Monday 25/10/04 Rooster @ The Roadhouse, Manchester

So are Rooster a pop group or a rock band? The young female crowd would indicate the former, but then again since when has the Roadhouse been a venue for pop puppets? Having crashed into the top ten of the singles chart, its no surprise that this like most of their tour is a sell out – but can they cut it live?

Deafening screams erupt when the band hit the stage, the loudest reserved for vocalist Nick Atkinson. Opener ‘On The Road’ immediately puts energy into the crowd, Atkinson working the stage with charisma and a Jagger-esque pout. It’s stadium-rock with guitarist Luke Potashnick ripping out power chords and a soaring chorus, which is pretty much the formula to Rooster’s music. Nowhere is it more evident than in ‘Bulletproof’ which sees some of the audience catching on and singing along toward its end, while acoustic number ‘Angels Calling’ sees the swaying of arms. ‘Staring At The Sun’ is similarly received, and you can’t help but think that in a year or so these songs might just be gracing arenas – there is a definite quality to them. Obviously ‘Come Get Some’ is the song everyone wants to hear, and it is performed impeccably to underline just how tight the band are on stage, and they’re also confident enough not to play it last. ‘Platinum Blind’ and ‘So Right’ are two rockers to finish off the set how it began and in style.

There’s no encore, not that it matters, because on tonight’s display this is a band with good material and who are comfortable performers – all except Potashnick. While Atkinson can sing well enough, and the rhythm section doesn’t miss a beat, the guitarist is the real star. His playing is exceptional and brings the songs to life, with some great melodies, hooks, and solos. It’s impressive stuff, and should see Rooster make it big.