The Miserable Metal Mind Podcast : LIVE REVIEW: Darren Wharton's Renegade - The Patriot Home of Rock, Crumlin, Newport 31/05/24

Thrust into the spotlight at 18 years of age, Darren Wharton has as much claim to Thin Lizzy’s catalogue as many, with his contribution on Chinatown, Renegade, and Thunder & Lightning essential as the band came to its end.

Darren Wharton's Renegade - The Patriot, Home of Rock Photo:Hutchie224

Having spent 40 years fronting Dare, Wharton has now formed Renegade, along with fellow Dare members Vinny Burns (guitar) and Nigel Clutterbuck(bass), guitarist Andy Moore, drummer Greg Morgan with Marc Roberts on keys. It's a healthy crowd that push into the front of the Patriot, eager to get a glimpse of the former Lizzy man, although many here are also familiar with his main body of work with Dare. They are the kind of band who go down well in the South Wales Valleys. But there are more Lizzy shirts on show tonight, and expectation is high. One of the highest regarded hard rock bands of all time, their legendary status is cemented in history. Tonight, only their sixth show together, it’s a celebration of everything great about the legacy.

Darren Wharton's Renegade - The Patriot, Home of Rock Photo:Hutchie224

From the sinister dark overtones of Angel of Death that opens the evening, it’s high-quality stuff. The musicianship is first class, with both Moore and Burns note perfect on the solos, especially the intricate work on Still in Love with You, as well as the magnificent dual attack on Emerald and Black Rose, and the sledgehammer metal of Cold Sweat. Wharton is in superb form, his vocals adding a unique twist to the songs, able to emulate Phil Lynott without imitation. His between song stories add depth and character to the evening, as he tells of those first days joining Lizzy, hours in the pub with the band, and Lynott’s easy and charming approach.

Darren Wharton's Renegade - The Patriot, Home of Rock Photo:Hutchie224

It’s a stellar setlist, pretty much all you could ask for. Jailbreak. Killer on the Loose, Renegade, Chinatown, The Sun Goes Down, Cowboy Song, they are all played and make the heart swell. It’s been a good while since I’ve heard these songs live, and they still sound brilliant. The Boys are Back in Town gets the venue jumping, before the night closes with those inimitable covers, Rosalie, and Whisky in the Jar. A fine evening indeed, and for Wharton, justification of a brave decision. Well worth catching.