This one was over 50 years in coming, a lifetime after I first heard the drum beat of Can the Can. Suzi Quatro is now 75 and I can only hope I have that much energy in thirteen years’ time. Okay, maybe not as raucous as 1973, but still a great voice and hitting that bass with profound effect. With a full band and backing singers whose names I can unfortunately not recall, Symphony Hall roared from start to finish.
Launching into The Wild One, the show had two long sets giving you hit after hit among many other tracks. In addition to the two already mentioned, we had Devil Gate Drive, 48 Crash, Stumbling In, If You Can’t Give Me Love and She’s in Love with You, and many more, as they used to say in the 70s on the old K-Tel adverts. Other personal favourites of mine were Daytona Demon, Mama’s Boy, and Little Miss Lovely. However, covers of Slow Down (Larry Williams), Bad Moon Rising (Creedence Clearwater Revival), Rockin’ in the Free World (Neil Young) and Sweet Little Rock and Roller (Chuck Berry) were also top drawer.
The night gave us a pure nostalgia fest and proved Suzi can still rock us other oldies (as most of the audience were) and still pull off the denim and leathers. As well as the music, there were stories and history with Ms Quatro really connecting with the crowd. From the early years as a singer with her sister in The Pleasure Seekers, Quatro tells of contacting Micky Most and heading to the UK where she became the star she still is today. Tales of TV including Happy Days (Happy memories as Leather Tuscadero) and being killed off in Midsommer Murders. Mind you, not listening to mainstream radio for 40 years I had no idea she spent 15 with her own show on BBC Radio 2. My musical theatre experience, unfortunately, never brought me to see her in Annie Get Your Gun in 1986, but I do have the cast recording, as I do all of her albums.
Although the late 70s was when I was in my teens and discovering my taste in music, the era of Quatro, Slade, The Sweet and T Rex helped form those likes for the future, and Suzi played a huge part in that. And I can only say, thank you, Suzi. A great night out.
Cheers.
Antony N Britt - Author 