DAN BAIRD AND HOMEMADE SIN @Wolverhampton Slade Rooms 1/12/12

At 9pm precisely, after having had no support (the covers band that were originally scheduled to open had cancelled – playing their “final ever” gig the week before) the band that is in RTM’s opinion the greatest rock n roll band in the world strides out on stage.

Ok so, it’s the Wolverhampton Slade Rooms in front of barely 100 people, and a world away from the overpriced and overhyped Rolling Stones gigs at the O2 Arena, but if anyone doubts the validity of our opinion then the second Dan Baird and Warner E Hodges begin the opening bars of “Younger Face” then it becomes clear that Mr Baird and Homemade Sin are pretty damn incredible.

The bluesy “Crooked Smile” follows, before the band plays a new song. The true skill of the band is shown here, as Baird totally forgets how it goes, playing the bridge in the wrong place, while the grinning members of Homemade Sin follow his lead, before laughing with each other – and the crowd.

There is a tremendous warmth in the room throughout, as band and audience – although small – really connect, although it is not hard to enjoy songs like “Julie and Lucky and “Ain’t A Damn Thing To Be Done”

Baird, as might be expected, dusts his old Georgia Satellites past off for a pair of 80s classics in “Keep Your Hands To Yourself and “Railroad Steel” which sound as fabulous today as they ever did. Actually, that does Homemade Sin a disservice, as so good are the aforementioned Hodges, bass man Keith Christopher and drummer Mauro Magellen, that they, In terms of musical ability perhaps eclipse anything Baird has done before.

However, their real strength is just how much fun they are – and how off the cuff everything feels. This is rock and roll the way it was meant to be. There is no setlist for example, and Baird is happily playing Elvis songs before Hodges – very much the Keith to Dan’s Jagger if you will – reminds the frontman there is a strict curfew. Baird is forced to apologise, but didn’t need to, as everyone was just swept along.

A singalong “Shelia” follows, before what would have been the encore of “Two For Tuesday” complete with a segue into Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Hey Tonight”, and a bar room boogie of “Hard Day’s Night” finishes things.

After two almost faultless hours Dan Baird and Homemade Sin prove that they are the kings of this type of music. None of it would have been possible without Creedence, of course, as Baird would himself acknowledge, but as rock and roll bands go, this is the best on planet. And they didn’t charge £400 for the privilege of seeing them.

Simply stunning.