Thursday 10th May 07 - The Meatloaf Trilogy With Steve Steinman At Hull New Theatre Reviewed By Steve Rudd

It makes for a rare treat when a tribute act is almost as amazing as the real thing. In many respects, when Steve Steinman 'does' Meatloaf, the net effect is sometimes even better. A couple of years ago, Lancashire singer Steve toured with a show called The Meatloaf Story in which he sung a whole host of classic tracks as well as recounting some of the pivotal moments in Meat's career. This time around, and in light of the recent release of Bat Out of Hell 3, Steve decided to ditch the story-telling aspect of the show in favour of presenting a fantastic two-hour-long show that was literally jam-packed full of tunes from all three Bat albums.

And when Steve and his awesome backing band perform the songs, they do nothing by halves, opening tonight's show with the monstrous Life is A Lemon from Bat 2.

Another great aspect of Steve's shows concerns his sense of humour. Somehow he turned Paradise by The Dashboard Light into something of a comedy come the mid-section when the female lead wants to know if she's loved for real. Given that Bat Out of Hell 3 hasn't been out long, some of the crowd seemed a little vexed by renditions of the new tunes such as The Monster Is Loose, for example, but rock 'n' roll classics in the form of Dead Ringer For Love and the mighty soft-rock ballad I Would Do Anything For Love went down an absolute storm.

Steve's first taste of fame came when he performed as Meatloaf on ITV's Stars in Their Eyes, and since then he's never looked back. His shows, however, are not only about Steve as the main attraction, because on this tour he had a truly breathtaking band with him for the ride - and a smart, stage-dominating set.

No expense had been spared in attempting to recreate the look of a proper Meatloaf show, and the lead female vocals belted out by Emily Clark sounded divine, not least when she sang It's All Coming Back to Me Now. Surprisingly, she sang it solo, as though paying tribute to the version recorded by Celine Dion, even if Meatloaf re-recorded the Jim Steinman-penned tune for 'Bat 3.' Coincidentally, the real Meatloaf was playing in Manchester at the same time as this show played in Hull, even if Meatloaf vowed to retire after his last tour. It seems that there's just no keeping the Meat down. If the genuine article is still around, it must make it all the more difficult for tribute acts to draw in the crowds, but Steve Steinman appears to have developed a loyal fanbase all of his own.

The Hull New Theatre was packed with people of all ages, and the vast majority didn't hesitate in singing along to All Revved Up and You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth as though their lives depended on doing so. Emily Clark wasn't the only back-up singer and dancer, as Shereen Webb was Emily's high-kicking, fist-pumping partner in crime; their energetic routines didn't let up once during the show, so they were probably the most exhausted of all the eight performers on stage by the end. Then, as if the show hadn't been unforgettable enough already, Steve and the band launched into Bat Out of Hell for the final song of the show, and it was performed in all is epic glory... and to incontrovertible perfection, too, with Steve proving for once and for all that he possesses a commanding voice that stands up for itself.

Even if he didn't sound like Meatloaf, which he does, Steve would surely have always been destined to be a star in his own right given the overwhelming power and glory of his singing voice. Indeed, Steve had done away with his Meatloaf-esque wig on this tour, preferring to let the music do the talking, and focusing on the show's substance instead of getting too preoccupied by the style of things. Come the climax to Bat Out of Hell, a standing ovation swept the across the venue like a Mexican Wave, providing another ideal opportunity for Steve to slyly plug another show that he's produced - called Vampires Rock - that is to play at the Hull New Theatre in Autumn.

If you like rock music in any shape or form, you'd be a damned fool to miss it. www.themeatloaftrilogy.com

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