The front door to the Mean Fiddler in London is so innocuous, that you would walk past it time and time again unless you knew it was there. But once you're inside, it opens up into a basement level small hall with a horseshoe balcony above (though technically at ground level). Typical of those infamous hidden away venues - an Aladdin's cave of rock, most definitely!

But the band playing tonight is no mystery. No mystery at all. We've known of it for ages - it's Y&T. The 'coming of the chord'? It was here. Tonight.

Tonight's show had a curfew, show time had to end at 10.30pm. No harm to the support band GPS (who were OK, don't get me wrong), but we couldn't wait for them to finish, in order to get San Francisco bay area's finest, on stage. Bang on 8.30pm, Dave Meniketti, Phil Kennemore, and new bloods John Nymann and Mike Vanderhule, dandered on stage to a tumultuous welcome and thunderous applause.

Hang 'Em High, Don't Stop Runnin', Dirty Girl, Surrender - was the finest quartet of set openers we could have asked for. Our voices were already getting hoarse from singing along. Y&T are not a band who play to themselves, they share their songs with the audience. And before we knew it, we were no longer the audience but a bunch of friends they had invited around. Party time had begun - Y&T wanted to rock with us.

Mean Streak was shot across us next, the powerful chorus swaying the crowd. There was no moshpit at this gig and no crowd crush - and why would there be? Our eyes were glued to the stage, we didn't want to miss a thing. Some of us had waited over 20 years to see them and traveled hundreds of miles. For many it was a dream they never thought would come true.

It was clear that the band were overwhelmed and humbled by the warmth and affection of the crowd, and Dave made a point of telling us that they were going to cram in as many songs as they could before close. And by God, they did! There was no hanging about. The new bloods did the band proud - drummer Mike Vanderhule nailed the songs to the floor and John Nymann was the perfect guitar foil for Sir Dave of Meniketti.

Barroom Boogie, Hurricane, Rescue Me, Rock And Roll's Gonna Save The World - how much better could this get? And then came the jaw dropping solo in
I Believe In You - the crowd hung on to every note that Dave effortlessly wrenched from his guitar (an oxymoron I know, but how else can the emotion he created with that solo, be described?). And throughout the show, the intricate bass talents of giant Phil Kennemore, thundered the band along.

Dave checked for time again, and reckoned with us they could fit in another three songs. And so, the coup de grace of Forever, Midnight In Tokyo, and Black Tiger brought the show to an end. What a show it was! No need for big stage or effects or band mascots - just four guys with a back catalogue most bands would sell their souls for, oh, and a couple of hundred happy individuals who couldn't believe their luck at seeing Y&T in such a small venue.

We had the pleasure of drinking with them at their hotel afterwards. And, you know what? They are the real deal - you couldn't meet a nicer bunch of guys.

REVIEW AND PICS BY ALTE