First published by Midlands Rocks 28th May 2012 Photographs reproduced by kind permission of Sean Larkin
Sue Willets cut a vulnerable and forlorn figure and, for the first few songs, that previously sonorous, and much-admired, voice was tiny. Stage-fright, first-night nerves from the band’s extended live lay-off and/or breaking in a new rhythm section, call it what you will; the truth was that for an agonising first ten minutes, Ms Willets simply didn’t project. It was almost as if she wished she wasn’t there and hoped to pass unnoticed.
That the Dante Fox Express avoided crashing from the rails was due to several factors: firstly, the band was blessed with a crystal-clear front-of-house sound that allowed the undeniably classy and uplifting quality of much of their material to shine through in exultant style.
Secondly, guitarist Tim Manford performed a generous holding-operation, visibly supporting his vocalist with encouraging nods and smiles and injecting his own performance with a large degree of the physical energy and movement absent from the early stages of Mz Willet’s contribution.
And finally, technically, Manford was nothing less than a revelation as his PRS, surely the musicians’ magic wand, filled the venue with a rich, lyrical tone. The odd fumbled note simply didn’t matter as solos, fills and appoggiaturas were dispatched with real flair and verve. In all ways his was one of the more impressive performances seen at Rock City in recent times…[continue reading]