Running Times:

19:29 - 20:26 Black Stone Cherry

20:33 - 22:16 Nickleback 

IT was only nine months ago that Nickelback played the NEC but here they were at the NIA with a new show and a new stage.

The warm up act Black Stone Cherry were deafeningly loud and despite being told by someone in the loo they were a cross between Lynard Skynard and Led Zeppelin (which sounded promising) were not much more than a cliched heavy metal band complete with excessive pouting and possing. Oddly the leadsinger, Chris Robertson looked like Meatloaf.

The Nickleback show was rock theatre as I have come to expect from these boys. An industrial looking set of cathedral proportions hosted a dazzeling lightshow and the usual fireworks and flames from the Ex Pantera pyrotechnics  guy.

The NIA was practically sold out and they were not dissappointed by the run through the Nickleback song book... old anthemic favourites, power ballards and a handful of new tunes from latest album, Dark Horse.

I must confess being in the front row the stage was alive. Something was  always happeing and when the flame throwers turned on if only for a few seconds I could have BBQ'd a few sausages from where I was, especially during their hit Figured You Out when more than a dozen were ignited at the back of the stage.

One of the more bizzare drum solos I have seen was given by Daniel Adair. Whose kit moved forwards and was elevated above the stage before being rotated left and right as he played.

The group decamped to a 'B' stage mid audience and did If Today Was Your Last Day and their best known song, Rockstar.

Chris Robertson from Black Stone Cherry joined Nickleback for a cover of AC/DC’s Highway To Hell and guitarist Ryan Peake encored with Kings Of Leon’s Use Somebody.

A fgrand finale of fireworks and steam jets (which were actual  cold - dry ice I guess) brought the hour and 50 minute show to a close.

Excellent theatre and rock n roll!