Review: AC/DC tribute thrills Banbury crowd

Formed last year, this local band of talented musicians took to the stage on Saturday at one of Banbury’s best venues for quality music to pay homage to the mighty Australian rockers, and with aplomb delivered a tight, accurate, and full on blast of the mainly early AC/DC back catalogue.

The albums and material from the original front man (the legendary Bon Scott) are at the core of the set, as lead singer Matty has an almost eerie, pitch-perfect voice that replicates the late vocalists range and gritty style to a tee.

It was the spirit of the great band that was captured with the authenticity of delivery, and the glaringly obvious fact that the band were having such a good time up on stage. None of your Smiths or New Order ambivalence here thanks.

The low ceilings of this historic venue provided the perfect acoustics for the sound, which was loud enough to satisfy, but not so extreme as to distort and make the quality redundant. Credit to the sound guys.

The early highlights included High Voltage, Riff Raff and, from the latest album, Rock or Bust.

After a short break the second set kicked off with the bombastic Rock and Roll Damnation lifting the now more refreshed audience into active vocal participation and much shaking of eclectic hairstyles. The band responded with a growing surge of power and raw delivery with classics Back in Black and the mind blowing You Shook me all Night Long. They finished a thrilling repertoire with the classic Whole Lotta Rosie raising the 15th-century roof, and resulting in a well deserved encore before the band retired to their awaiting libations.

A thoroughly entertaining night all round with a packed out and appreciative crowd of rock disciples, recognising the band’s musical craftsmanship and clear manifesto of good-time hospitality.

Caps doffed then to Gaz, Jason, Leigh, Matt and Matty for their sterling effort and sheer verve for the medium that thrills and excites us in so many ways irrespective of genre or age.

Catch them soon on their next Highway to Hell.