see the whole floor move up and down in time to simultaneous stamping from the audience;..............READ MORE

 

SLADE / MELBOURNE SHOWGROUNDS, AUSTRALIA 4/2/1973

Although exciting and high powered, Slade's numbers were predictable -- the rasping Noddy even ad- libbed in the same places as he does in the three Slade albums. It was disappointing, there was no new material. "Keep on Rocking." "Take Me Back Home." "Gudbuy T'Jane" and, of ..............READ MORE

 

SLADE / MANCHESTER HARD ROCK - 27/2/1973

"ERE NOD, give us one of yer bleeding mirrors," the young lady screamed as she beat her painted fingernails against the dressing room door. "Nod", the voice took on a more authoritative note, "gis that badge off yer arse." "Ain't got a badge on me arse" Holder replied and laughed. It .........READ MORE

 

SLADE / MUSIC HALL, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 28/4/1973

Slade are garbed in the glittery haute couture of rock, yet as soon as Noddy Holder directs his mirrored hat and chalk-on-a-blackboard voice towards the audience, and the group erupts into 'Hear Me Calling" the visuals become decidedly secondary. That is, assuming that the paying .............READ MORE

 

 

 

SLADE GIG REVIEWS 2

 

 

 

 

Slade In England