Brett CallwoodSpread Eagle Rolls Back the Years: It’s still, to this day, a blast to venture along Sunset to the Whisky to check out a veteran hair metal band. The venue hosts garage rock, metal, punk, new wave and even the occasional hip-hop show. All have had their time at this historic place. But for whatever reason, it’s the hair metal that sticks.
The walls are decorated with Motley Crue pictures, and LA Guns and Love/Hate leather jackets. Hair metal still feels right at the Whisky, and that’s just fine with us.
On Saturday, New York’s Spread Eagle were there, and a good time was had by all. The self-proclaimed street metal band released two albums (Spread Eagle and Open to the Public) in the ’90s before splitting. They reformed in the mid-2000s and released a third album (Subway to the Stars) in 2019.
At the Whisky, they played an impressive selection from all of those, and a bit more besides. Bassist Rob De Luca is also a member of UFO nowadays, so a cover of that band’s “Pushed to the Limit” was a welcome addition to the set.
They opened with the title track and “Sound of Speed” from the most recent album, before jumping into “Back on the B**ch” from the debut. From there, the set gathered pace. Old faves like “Suzy Suicide” and “More Wolf Than Lamb” saw the place hot up, and Last in Line vocalist Andrew Freeman joined the band at one riotous point.
The highlights were sleaze rock classics “Switchblade Serenade” and “Scratch Like a Cat,” frontman Ray West wailing like it’s still the early ’90s. Spread Eagle might not be the biggest band to have emerged from this scene, but they’re fondly remembered and, if this show is anything to go by, they’ve still got it.
Spread Eagle Rolls Back the Years: Visit whiskyagogo.com for more info.
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