There’s a big, enthusiastic audience here. People have come long distances to witness the return of Cherie Currie. Such is still the lasting allure of her old band, The Runaways.
But while the reaction remains positive throughout this hour-long performance, what really stands out are the deficiencies. Never blessed with the greatest of voices, the years have greatly diminished Currie’s delivery. And while you have to applaud her appreciation for the genuine love she feels from the fans, she does go overboard with the between-song banter, even suggesting tonight is as amazing as the time she gave birth to her son.
Currie chooses some interesting covers, including The Velvet Underground’s Rock & Roll and Bowie’s Rebel Rebel, but her musicians, effectively comprising members of German rockers Shameless, are simply not up to the challenge of making the music breathe. And with the exception of the ever-rousing Cherry Bomb, her choice of Runaways material is nondescript.
Suzi Quatro is brought on for Rock‘N’Roll Rosie, a new song written by Currie for the upcoming Quatro biopic, but she seems uncomfortable with it all. And former Tigertailz frontman Steevi Jaimz adds no lustre to a version of Kiss’s Do You Love Me?
It all adds up to a night of nostalgia, where the actual performance doesn’t match expectation. But nobody seems too bothered.
