Suzi Quatro rocked & rolled her way into Perth, kicking off the first couple of nights of her latest tour with two majestic shows at The Regal Theatre in Perth. Quatro’s ‘Its Only Rock ‘n’ Roll’ Tour is a fast & frantic trip through a career that has spanned over five decades and we are treated not only to all the classics we would expect to hear but also much, much more, as we zig-zagged back & forward through her wonderful back catalogue with a 22-song set. The show is an entertaining look into the life of one of rock n’ roll greats but it is also a night that is littered with fun & laughter as well as some personal moments, with the screen at the back of the stage flashing up images of Suzi throughout various stages of her life & colourful career.
With no support act, the evening started early as the band took to the stage (and what a backing band it is too, but we’ll come to them shortly) as Quatro strode on with her black & white Fender Precision bass slung over her shoulder, before kicking the night off with ‘The Wild One’, ‘I May Be Too Young’ & ‘Tear Me Apart’. Each song is introduced with a short story or the acknowledgment of which album the track is from with the album sleeve flashed up on the screen and it’s not long before Suzi asks if there are “any Suzi Quatro virgins in the audience tonight”, which she cheekily follows up with “I guarantee you’ll never forget your first time”.
‘Mama’s Boy’ & ’15 Minutes of Fame’ soon follow as Suzi begins to introduce her band between songs and first up is “new boy” Tim Henwood (Palace of the King, Rogue Traders) on guitar. I found out afterwards that this was only Henwood’s second or third show with the band, not that you would ever know, such was his seamless guitar work & vocals, which were soon laid out for all to hear as he dueted with Quatro on ‘Stumblin’ In’. We travel back to Suzi’s 1973 self-titled debut album with the classic ’48 Crash’, before being transported forward forty-six years to two tracks from her latest album ‘No Control’ in the form of the first single ‘No Soul/No Control’ & ‘Heavy Duty’.
The first cover of the night is a wonderful rendition of Neil Young’s ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’, where we are witness to one of my highlights of the night in the shape of a stunning guitar segment between Henwood and six-string sorceress Nat Allison, who has herself shared the stage with Quatro for many a tour now. Paul Cecchinelli adds wonderful keyboard elements to this band from behind his grand piano, which magically sounds a lot like a Hammond organ at times and at one point Suzi decides to take her place behind the ivories to talk about her up-bringing, as we get to share an emotional moment between daughter & departed parents as she sings ‘Can I Be Your Girl’ from the ‘Unreleased Emotion’ album to a spell-bound & near silent theatre. The first half of the show ends and I wonder who the break is actually for… Is it for the band to have a much needed toilet & refreshment break or for the audience steal a moment to catch their breath?
The second half starts in true rock ‘n’ roll style with ‘Macho Man’, which is one of my favourites off the latest album, before smashing into the title track from ‘Rock Hard’ which was released back in 1980. Suzi explains that she only ever plays covers that she has recorded herself, as she launches into a wonderful version of ABBA’s ‘Does Your Mother Know’. Another highlight of the show is the outstanding ‘Glycerine Queen’ where we get to see (as if we didn’t know already) just how much of an accomplished bass player Suzi is, as she breaks the song for an exemplary bass solo before joining drummer Johnny Salerno on his riser for a sublime dual drum solo.
And still the hits keep coming, as we are all told to “get up off our asses” as we get the now legendary ‘Can the Can’, ‘Devil Gate Drive’ & ‘If You Can’t Give Me Love’. The set closes with Quatro leaving the stage, as Chuck Berry’s ‘Sweet Little Rock & Roller’ draws to a close but she doesn’t stay off for long, as the band fire up & play a fourth track from ‘No Control’, a bonus LP-only song ‘Heart On The Line’ which Quatro admits sometimes brings her to tears, before the band finally vacate the stage. To cheers & cries from the audience, the band soon reappear with Allison striking up the unmistakable chords of Chuck Berry’s ‘Johnny B Goode’ with Suzi soon joining the rest of the band for a final boogie on a night full of all too real rock n’ roll.
I’ve have always asked myself, like many others, how The Queen of Rock & Roll has not yet been inducted into The Hall of Fame and when you hear this hit-filled set laid out before you it reminds you just how much of an important influence Quatro’s music has been in the world of rock & roll. Suzi Quatro has played well over one hundred shows here in Australia over her illustrious career & must surely one of our more regular visitors to our shores – judging by the crowd & energy tonight, long will this continue. Grab tickets for this one because this is two joyous hours of music for all to enjoy.
Set List
Set 1: The Wild One, I May Be Too Young, Tear Me Apart, Mama’s Boy, 15 Minutes of Fame, Stumblin’ In, 48 Crash, No Soul/No Control, Heavy Duty, Rockin’ In The Free World, Can I Be Your Girl
Set 2: Macho Man, Rock Hard, Does Your Mother Know, She’s In Love With You, Glycerine Queen, Can The Can, Devil Gate Drive, If You Can’t Give Me Love, Sweet Little Rock & Roller,
Encores: Heart On The Line, Johnny B Goode
TOUR DATES
Rockhampton – GREAT WESTERN HOTEL – Wednesday 30 October
Gold Coast – THE STAR – Friday 01 November
Toowoomba – EMPIRE THEATRE – Saturday 02 November
Melbourne – PALAIS THEATRE – Monday 04 November
Newcastle – ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE – Friday 08 November
Sydney – ENMORE THEATRE – Sunday 10 November
