California-based
Londoners Charming Liars are in full force tonight,
warming up the stage for North Carolina native
Chris Daughtry and his band of the same name.
All five members of Charming Liars quit their
University courses and day jobs to move across
the pond to the US where they are currently taking
Los Angeles by storm – appearing at such
notorious haunts as The Whiskey A-Go-Go, Viper
Room and Roxy.
Tracks from their debut EP ‘New Disorder’
(2010) are showcased tonight, hooking new fans
in their droves. ‘Break Away’ is a
great rock track which gets the crowd going yet
the prove their mettle in the track ‘Wasted’
which displays a more sensitive side. These guys
are set for great things – their debut album
produced by Bob Rock (Metallica, Aerosmith) and
John Fields (Jimmy Eat World, Andrew WK) is now
complete and the attitude of the frontman Charlie
Cosser ensures this band get noticed. Period.
The
momental rise of Daughtry is truly staggering
since Chris Daughtry hit the rock music scene
five years ago. Since then, the band have racked
up four No.1 hit singles, achieved four Grammy
nominations, gained four music awards and both
albums have gone platinum – their debut
album ‘Daughtry’ having gone platinum
four times over since it was released in 2006.
The band are the fastest selling rock debut act
in Soundscan history and their popularity is proven
tonight as the gig was originally scheduled for
The Birmingham Institute and is has now been moved
to the O2 Academy to accommodate ticketholders.
The
band come on stage and Chris Daughtry’s
voice is full bodied and totally mesmorising as
is his presence on stage as he is emotion personified.
The audience sing along to every song which is
proof of how amazing the following of this band
has become. They have the presence and big sound
of a stadium rock band in a small venue and the
quality of their sound is phenomenal. Members
of the band are guitarists Josh Steely and Brian
Craddock, drummer Robin Diaz and bassist John
Paul – all brilliant instrumentalists who
provide the backing while Chris prowls around
on stage like a tiger (or if you squint slightly,
Vin Diesel – lol).
The
anthems ‘Crawling Back to You’ and
‘It’s Not Over’ engage the audience
and are reminiscent of Alter Bridge in their sound.
If you listen closely, you can hear influences
of Def Leppard in their music, particularly on
the rack ‘Home’. Daughtry’s
music appeals across the board to everyone –
tonight’s gig held a cross-section of all
age groups. Going to gigs where the band sounds
as great or even better than on recording is a
hallmark of an amazing gig. Absolutely brilliant
– the Daughtry juggernaut will continue
to roll into the future without stopping…
Charming Liars 4/5
Daughtry 5/5
Review By Claire Whelpton
|
