Laughter and Legendary Tunes: Spike and Rhiannon Rock The Old Cold Store

March 10, 2025 rocknews

Spike’s Electrifying Return: A Night of Laughter and Rock ‘n’ Roll

Saturday night in Nottingham was anything but ordinary as Spike, the legendary frontman of The Quireboys, stormed The Old Cold Store with his spoken word tour. Armed with an acoustic guitar and a treasure trove of wild stories, the charismatic Geordie had fans belting out tunes and laughing their socks off all night long. Kicking off the night was the phenomenal Rhiannon Hill, lead vocalist of Kira Mac, one of the UK’s hottest rising rock bands.

Kira Mac

Rhiannon Hill, fresh off a whirlwind trip to Canada with her band to lay down tracks for their next album, took the stage solo. Despite the absence of guitarist Joe Worrall, who was delayed in Belfast, Rhiannon wowed the crowd. Perched on a stool, she launched into “What You Listening To,” a lockdown creation by her and Joe. The set also featured a blazing rendition of “Hellfire & Holy Water.” Between songs, Rhiannon’s colorful anecdotes painted a vivid picture of her life, comparing her dad to “Alice Cooper on crack” and a friend to Poison’s greatest hits, thanks to her snake print outfits. Covers of “Fat Bottomed Girls,” “Babylon,” and Miley Cyrus’s “Nothing Breaks Like A Heart” rounded out her electrifying solo performance.

Be sure to catch Rhiannon Hill and the rest of Kira Mac on their UK tour later this year—it’s a show you won’t want to miss!

View Thumbnails

Spike

Spike’s set began with a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday” for Lisa, the night’s promoter. He then launched into Rod Stewart’s “Tonight’s The Night,” humorously pondering Rod’s lyrical choices. Spike’s hilarious stories between songs had the crowd in stitches, from Bonnie Tyler’s drinking prowess to David Coverdale’s accent and getting sacked from the Whitesnake tour. But the highlight? Polishing off a bottle of brandy with Bono’s mum mid-flight and leaving her with a Quireboys demo tape, which he claims inspired U2’s “Angel Of Harlem.”

The night was a rollercoaster of hits, including “Raining Whisky,” “Drive Me To Distraction,” and a killer cover of “The House Of The Rising Sun.” After belting out “Cocaine,” Spike jokingly compared his clean-living image to that of the saintly Cliff Richard—yeah, right! He wrapped up with “There She Goes Again,” leaving everyone at The Old Cold Store singing along and raising the roof.

Overall, it was an unforgettable night of rock and hilarity. As a lifelong Quireboys fan, seeing Spike still rocking and entertaining with his charismatic tales was a real treat. If you get the chance, don’t miss the opportunity to see Spike or Rhiannon Hill with Kira Mac live—grab your tickets now!