Ugly Kid Joe Live
UGLY Kid Joe are back on UK shores in support of their brand new single Ace Of Spades which features Motorhead's Phil Campbell, and is lifted from their fourth studio album Uglier Than They Used Ta Be. A mixed crowd had ventured out to O2 Islington Academy to catch Ugly Kid Joe in action and Whitfield Crane and co gave it their best shot to ensure the crowd did not go home disappointed.
Crane commanded the stage throughout the band's set and had a natural swagger and cool about him – you cannot help but get wrapped up in his charm. It is clear he wanted to entertain which he did, but his voice sounded a little strained.
Ugly Kid Joe's high energy but nostalgic set covered a lot of ground. They played a stellar version of Motorhead's anthem Ace Of Spades . Some of you may be aware that Crane is a huge fan of Motorhead and was a close friend of Lemmy's, so while it seemed like a homage to the dearly departed Mr Kilmister, Ace Of Spades has actually been a staple on UKJ's set for a number of years.
Ugly Kid Joe ensured they pleased the crowd with renditions of their own hit songs Milkman's Son, Everything About You and the cover version that made the world sit up and pay attention to UKJ; Cats In The Cradle, these tracks along with the remainder of their set sounded just as good today as they did at the time of release.
It seems a little odd to say this but one of the highlights of the night was Ugly Kid Joe's intro, which saw all members bar Crane coming on to the stage. There were roars of delight as Crane came into sight and the band quickly launched into Neighbor.
With a career spanning two decades, we're glad to say Ugly Kid Joe still have it so hopefully they'll stick around for years to come.