With only a month to promote the RATT tour, ticket sales were never going to break records, so unsurprisingly, tonight's show was moved from the 1,900 capacity Rock City Main Hall, to the 300 capacity Rescue Rooms, just around the corner. This proved a great move as the 'packed to the rafters' crowd were well up for the gig, and RATT seemed to revel in the unfamiliar, highly intimate surroundings. Put simply, the atmosphere was electric.

Opening up the show tonight were long in the tooth British Biker rockers ZODIAC MINDWARP AND THE LOVE REACTION. Their brief set went down very well, with the musical highlight being the excellent 'Back Seat Education', and the undoubted visual highlight being the appearance of the 'satanic sluts' - 4 scantily clad metal cheerleaders who joined the band on stage for 'Fucked by Love'.

RATT are without doubt one of the very best bands who fall under the umbrella of American Hair Metal. However, despite selling around 18 million records worldwide, they have never really set the UK alight. Despite this, 18 years after their last shows in the UK, the re-united RATT (with 3 founding members) are back for more...

The setlist was very much a 'greatest hits' affair, with 21 songs packed into the 90 minutes - although there was noticeably a significant emphasis on early material. The band's first ever release, the RATT EP was played in its entirety, and more than half of the classic debut album 'Out of the Cellar' was also played. The numbers were rattled through one after the other, with classics like 'Lay It Down', 'Nobody Rides for Free' and 'You're In Love' getting the whole venue moving and singing along. A real surprise in the set was the lesser known 1990 ballad 'Givin' Yourself Away' - the only chance to wave those cigarette lighters in an otherwise headbanger friendly set.

Frontman Stephen Pearcy has one of the most recognisable voices in rock music. Although he now struggles to hit some of the higher notes, the raspy tones are still present, and Pearcy ensures that RATT maintain their signature sound. The band are a very tight unit, with virtuoso Warren DeMartini awesome on lead guitar and John Corabi riff-tastic on the rythmn. (The ex MOTLEY CRUE frontman Corabi is the replacement for original guitarist Robbin Crosby who died in 2002). On the drums, Bobby Blotzer put in a typically powerful display, with Robbie Crane providing a solid bass line.

RATT's most famous hit 'Round and Round' was left to the very end, and sure did round and round off one hell of a night. Full credit to the band for having the guts to come back to the UK after all these years, and lets hope they get the same ecstatic reaction elsewhere inthe UK as they did in Nottingham tonight. If they do, then who knows? We may get to see this tremendous band once again.

RATT Setlist: Tell The World / Sweet Cheater / Walkin' The Dog / U Got It / You Think You're Tough / The Morning After / Back For More / Wanted Man / I'm Insane / Lack of Communication / Lay It Down / You're In Love / Givin' Yourself Away / Dangerous But Worth The Risk / Slip of the Lip / Nobody Rides for Free / Way Cool Jr. / City to City / Lovin' You's a Dirty Job / Body Talk / Round and Round

Ratings:

RATT 4.9/5.0

ZODIAC MINDWARP & THE LOVE REACTION: 3.9/5.0

Review by James Allman

Photography by Alexander Shaw

RATT

ZODIAC MINDWARP & THE LOVE REACTION