Cherie Currie: The Globe, Newcastle

LONG before The Spice Girls were a glimmer in their parents eyes, The Runaways were doing the Girl Power thing under the watchful eye of their mysterious svengali Kim Fowley and for a brief moment they flickered brightly before imploding with Joan Jett and Lita Ford going on to achieve significant success as solo artists.

Their impact still reverberates today and has grown exponentially since The Runaways movie featuring Kirsten Stewart and Dakota Fanning catapulted the name right back into the spotlight.

After a four decade gap, former lead singer Cherie Currie felt that their music demanded to be heard and The Globe in Newcastle was packed with fans who shared her sentiments.

As American Nights and the cowbell clanking Rock & Roll kicked the show into overdrive, the hits came thick and fast with Is It Day Or Night and California Paradise showing that not only had Currie`s voice weathered the years well, she was singing much better than back in their heyday.

Nick Gilder`s Roxy Roller, the lead song on The Runaways movie which features on Currie`s new album, sounded purpose built for her. Currie paid homage to her heroes with a spirited take on Bowie's Rebel Rebel, adding the euphoric stack-heeled stomp of the KISS classic Do You Love Me.

Queens of Noise sounded like 1977 all over again before The Runaways signature tune Cherry Bomb brought everything to a rampant end. Sometimes those simple songs really are the best and when delivered with such energy and enthusiasm by Currie there is no better way to end a show... just don`t leave it quite as long next time.

Mick Burgess