Status Quo and REO Speedwagon: MetroArena, Newcastle

STATUS Quo need absolutely no introduction. There can't be a person anywhere that can't immediately identify the three chord, 12-bar boogie rock'n'roll that has become such an indelible fabric of their DNA.

A recent tour of the “Frantic Four” bringing closure to the original line-up that disbanded back in 1982, the news that stalwart Rick Parfitt has been forced to retire from touring, due to poor health, has shaken the very foundations of a band who feel their days of electronic shows are at an end.

There was something reassuringly familiar about Caroline with its trade mark head down no nonsense boogie being the perfect show opener. With Irishman Richie Malone musically stepping into Parfitt's rather large shoes normal only Parfitt's cheeky onstage rapport with Francis Rossi was sadly missing.

Quo's repertoire seems split into the 1970s double denim brigade and the 1980s more commercial followers. So while The Wanderer and Burning Bridges left the old rockers rather bemused, they soon picked up with Roll Over Lay Down, Rain and Paper Plane.

For evergreen Rockin' All Over The World, just one glance around the packed arena saw a crowd of all ages and all musical tastes united in Quo paradise.

Music is meant to be fun and fun this was. Lots of fun. Even those reluctant attendees were rocking in the aisles by the time the Rock and Roll Music/Bye Bye Johnny mini-medley brought the show to a rip roaring end.

The last time American melodic rockers REO Speedwagon graced a stage in Newcastle the first mobile phone call had just been made. Quite a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then.

REO Speedwagon have been unfairly maligned over the years as American soft rock, their back catalogue stretches back more than half-a-century. On stage a harder edge comes to the fore with Don't Let Him Go and Take It On The Run from their squillion selling Hi-Infidelity opus benefitting from some seriously heavy guitar treatment as guitarist Dave Amato's solo almost peeled the paint from the arena's roof.

Of course a ballad or two is chucked into the mix. How could they show up without playing Keep On Loving You and Can't Fight This Feeling? However, the short and ultimately punchy set was kept on the track by Ridin’ The Storm Out and Keep Pushin'.

The glance between original keyboardist Neal Doughty and long-time lead singer Kevin Cronin after Roll With The Changes was the sign of a band who had absolutely nailed it.

Mick Burgess