Chickenfoot @ Shepherds Bush Empire, London

There's something to be said for the sheer weight of history that strides on stage to start Chickenfoot's debut London show, and only thirteenth overall. With two parts Van Halen, one part Chilli Pepper, and well Joe Satriani, no matter what you may think about the music, you know that you are going to be treated to a solidly professional performance.

The one thing you might be concerned about, and certainly one thing I was when they took to the stage, was whether this was going to be another supergroup that just turned up, had no great feel to them, and will largely unmemorable apart from the sum of their parts.

Well I'm glad to say that this simply was not the case. Chickenfoot might by definition be a supergroup, but on stage at the Shepherds Bush Empire fans are treated to a performance by a band that could be about to embark on big things, they have that feel to them. Hagar is a master of crowd manipulation, and from talk about the fact that he can't get British beer on stage (he started with a Corona), to how the band recorded the album in 43 days he's entertaining, and paces the show to perfection.

Chad Smith chimes in himself from behind the drum kit from time to time, of course I shouldn't forget his accident, when he fell over trying to bounce to much, knocked over the floor tom, realised he'd gashed his arm, and then proclaimed "I'm bleeding for you London!"

We were also treated to an array of bass' from Michael Anthony, including a stunning Jack Daniels bottle shaped one, it all helped to keep this show moving.

Of course, none of this would have mattered had the material been weak... but thankfully again that's simply not the case. They might not have spent a whole lot of time working on it, Hagar revealed that the tracks final album was written and recorded on the final day in the studio, but it all just seems to work tonight.

Special note has to go to the rousing 'Soap On A Rope' and the blues monster that is 'Down The Drain'.

By the time the band come back out to play an encore of the Montrose classic 'Bad Motor Scooter' and Deep Purple's 'Highway Star' they've been on stage for an hour an a half, have rocked the place stupid, and promised to come back again as soon as they can.

If you weren't there, you missed out. Simply put, don't let it happen again!