There is no doubt that one act many people had been looking forward to this weekend was Lee Aaron, returning to now only her rock roots – via her stunning ‘Fire And Gasoline’ album – but also UK shores after far too long away. And she most definitely does not disappoint as, exploding onto the stage with the opening track from said album, ‘Tom Boy’ she immediately proves that not only has she still got the looks and the body that launched a thousand wet dreams but, most importantly, she’s still got THAT voice.
The band get their balls out (metaphorically, of course) and rock them off behind her, and Aaron is obviously thoroughly enjoying herself as she blasts through a beautifully balanced repertoire which combines new songs with the classics she knows the fans want, nay need, to hear.
Set highlights include ’50 Miles’, which sees Lee on her knees, as if begging forgiveness for being away for so long, and ‘Some Girls Do’, which grooves and grinds and gets every body in the place doing likewise. But, she’s enough of a showbiz veteran to know to save the best ‘till last… ‘Barely Holding On’ is one of those truly goosebumps-raising moments, especially when she reaches for those incredible high notes, reducing several grown men to tears in the process! And closer ‘Metal Queen’, which sees Aaron herself on guitar, taking it up to a three-axe attack, proves she is still very much a challenger for that particular throne, as she stomps Nottingham its first butthole of the weekend.
It has been over thirty years since I've seen Lee Aaron live on stage in Belgium during the last edition of the Heavy Sound festival. I was looking forward to see this Canadian rock chick again. She kicked off with 'Tom Boy' from her latest album 'Fire and Gasoline' and she proved that she hasn't lost her touch. Her voice still has that warm sound and she knows how to move on stage. Many 'oldies' such as 'Powerline', 'Some Girls Do' and 'Hands On' were thrown in. The first highlight was the kick ass version of 'Barely Holdin' On'. During the sensual and sexy 'Watcha Do To My Body' she showed us that she can be a real teaser queen as well! The set closed with the inevitable 'Metal Queen'. I can fairly say that Lee pleased many members of the audience with this set list!
I was looking forward to seeing LEE AARON. Back in the eighties she was the Metal Queen, who went AOR with her self-titled album in 1987, then toughened up her style a bit for ”Bodyrock” and ”Some Girls Do”. For the past twenty years she hasn’t done much rock stuff, but earlier this year she returned to rock with ”Fire And Gasoline”.
Lee Aaron had brought her whole band to Nottingham and they put on a solid show - with no backing tapes I might add. One third of the show contained songs from the new album, and they weren’t bad but they didn’t make me want to buy the album right away either. The rest of the set was made up of Lee’s biggest hits, such as ”Whatcha Do To My Body”, ”Powerline” and ”Barely Holding On”, which wasn’t a hit in her home country but a cult classic here in Europe. The inevitable set closer was ”Metal Queen”, with Lee herself on third guitar. She played guitar on a couple of other songs as well.
Lee Aaron’s performance was energetic and she sang really well, and the band impressed me too. The Metal Queen must have access to the same fountain of youth as some other 80’ies stars… Those of them who don’t seem to age like us mere mortals. Personal highlight of the set for me was ”Powerline” with its’ glorious keyboard dut-dut intro and anthemic chorus. I’m very glad Lee and the band added it to the setlist.
SETLIST:
TOM BOY
HANDS ON
ROCK CANDY
FIRE AND GASOLINE
POWERLINE / LADY OF THE DARKEST NIGHT
50 MILES
SOME GIRLS DO
SEX WITH LOVE
BARELY HOLDIN' ON
WHATCHA DO TO MY BODY
METAL QUEEN
VOCALS/GUITAR: LEE AARON
BASS: DAVE REIMER
GUITAR: SEAN KELLY
DRUMS: JOHN CODY
KEYBOARDS/GUITAR: KEVIN "TOAD" SAULNIER