Ahead of our upcoming live album, we’re visiting some of the great reviews from our performance at the Stonedead Festival back in August. Here’s a cool one from Metal Talk!
And then came The Dead Daisies. If Sweet were the time machine, the Daisies were the unstoppable juggernaut, rolling forward with decades of hard rock pedigree in their DNA. From the very first note it was clear Doug Aldrich was playing out of his skin, bending strings like a man possessed, his Les Paul howling with the sort of fury that only comes when you’ve got something to prove. And fronting them once again, triumphant, was John Corabi, back in the fold after his brief absence, his voice rasping and soulful, commanding the stage like he’d never left, for me, Corabi is the voice of The Dead Daisies.
They kicked off with Long Way to Go from 2016’s Make Some Noise, and the festival grounds shook as Corabi belted the chorus, his gravelled delivery cutting through the night air. The rhythm section thundered behind him, Tommy Clufetos on drums, an absolute monster in perpetual motion, David Lowy anchoring everything with his steady riffage. Rise Up from Burn It Down (2018) followed, heavy as a wrecking ball, Aldrich and Lowy’s guitars snarling in tandem. Aldrich ripped a solo that spiralled skyward, every note dripping with fire. Dead and Gone, also from Burn It Down, brought a swampy, blues-heavy swagger. Corabi spat the verses with venom, the band thickening the groove until the crowd were swaying and stomping in unison. Light ’Em Up, from their 2024’s album Light ‘em Up, crackled with modern energy, its grinding riff feeling heavier live than on record, a metallic edge that showed the Daisies’ versatility.
Then came Bustle and Flow, one of Holy Ground’s finest moments. Clufetos exploded into a solo mid-song, his kit an extension of his body, sweat flying with every punishing strike. The crowd went berserk at the sheer spectacle, the field transformed into a drum clinic under the stars. They switched gears into I Wanna Be Your Bitch, a dirty, swaggering number 2024’s ‘Light ‘Em Up’, delivered with tongue-in-cheek bite. Corabi oozed charisma, pacing the stage like a rock ’n’ roll pirate, Aldrich peeling off licks that swaggered right alongside him.
I’m Gonna Ride came next, another ‘Light ‘Em Up’ standout, its locomotive rhythm charging the field forward. Take a Long Line, their Angels cover, was all snarling and raw, a nod to their Aussie connections via Lowy, who looked delighted playing it live. Their cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Fortunate Son followed, this is always a festival highlight. Corabi spat out the lyrics with grit and disdain, Aldrich tore into a solo drenched in Wah, and the field roared approval.
Mexico, from Revolución (2015), gave the set a playful, raucous lift, the chorus screamed back with fiesta spirit. Midnight Moses, their Alex Harvey cover from the same album, hit like a tribal ritual, the field chanting “Hallelujah!” with hands raised. Corabi’s vocal was made for this one. And then came Helter Skelter, the Beatles track they’ve made their own, (Locked and Loaded 2019). Here it became a finale of absolute chaos, Aldrich’s solo shredded everything in sight, Corabi howled into the night, the band a wall of sound at its most unhinged. Bloody awesome!
By the end, the Daisies had proved themselves as champions of rock ’n’ roll in its purest, filthiest form. Aldrich raised his Les Paul high, Corabi saluted the crowd, and Newark roared approval for one of the most convincing sets of the weekend. The Dead Daisies had yet again stolen the show!
Review & Photography by Manny Manson for MPM