Steve Steinman opens the latest Vampires Rock tour at Bristol?s Hippodrome

Posted on: 2015-01-11

Our rating:

Vampires Rock is definitely for more people than you would imagine at first glance. If you do have even the slightest fondness for the rock classics then take a chance and you will not be disappointed.


 

Now entering its 11th year, it’s not hard to see why Vampires Rock continues to draw in its own particular brand of followers, time after time. Within seconds of the curtain going up at The Bristol Hippodrome the audience are treated to a wailing guitar solo, pyrotechnics and lingerie-clad dancers in cages. The fans wail with excitement whilst the newcomers, visibly taken aback in many cases, get a sense of what they might just have let themselves in for.

Set in 2030 at the Live and Let Die Club in New York City, Vampires Rock tells the story the club’s owner Baron Von Rockula’s search for a bride. The Baron - played by the show’s creator and director Steve Steinman – must convince Pandora, who auditions for the club’s new singing position, to join him on the dark side. Rockula is ably assisted in this task by the club’s wine swigging janitor, Bosley. That’s about all the story you get and frankly that’s about all you need. It really is just there to tie the individual song performances together and provide some welcome comic relief and audience interaction, along with giving a sense of purpose to each song.

Vampires Rock at The Bristol Hippodrome on Friday 9 January 2015

The rock classics are superbly performed by numerous cast members and house band The Lost Boys. Each performance goes down better than the last, likely thanks to those newcomers in the audience getting in to the swing of things. Leather and lace wearing dancers perform during every song and help to give the night a real feel of theatre, rather than simply a covers band performing. The first half of the show closes with a superb duet of Bonnie Tyler’s classic Total Eclipse of the Heart between Rockula and Pandora (Hayley Russell) that has the whole auditorium singing along and heading to the lobby brimming with anticipation.

The second half opens with a bang: Fire dancers and a gymnastic routine performed high above the stage on two silks suspended from the rafters. You really get the sense that this show won’t be letting up until the curtain falls. The story continues to flow through rock classic after rock classic. Bosley (John Evans) continues to wander in and out of the performance and always provides a welcome quip here or there. Slightly less welcome for those of a weaker constitution is his rousing rendition of The Final Countdown performed in full white spandex jumpsuit and blue thong combo. By this stage the first-timers in the audience have all joined the regulars, many of whom come dressed as more convincing vampires than half the cast, on their feet and stay there until the end of the show’s standout performance which is, unsurprisingly, Bat out of Hell.

With Vampires Rock, Steinman has managed to produce a show that could easily have gone so wrong, yet undoubtedly has gone so right. On paper it shouldn’t work for more than just the die hard fans so it’s testament to the engaging performances of each of the cast that the audience, ranging in age from 8 to 80, leave happy. Steinman is undoubtedly the star of the show. His booming voice and stage presence are wonderfully engaging. Despite the incredible performances by other cast members you are always hoping that the next song will be one by Rockula.

As you might guess, it’s hard to give a musical like this a fair rating as it’s obviously not for everybody. What is clear though is that it’s definitely for more people than you would imagine at first glance. If you do have even the slightest fondness for the rock classics then take a chance and you will not be disappointed. Steinman will be touring his other shows soon so keep your eyes, and ears, open.

4.5/5

Reviewed by James Anderson for 365Bristol - the leading events and entertainment website for Bristol.



Article by:

James Anderson

Born and raised in the suburbs of Swansea, Jimmy moved to Bristol back in 2004 to attend university. Passionate about live music, sport, science and nature, he can usually be found walking his cocker spaniel Baxter at any number of green spots around the city. Call James on 078 9999 3534 or email Editor@365Bristol.com.