Darlington Hippodrome – 28 May 2019
5*****
Steve Steinman brings his Meatloaf tribute show, Anything for Love, to Darlington tonight – only the second night of the brand new tour. Steinman appeared as Meatloaf on the ITV show Stars in Their Eyes back in 1983 and has toured the world ever since. Firstly in the Meatloaf Story and more recently with the cult hit Vampires Rock.
Joining Steinman on this tour is Lorraine Crosby who was the female vocalist on the 1993 Meatloaf hit I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That).
Steinman is a showman with the audience loving both his vocals and his cheeky banter. Now Meatloaf no longer tours, Steinman is probably the closest you will ever get to the real thing as he powers through the iconic albums of Bat Out of Hell, Bat II and Bat III. Surrounded by his incredible band Henry Bird, Zoe Parr, exquisit pianist Andrew Preston, Damien Sweeting, and Pete the fabulous drummer. And backing singers Victoria Hawley, Emily Clarke and Trixabelle Bold. All aided by the John Evans on male backing vocals. It was lovely to see Evans dressed normally, instead of the normal bodysuit from Vampires Rock, and Evans definitely rocks the dad dancing moves.
Meatloaf and long time collaborator Jim Steinman, are well known for their lengthy songs with Paradise by the Dashboard Light once holding the record for longest song at 8 minutes 55 and I’d Do Anything for Love at just under 12 minutes. But this show still manages to pack in 19 songs. Including solo’s by Crosbie of the Bonnie Tyler classics Holding Out for a Hero and Total Eclipse of the Heart and the Celine Dion hit Its All Coming Back to me Now and her version of Good Girls go to Heaven
The lighting is outstanding, creating a very visual show and the sound fills the auditorium. There are even fireworks at the end.
On tour around the UK, this is a show not to be missed