THE UK's leading Motörhead tribute band were in Barrow on Saturday, paying tribute to Lemmy at the Nines - but did Motorkill manage to do him justice?

POPULAR local acoustic duo Brief Sobriety kicked the night off, beginning with a forceful rendition of AC/DC's Rock 'n' Roll Ain't Noise Pollution.

Bob Bell booms out the vocals and keeps a mean and accurate rhythm guitar going throughout too, while Sean Kelly adds interlocking licks and solos that just knit everything together.

Their set included fine versions of Free Bird and Sweet Home Alabama, both Lynyrd Skynyrd originals, plus a great take on All Along the Watchtower, the Bob Dylan song, probably best defined by Jimi Hendrix.

They ended their stint as they began with another AC/DC classic in Highway To Hell.

Echoing Lemmy's customary greeting, "We are Motorkill and we play Rock 'n' Roll!", the Midlands-based four-piece took to the stage with intent, launching into the first of a mammoth 25-song set.

As a rule, Motörhead songs don't outstay their welcome, they get the job done and leave, so we were soon bombarded with back catalogue gems such as Damage Case, Shoot You In the Back and Dead Men Tell No Tales. The Hammer was dedicated to Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor, Motörhead's original drummer, who died in November last year, not long before Lemmy also sadly passed away.

Motorkill's front-man, Tilly, not only looked like Lemmy, complete with signature Rickenbacker bass, but he also had the great man's raspy vocal style covered too. The twin guitars and thundering drums gelled together as they tore through fan favourites such as No Class, Love Me Like a Reptile and Just 'Cos You Got the Power - the latter being a personal highlight. God Was Never On Your Side, The Chase Is Better Than the Catch and Over The Top ended their set, before they encored with a clutch of explosive classics in Bomber, Ace of Spades, Killed By Death and Overkill.

Jointly promoted by The Nines and TP Music, if there was a downside to this gig, it would be the sparse attendance, but with big events happening elsewhere in the town that day, it was perhaps to be expected.

Review by DAVID DUFFIN