That disbelief came on two fronts. Firstly, with the band as popular as ever, no one could quite believe they were quitting again (ostensibly because frontman Danny Bowes wanted to concentrate on his day jobs of gig booking and managing bands) and secondly, no one believed that they wouldn’t be back.
So no one was too surprised when partial reformation was announced in summer so the band could play the High Voltage festival, that rapturously received performance has led to these Christmas shows – something the group often did. The first (which RTM couldn’t make) sold out so quickly that a second night was announced. This sold out too. The public, it seems, have missed Thunder.
As always at these things, the five-piece play two sets. The first is an acoustic, almost knockabout section, which sees them kick off with a bluesy “Everybody Wants Her,” and take in covers from the likes of Queen (“You’re My Best Friend”) and Rod Stewart (“You Wear It Well”).
The highlights, though are the different versions of Thunder favourites. Pete Shoulder, singer/guitarist with The Union – a band which contains both Thunder guitarist Luke Morley and Bassist Chris Childs - is guesting tonight, together with a couple of backing singers and a Hammond Organ player, and he adds his voice to a stunning “Once in a Lifetime” to provide an obvious peak, before “Just Another Suicide” brings things to a close.
After a short break (“We are just off to put our sparkly boob tubes on” says Danny) the stools are gone and the amps are plugged in. And this is what we came for.
Part two begins with “Loser,” a track that has always summed up the ethos of the band perfectly. Catchy, with a massive sing-a-long chorus, it is a tale of boy-gets-girl, ending with the line “I’m just a loser with a band.” Thunder have always been quintessentially British working class heroes, acutely aware they are privileged to be on stage rather than in the audience, and this probably accounts for their enduring popularity.
From here it is a romp through their greatest hits, their hymn to self-abuse, “The Devil Made Me Do It” is followed by a song about longing for something new “Higher Ground,” which sounds so fresh that it is easy to forget that it is over 20 years old.
There is a magnificent rendition of “Like A Satellite,” which ends with a Thin Lizzy-esque twin guitar solo from Morley and Ben Matthews, the anti-drugs "Eveybody's Laughing" and an unexpected cover of “Live and Let Die,” before “I Love You More Than Rock and Roll” brings the curtain down the main set.
An encore of “Better Man,” as usual, sees drummer Harry James take centre stage, before the ubiquitous – and always magnificent - “Dirty Love” leaves everyone with huge smiles on their faces.
That songs normally ends things but it is Christmas after all, so “Merry Christmas Everybody” performs those duties – and sees the band joined by giant inflatable Santas all over the place.
Time moves on. Morley and Childs have the aforementioned The Union, James drums with Magnum and other bands and Bowes is a busy man, but it would be a real shame if Thunder became a Christmas cabaret act. This is one of the finest rock bands on the planet; with a back catalogue to equal most and this show proves they still have plenty to offer.
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