Black Stone Cherry at JB's, Dudley. Photos by Ian Harvey.

Black Stone Cherry
JB’s, Dudley
Concert review by Debbie Bennett

Exactly a week ago Kentucky rockers Black Stone Cherry were playing to an audience of thousands at the NIA, as support act for Nickelback.

Last night they found themselves back in the Midlands in front of an audience of hundreds at a sold-out JB’s, on a short, stop-gap tour before they appear at Download Festival later this month.

But the delirious fans packed into the Dudley venue knew they were in the presence of a band who should be striding the world’s biggest stages in their own right in years to come.

Frontman Chris Robertson has a voice beyond his years and the band put on an electrifying performance in the steaming heat, including all-out rockers like Rain Wizard and Maybe Someday, catchy numbers like the single Please Come In and the simply beautiful Things My Father Said.

Black Stone Cherry are a non-stop ball of energy on stage, with guitarist Ben Wells and bassist Jon Lawhon managing to race around even on the cramped stage at JB’s while drummer John Fred Young did his best impression of Animal from The Muppets, shaking his impressive mane of hair into a frenzy.

There was even time for the band’s guitar tech to take over lead guitar duties, while Robertson swapped to drums and Young took centre stage with a harmonica.

Support came from a British band who also deserve to be playing bigger stages. Heaven’s Basement – formerly Hurricane Party and then Roadstar – cooked up a compelling mix of 80′s US-style rock mixed with classic undercurrents of AC/DC and Aerosmith, all sprinkled with a 2009 sheen.

That a band with songs as strong as Can’t Let Go, Reign On My Parade and Tear Your Heart Out hasn’t got a record deal is simply criminal.

Somebody should snap them up, quick.