Civic Theatre, Darlington – 15 January 2016
Vampires Rock is like watching a panto for grown-ups. Its cheesy, its as camp as Christmas but packed full of rock songs and its a brilliant night out
This year sees a change from the usual story as we’re transported 100 years into the future. As Club Live and Let Die burns to the ground, Barron Von Rockula played By Steve Steinman flees the ill fated club with his band of blood sucking vampires in search of a new home. Eventually they come across an old abandoned fairground ride The Ghost Train where they take refuge and make this their new home. The Barron and his motley crew then set a cunning plan to lure victims into the ride and to live in Rock n Roll hell forever
There are still the same terrible jokes, dancing girls and characters, and huge gaps in the storytelling, but that is the charm and the attraction of the show. You don’t go expecting anything less than mayhem and hilarity. John Evans had a much larger vocal role than in previous incarnations, playing a new character, Van Halen Sing, the vampire hunter, but we still got to enjoy the spectacle of him clad head to toe in Lycra.
The gaps in the story allow some of the cast to get more involved in the singing. Steve Steinman, John Evans and Victoria Jones – a female vampire – share the singing equally with outstanding vocals from all. The band are as awesome as ever, some of the notes produced by Richie Barlow, Mary Garcia Garner, Matt Vero, Andy Lewis and Chris Reed deny what’s believable. Hayley Russels rendition of Holding Out for a Hero is an incredibly dark version and possible the best singing ever. With dancing, fire eating and aerial acrobatics from Victoria Jones and Chloe Bass, the show is a great ensemble piece
Songs included, I Believe in a Thing Called Love, Don’t Stop Believin’, a rousing Sweet Child O Mine, Holding Out For A Hero and Because The Night. The closing numbers of The Final Countdown, I Love Rock N Roll and Jump left everyone with a smile on their face
The set and location may have changed – and a lot of the playlist – but the energy and enthusiasm were still there.
It was all good fun, but don’t take it too seriously.
On tour around the UK
http://www.vampiresrock.com/home/