Black Stone Cherry & Heavens Basement - JBs Dudley - Tues 2nd June

Black Stone Cherry & Heavens Basement - JBs Dudley - Tues 2nd June

This review brought to you courtesy of our good friends at Bitchin Rock Photos by Bitchin Rock Mistress www.BitchinRockPhotos.com

With quite a few Heaven’s Basement t-shirts milling about JB’s tonight, it’s easy to see the sheer hard work and constant gigging are paying off for these guys.

They have an impressive gig calendar lined up for 2009, already having toured with the mighty Thunder and playing a packed headline tour of their own. Friday sees them jetting off to Italy for Bologna Rock and back into UK for Middlesborough live on Sunday. Next a UK tour with Shinedown, then it’s on to Holland with tonight’s headliners Black Stone Cherry. Support slots with Tesla and D-A-D to come and more headline tours of their own.

For some reason there’s a dry ice machine in front of stacks ….so every few minutes myself and fellow punters are smothered in smoke. Completely obliterating any view of Sid (lead guitarist) and choking us all into the bargain.

Heaven’s Basement don’t disappoint tonight , with only a small piece of stage to work with and a very short set, they make sure they make the most of every second. Richie works the crowd, commanding their participation during Can’t Let Go

Ending the set with the crowd pleaser Executioner’s Day…Heaven’s Basement’s very own F*ck You to the nay sayers in society.

JB’s have most definitely been warmed up!

Fresh from a support tour with Nickelback, tonight was Black Stone Cherry’s chance to play to ‘their’ own crowd.

A set of old favourites and a couple of covers, everyone went away with a smile on their face.

Pausing at times for the crowd to sing along Ben looked truly humbled. Half way through set there was a ‘change around’. Ben taking to the drums, John on vocals and the guitar tech on guitar.

Although a downside of the gig for me was the drum solo. I’m not a fan. For me a couple more songs from Heaven’s Basement and Black Stone Cherry would have been much more appealing. But the crowd seemed to enjoy it, cheering, clapping and yelling as John beat the crap out the drums with his sticks, his hands and his elbows.

Catch them at Download or one of the many gigs lined up through 2009.