If ever there was a band made of teflon, you would probably call it Tyketto. For over 30 years the lineup changes have come and gone, the fashion for their kind of music has circled around, and the great and good have risen past them only to fall by the wayside. Yet through it all this band remains solid, powerful, uplifting and entertaining. If there have been Issues they just slide away like a freshly-fried egg in a well-seasoned pan. Tonight they are back in Manchester for the umpteenth time, bringing both a local(ish) lad and a not-often-seen band as support. 

Dan Byrne is Liverpool through and through. If you cut him in half the remains would probably say “scouser” like some kind of gory Blackpool rock. Nonetheless he is delighted to be here on stage tonight in Manchester bringing his personable charm and incredible voice to the  Academy along with a band who are tight as a duck’s chuff. It must be somewhat daunting to be a singer supporting someone who is arguably one of rock’s greatest vocal talents, but Dan is undeterred. His style is hard rock with a blues edge, and he throws it out like confetti to the eager crowd. The songs are well-crafted, the band look like they’re enjoying themselves and over it all Dan’s vocals weave and bring it all together. Here at ROCKFLESH, we have watched Dan mature from a shy youngster into a confident, sassy performer who is sure of himself and his talent, and every performance is an absolute joy to behold.  

Little Caesar are a little harder to pigeonhole. They’ve come over from California for our delectation, and having them on this tour is obviously a popular choice going by the number of t-shirts in the room! They play straightforward party rock mostly, with an occasional curveball swerving into both blues and soul territory. The songs are basic, simple, but easy to tap a toe to and choruses can be picked up and sung back with little effort as well. This is no frills rock, with a bit of a trucker shine to it. Flat caps are de rigeur in the band but in my head there are baseball caps and checked shirts, it’s that kind of vibe. Each song follows a formula, so there is riff-verse-chorus-solo-chorus-riff; the songs feel familiar even though they are new to our ears. Despite the singer Ron Young being proudly sober for 27 years (as a band they have been around for 34!) there is a standout song called ‘Rum and Coke’ which bounces along like a musical juggernaut and has tired feet dancing in no time at all. A bit like an actual rum and coke then! There’s an obligatory ballad and some swampy blues, married with just a touch of rockabilly. Overall they are not breaking down barriers but they are damn good at what the do and it’s an enjoyable set. 

Tyketto have had some changes recently. Gone is Chris Green with his impeccable hair and in his place we have Harry Scott Elliot, who fills that guitar spot like he was born to it. Gone is long-time drummer Michael Clayton, replaced by blast-from-the past Johnny Dee. Ged Rylands is no longer “just” the keyboard player and backing vocalist, he’s also dabbling in a bit of guitar work too, The inspiration for this becomes obvious later in the set, stick with it dear reader. Stalwart Chris Childs is still on the bass, and of course the focus of everyone’s attention is frontman Danny Vaughn. Older, greyer, but with the same fire he has always had, Danny is a powerhouse vocalist. He can turn from gentle AOR balladeer to screaming, spitting rocker in an instant, and part of the charm is that despite all of Tyketto’s work being so familiar you don’t know which Danny you are getting from one moment to the next. Singalong choruses abound, crowd involvement is paramount to this band and Danny works it like a fine dough. He kneads and pleads, goading and playing, and the crowd respond enthusiastically. No two Tyketto shows are the same these days, so despite the obvious songs there is always something a bit leftfield for the diehards. Tonight it comes in the form of ‘Tearing Down The Sky’ from the “Reach” album – a fan request that has never been played live before and is a full-on balls-out romp of a rocker.  

Danny describes Tyketto as a family and indeed there is a warm inclusive vibe to the whole evening that draws you in and makes you feel a part of something much bigger. Harry gets plenty of chance to shine, and delivers some screaming solos as well as some head-nodding riffs. Surprise moment of the evening is when they produce a cover song. Not just any cover though, oh no. Danny describes it as “one of the UK’s finest ever bands” as they launch into UFO’s ‘Only You Can Rock Me’ and the crowd duly rocks along. Aha, is this where Ged is getting inspiration from? UFO always had a guitar/keyboards man who could do a bit of everything too, how wonderful to see this used to grow the Tyketto sound as well. Things seem very positive in the Tyketto camp at the moment, studio time is booked for a new album next year and there is imminent news of a big tour as well so keep an eye on their socials. In the meantime we have reached the end, and as the familiar sound of ‘Forever Young’ washes over the crowd like a warm fuzzy blanket I muse that Teflon is flexible as well as smooth and hard, and totally fits this band. Teflon Tyketto has a ring to it, no? 

Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!
Tyketto + Little Caesar + Dan Byrne