Let’s not be in any doubt here - Buckcherry played to a packed Limelight, and rocked - on a rainy Monday night.

Buckcherry’s backbone of Josh Todd (vocals) and Keith Nelson (guitar) have not had it easy in the last five years. It’s been not so much a rock n’ roll rollercoaster ride, as a rock n’ roll snakes and ladders with that big bastard snake dragging you back to the very start. They had risen to playing dates with AC/DC at New York’s Madison Square Garden in 2001 - to being dropped by their label in the same year - to then watch the three others in the band turn their backs on them and quit. The disappointment continued with Josh and Keith being courted and then dropped by what became later Velvet Revolver - Josh and Keith parted ways. But now for the happy ending - Josh and Keith started talking again. Soon enough Buckcherry started over again, this time recruiting old friends Jimmy Ashhurst (bass), Stevie D (guitar) and Xavier Muriel (drums). New album (15), new blood, new tour.

Buckcherry arrived late to the Limelight, but were immediately forgiven with a loud cheer as they squeezed themselves onto the Limelight’s small stage. They hadn’t played a note yet and we loved them. Then it all began, with new songs ‘So Far’ and ‘Broken Glass’ kicking things off. The Limelight was rocking to the rafters, and these were the first two numbers. Next song in, Josh extolled the noble career path of the porno star - we knew what song was coming next. Band and crowd moved as one.

The band were all smiles on that small stage, you could tell they were loving every minute of it, and just how the headbanging Josh managed to not collide with the guitars of Keith, Stevie, and Jimmy - I’ll never know. The set list was the compilation album Buckcherry should release - all three albums were covered well, with songs like “Dead Again”, “Ridin’”, and “Crazy Bitch”.

There was no let up in the songs - each one was in your face sleazy rock and roll, new and old alike, powerfully held together by new drummer Xavier. But Buckcherry had to pace things for all of our sakes, and so “Check Your Head” and “For The Movies” gave both band and crowd a chance to catch a breath.

All good things come to an end though, and as the guitar riff from “Lit-Up” roared to life from the stage, we knew they had saved the best ‘til last. The Limelight was now heaving and rocking in time to every infectious second of that song. Is it possible to rock out, dance, drink, sing along, and grin from ear to ear, all at the same time? It is, when Buckcherry are playing ‘Lit-Up’.

Read my first sentence again as I offer you one last thought about Josh Homme. During the night, I met an old friend at the bar who exclaimed, “He’s [Josh] definitely on something. Look at his eyes, the lights are on, but he’s not home.” Be this true or not, consider this. Halfway into the night, Josh turned to the crowd and declared “Hey - you guys are a really a Saturday night crowd !” That has got to be the most truly sincere statement I have ever heard a singer say to a crowd (other frontmen would try to pass us off with glib and throwaway remarks). Whatever he may or may not have been on, Josh Todd clearly gives a damn about his music, and his band, and his fans. He is, a gentleman of rock.

By the way, if you weren’t there - you really should kick yourself, very hard.

WORDS AND PICS BY ALTE