Quireboys/The Karma Effect/Soho Dukes -
The Palais, Nottingham, Wednesday 7th October, 2026
A fantastic start to the day. Soho Dukes, a set of geezers who strut like the own the Gaff. Made up of Johnny Barracuda (Vocals), Si Leach (Lead Guitar), Col "The Duke" Foster (Rhythm Guitar), Bomber (Bass), Age 'Appy Ammer' Blackwell (Drums) & Swerve (Keyboards).
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The Singer, JB brings a Brolly and a Baseball bat to a gig, and a whole lot of attitude. The whole band play and perform like they are living their best life right now, and they probably are! The camaraderie and humour between the band really plays out to the crowd. High energy, high fun with a healthy dose of talent. A great band to start off any show.
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The Karma Effect have a line-up of Henry Gottelier (Lead Vocals/Guitar), Robbie Blake (Guitar), Nate Keevil (Bass/Vocals), Tom Pitt (Keyboards/Vocals) & Alan Taylor (Bass). It was my first time seeing them and wow! I was absolutely blown away!
The whole band was a total blur of energy and movement from start to finish. You could tell these guys know exactly how to command a stage and work a crowd. Musically, they're right at the top of their game - so fluid, so tight, technically brilliant. It was a joy to listen to!
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Playing in the middle slot, they did a fantastic job building momentum and warming everyone up. My only tiny gripe: on a few songs, the sound on Henry's vocals was a little lost - hard to make out the words at times. Whether that was acoustics, mic levels, or something else, I'm not sure - but it honestly didn't spoil the show one bit.
They left me wanting more. I am already counting down until, next time I can see them! Great set, we were all left breathless, and perfectly warmed up for the main event. Definitely a band to watch!
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Spike's and the Quireboys after two amazing acts take to the stage with their bluesy glam-kissed hard rock. What can we even say about the legend that is Spike? He’s the ultimate cheeky chappy — that smile has broken hearts the world over and his wicked sense of humour matches that mischievous glint in his eye perfectly!
And he’s still got that hunger for the stage. Absolutely no sign of fading. Though I’m still not entirely convinced that “coffee” he kept sipping on stage was really just coffee… that frothy head looked awfully suspicious!
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Kicking things off with 'Jeeze Louise', he had the crowd roaring right from the first note. Stepping in for Nigel Mogg on bass was Matty James Cassidy. I’ll be honest — I did miss Nigel’s boundless energy and that way he plays like he’s the lead guitarist. Matty’s an incredibly capable musician, though he is solid and skilled, Matty just brings a moodier, more stationary vibe.
Then there’s Guitarist, Luke Morley, fresh off his solo run and clearly a huge crowd favourite. He stayed back, happy to let Spike take centre stage — and boy did Spike thrive on that! The banter never stopped, laughing with the band, joking with us, serving up classics like 'Whippin’ Boy' and 'Hey You' that everyone sang at the top of their lungs.
The mood shifted beautifully when Spike spoke so movingly about Guy Bailey. You could feel the emotion in the room. But that quiet, tender moment didn’t last long, it never does with Spike!
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'Raining Whiskey' and '7 O’Clock' blazed through to the final stretch, but it was during 'There She Goes Again' that it hit me, this was easily the best I’ve ever seen Spike perform. His voice, his flamboyance, that effortless connection with the crowd he was simply on top form. And the whole band was right there with him.
Off to the side, Willie Dowling on keys and seeing Spike sit and laugh with him, it clicked. That’s part of why he shone so bright tonight: he’s surrounded himself with people who lift him up, not just as a performer but as a friend. Willie and Luke bring so much warmth and personality; Harry James is rock-solid on drums.
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Honestly? This might just be the finest line-up I’ve ever seen Spike front — they gel together like they’ve played a lifetime. And then, the perfect finish — the beautiful ballad 'I Don’t Love You Anymore'. A stunning end to an absolute masterclass of a show. What a night!
By Dale Holford