Bad Touch head North as they open their Shake A Leg UK tour on Tyneside at Newcastle University Student’s Union.

Of course, the Norfolk based five-piece are no strangers to the North East of England having performed here many times over the years including shows with the likes of King King, Skid Row, Broken Witt Rebels and Mollie Marriott, to name but a few.

Bad Touch has been gaining momentum in the last few years, which led to their subsequent signing to Marshall Records and the release of their brand new studio album Shake A Leg. This current run being Bad Touch’s biggest UK headline tour to date.

Bad Touch are joined on tour by Swiss newcomers Daxx and Roxane along with Aaron Buchanan and the Cult Classics, who each, in turn, deliver high energy opening sets early in the evening. Tonight’s triple bill perfectly highlights the strength of the emerging rock scene at present.

As the Norfolk based five-piece hits the stage, they waste no time at all showcasing their latest offering with three back to back cuts from Shake A Leg following in quick succession. This includes a foot-stomping airing of “Show Me What It Means”, the band’s joyous radio single “Lift Your Head Up” and the hard rocking “Movin’ On Up”.

The group takes the crowd back to their first album with “Good On Me”, which frontman Stevie Westwood proclaims is ‘A song about wearing ladies trousers’. Subsequently, the band playfully injects a few bars of ZZ Top’s “Sharp Dressed Man” into the mix to great effect.

Being proud of their new album, tonight’s show centres on Shake A Leg, with ten of the thirteen tracks on the record featuring in the setlist. There is a raw energy about each of these songs which makes them perfect for the live environment, and they certainly hit the spot.

Bad Touch brings with them in tow an arsenal of crowd-pleasing anthems. Mid-set the southern rock-tinged “Hammer Falls”, the incredibly infectious “Tussle” along with future classic in the making “Take Me Away” are definite highlights of the set. These tracks are packed full of catchy hooks, big riffs and huge choruses which have made them immediate live favourites.

The flow of tonight’s set is largely new to old, and as the band head towards the latter stages of the evening they wheel out a number of fan favourites from their first two albums and beyond. Bad Touch slows things down momentarily with a heartfelt performance of “Take Your Time” before upping the tempo with an emphatic airing of “My Mother Told Me” and the anthemic “Outlaw”.

The band closes out their main set with “Down”. This being a track which predates Bad Touch’s debut record, having been written when the band were at the young age of 19. Of course, the show would not be complete without “99%”, which brings Bad Touch’s set to its explosive conclusion.

On the strength of tonight’s show and their recent album, it’s fair to say that Bad Touch perfectly defines the sound of the New Wave of Classic Rock. They pay homage to the greats and the old school, whilst at the same time adding a contemporary twist to this beloved genre of music.

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Bad Touch UK Tour Dates:

Glasgow, The Cathouse Thursday 18 October

Inverness, Ironworks Friday 19 October

Edinburgh, Bannerman’s Saturday 20 October

Manchester, Academy 3 Wednesday 31 October

Derby, The Flowerpot Thursday 1 November

Hull, The Welly Friday 2 November

Sheffield, Corporation Saturday 3 November

Leeds, The Wardrobe Monday 5 November

Stockton-on-Tees, ARC Tuesday 6 November

Stoke-On-Trent, Eleven Thursday 8 November