This latest re-issue of Live At The New Victoria Theatre by Slade is for anyone who didn't buy the All The Worlds A Stage box set that came out in September 2022. So for any Sladeaholics who may be tempted, the main difference this time is that the cd or vinyl come in a gatefold sleeve with one additional photo of Dave Hill doing his make-up. The album was recorded on 26th April 1975 at the start of the tour to promote the Slade in Flame film for broadcast on the BBC Insight radio show as part of its six days on the road feature. If you buy the double vinyl then of course the set is broken up into segments.
This opens with Them Monkeys Can't Swing that retains some tape hiss and it a great garage rocker to open a set with as well as a super tasty guitar solo from Dave Hill to get everyone going. Noddy behaves like he's at the Wheel Tappers and Shunters club on the intro to Bangin' Man a song all about waking up with a rotten hang over and not having a clue what the woman next to you is called, this has the feel of a song written about life on the road as a rock band in the early 70's.
Gudbuy T'Jane is the first big hit of the set, the message of not giving it away so young was far more important, when the dangers were far more prevalent than now. Before Far Far Away Noddy talks about In Flame before they play a great version of what has now become one of the bands big hits, it's also a very rare moment when they get out the acoustic guitars so everyone can sway along holding there Slade Scarves above their heads.
Thanks For The Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam) has a long intro to let us know it's Jimmy Lea on electric piano and that this is the original non bleeped lyrics, for this song of getting more than you bargained for on a one night stand, the piano helps to make this stand out as well as the almost whispered backing vocals as this diverges from the bands normal sound while they are busy trying to get high on banana skins.
How Does It feel is as close to a ballad as Slade get with the piano set against the gentlest drumming of any Slade song you'll hear, Don Powell has never sounded so restrained.
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They then up the energy back to almost normal Slade levels on Just A Little Bit that has some stellar yet not particularly riff based guitar stuff that sounds quite new wave in places. As Noddy gets the call and response going the audience can just about be heard, as this is clearly a mixing desk tape with no audience microphones set up.
Everyday slows things down again, this has a lighters in the air guitar solo, as Noddy sings with feeling about how much his love will show.
Noddy tells everyone they can stand up, but not on the seats, before they play Ok Was Yesterday from In Flame a great slice of boogie rock. Raining In My Champagne is introduced as being the b-side to the new record, it has some cheeky lyrics, a good stomping beat, even if I can't imagine drinking champers to Slade, they are far more a real ale band surely. It also has a strange dub breakdown into Day O.
Let the Good Times Roll ramps up the pace with a great drum and bass solo that's played super-fast before Dave Hill's guitar really goes wild. They close the show with Mama Weer All Crazee Now being the perfect sing and stomp along end to a show that would have guaranteed them an encore, even if it isn't on this album.
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