The Delta Bombers at The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea REVIEW: 'There's no lack of fire in their bellies'

Rock’n’roll is alive and well, judging by the evidence of this show.
The Delta Bombers at The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea, July 20, 2019. Picture by Paul WindsorThe Delta Bombers at The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea, July 20, 2019. Picture by Paul Windsor
The Delta Bombers at The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea, July 20, 2019. Picture by Paul Windsor

Support act Danny O & The Astrotones are sharply dressed in suits when they take to the stage – the look is pure American high school band, circa 1959.

The sound, on the other hand, may have the birth of rock in its DNA, but drags it kicking and screaming into the 21st century. Frontman, Danny asks forgiveness for the state of his voice, but had he not mentioned it, you’d probably not have known, as he hollers and yelps through a lengthy set.

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They touch on their influences with a cover of garage-rock legends The Sonics’ The Hustler, and there’s a touching tribute to Danny’s dad, Paul, who died a year ago this month, in the shape of the track Machine Gun by his old band The Rough Diamonds.

The rest of the set is a high-energy romp through much of The Astrotones’ debut album, released in June. There’s plenty of showmanship and banter, and amazingly, by the end, despite the sweltering heat, the jacket has remained on.

Well worth checking out.

It’s the final night of a UK tour, and The Delta Bombers are clearly focused on the finishing line.

Guitarist Andrew Himmler may have lost track of the days – he invites us all to get drinking on a Friday night (it’s Saturday), but it’s the only sign of tour fatigue.

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There’s no lack of fire in the bellies of the Las Vegas four-piece as they blast through a 17-song set of their amalgam of country, blues and rockabilly.

Frontman Chris Moinichen is a commanding stage presence with a powerful voice, while Gregorio Garcia on upright bass and Micah Malcolm on drums make sure things keep swinging.

They finish with a cover of Howlin’ Wolf’s Smokestack Lightning that crackles with electricity, and by its end everything has been left on stage.

The night had been moved from the smaller Rifle Club, and it was a wise move. While not a sell-out, The Wedge is busy with a wide selection of quiffs, mohawks, Hawaiian shirts and Cramps T-shirts on display.

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Rockabilly may well be one of the last truly identifiable music tribes left standing, but with bands coming through as strong as The Astrotones and established players like the Bombers, it’s clearly going to be around for a while yet. 

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