TED POLEY / ROB WYLDE / KIM JENNETT ELEVEN, STOKE-ON-TRENT

American Rock legend and vocalist of glam metal group Danger Danger Ted Poley appeared at the iconic rock venue Eleven as the second from last show of his tour. With support from powerhouse Kim Jennett and Midnite City lead singer Rob Wylde this was a perfect night out for all rock lovers.

Kim Jennett opened the evening with an acoustic set packed of covers and was joined onstage with her partner and guitarist Tyler. Kim Jennett has just announced a new band that will be backing her for upcoming performances.

Throughout the set she displayed a mind-blowing vocal range covering some very bold numbers such as Alannah Myles’ Black Velvet, Heart’s Alone and even Stevie Wonder’s Superstitious – all of which were epically portrayed! Kim’s vocal climbs were sensational and even though this was an acoustic set and the opening slot, Kim made this performance totally electric, with it feeling like an arena experience from start to finish. Having seen her a few times there’s one thing I can’t deny, Kim’s talent and passion intertwine for an epically strong performance every time.

Next up was Midnite City star Rob Wylde who performed a variety of unplugged versions of Midnite City’s back catalogue. Although Rob had a dilemma backstage with his straighteners blowing up, he said that he has had “an absolute blast” supporting Poley. Wylde demonstrated a very relaxed set including a unique version of If It’s Over which Rob himself said he “doesn’t normally play acoustically”.

As well as HRH Sleaze later this year, Rob will be reuniting with Midnite City for a UK Tour in June 2023 to celebrate their upcoming album ‘Deep End’.

The time of the night we were all waiting for, Poley took to the stage with the coolest psychedelic trousers and sparkling shoes I’d ever seen, in true rockstar style. Ted’s cheeky whit certainly kept the audience in the palm of his hand to accompany his excellent renditions of some Danger Danger anthems. His team had announced on social media earlier in the day that unlike his other performances of the tour, he wouldn’t be able to do meet and greet’s after his show due to illness. However, he truly couldn’t help himself when it came to getting emerged into the audience! It went from him asking people to throw him stuff at the front of the stage to sign and throw back to them, to him saying “f*ck it – if you’re okay with me being out there, I will be out there.” – and true to his word, Ted was at the merch stand after his show taking pictures with fans, signing merchandise and talking to everyone that crossed his path – you could see the appreciation was equal on both sides! He had even said earlier in his set that this tour “wasn’t for you to come see me, it was for me to come see and thank each and every single one of you.” Ted’s fan appreciation is definitely next level and a key reason they show up. Ted also said “as long as you keep coming to the show, I’ll keep playing them!”. The shots of southern comfort in-between songs also helped raise his spirt and power through the set.

A special mention must be given to Ted’s guitarist Declan who killed it on the lead guitar runs! Interestingly enough, Ted also mentioned that he has only recently picked up a six-string himself, saying that during lockdown he thought “I’d best learn the guitar and taught the old dog a new trick!”.

Poley gave a short speech before concluding the night, saying “Thank you for making my dream come true, I’m 60 years old and I’m doing my dream job. Sing as loud as you can cause my voice is leaving the building.” With fans coming as far as New Jersey to see the show, Ted made sure it was a gig we would all remember. His final number was a cover of Def Leppard’s Hysteria whilst walking through the audience and fist-bumping each and every one of us.

A natural born frontman with buckets of character – an absolute must see!

As mentioned during his goodbyes, Ted Poley will be hitting the stage for HRH Sleaze 7 in August 2023 with his full electric band, alongside Midnite City, BlackRain and many more! Tickets available via www.hrhsleaze.com