The Dead Daisies occupy a curious space in the hard rock landscape. Less a traditional band than a revolving collective, the project was assembled by guitarist David Lowy and has, over the years, featured an impressive parade of veteran musicians whose résumés read like a directory of classic rock and heavy metal. Depending on the year, the line-up has included members of Guns N' Roses, Whitesnake, Mötley Crüe, Thin Lizzy, Dio and countless others.
By 2016, however, a degree of stability seemed to have emerged. Frontman John Corabi had firmly established himself as the band's focal point, while bassist Marco Mendoza, drummer Brian Tichy and guitarist Doug Aldrich brought enough collective experience to fill several Hall of Fame wings. Whatever one thinks of the project itself, there is no questioning the calibre of the musicians involved.
Musically, subtlety is not on the menu. The Dead Daisies deal in straightforward hard rock, heavily indebted to the seventies and eighties and delivered with all the volume and swagger one would expect from players of this pedigree. Their original material is perfectly serviceable, but the band's true strength lies elsewhere.
Indeed, the highlights of the evening came whenever they dipped into their seemingly endless supply of classic covers. "Fortunate Son," "Join Together," "Helter Skelter," "We're an American Band" and "Midnight Moses" all received suitably muscular treatments, played with obvious affection and enough firepower to remind the audience why these songs became classics in the first place. The performances were energetic, unapologetic and enormously entertaining.
That ultimately feels like the key to understanding The Dead Daisies. They are not trying to reinvent rock music. They are not pushing the genre forward or searching for new territory. What they offer is something far simpler: a group of seasoned professionals playing loud rock and roll with conviction and enthusiasm.
As an opening act, it is difficult to imagine a more effective proposition. They get the crowd moving, they play the songs people want to hear and they leave the audience ready for the main event. No more. No less.
