Bad Company's reunion of year is a perfect pleaser

Bad Company

LG Arena, Birmingham

Concert review by Debbie Bennett

A seventies rock supergroup were reunited for the start of an exclusive eight-date UK arena tour.

Bad Company performed on stage together at the LG Arena in Birmingham for the first time in 30 years, in what is sure to be the rock reunion of 2010.

The three original members of vocal maestro Paul Rodgers, formerly of Free, Mick Ralphs on guitar , plus drummer Simon Kirke wowed the crowd with Bad Company classics and a few surprises thrown in. The only original band member missing was bassist Boz Burrell who died in 2006.

Opening the set with Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Rodgers immediately had the near sell-out LG on their feet from the start, with the singer moving on to the piano for Rock Steady and Run With The Pack.

A beautiful 12-string duet with guitarist Mick Ralphs for Seagull was simply breathtaking.

In the last five years Rodgers has successfully toured twice with Queen, a partnership which divided Queen, Free and Bad Company fans alike, yet gave crowds hits from all three bands.

If Rodgers was merely testing the water with his own material, then the Bad Company reunion proved the temperature was just right.