PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
Midway through their feline good current UK tour, NWOBHM legends Tygers Of Pan Tang stopped on by to sharpen their claws at Eleven. Run by Paul Hume, Demon guitarist and lead vocalist for Lawless, the year old venue is going from strength to strength and was near full to capacity on a bitterly cold Sunday evening including super fan Patrick Verbanck who drove all the way from Belgium. The Tygers blew with ease any pre Monday blues with a melodically heavy seventeen song set.
Robb Weir who founded the band in 1978 in Whitley Bay beamed a Cheshire cat grin throughout the gig as they pounced with ‘Only The Brave’, a riff heavy opener from their latest self titled album with second guitarist Micky Crystal shredding away, backed by a soaring vocal from Iacopo Meille containing a chorus that set the standard for the rest of the night. It was one of four new ones aired , showing they are still a force to be reckoned with. No pause for breath as the hooks in ‘Love Don’t Stay’, all the way back from the 1981 Crazy Nights album got under the skin. There were many many highlights for an old fan like myself and my favourite album, their debut Wildcat provided the heavier tracks here. The gritty ‘Euthanasia’ got me headbanging, as did the guitar histrionics from Robb in ‘Slave To Freedom’. ‘Insanity’ chugged along backed by the pounding drum work from Craig Ellis but my stand out was their debut 45rpm single ‘Suzie Smiled’ that spearheaded a frantic end to the set with ‘Hellbound’ and two crowd pleasing covers, a heavy run through of ‘Tush’ and of course they would have used up all their nine lives if they had not done ‘Love Potion No.9’. Also worthy of note were the power balladry of ‘Don’t Stop By’ and ‘Love Don’t Stay’ , both were nothing short of spellbinding!
Also from the latest album, ‘Glad Rags’ got the crowd in full voice. ‘Blood Red Sky’ saw Iacopo deliver his strongest, soaring vocal and ‘The Devil You Know’ riffed dynamically hard and heavy.
Tygers Of Pan Tang band line up :-
Robb Weir – Guitar.
Iacopo Meille – Lead vocals.
Micky Crystal – Guitar.
Gav Gray – Bass guitar.
Craig Ellis – Drums.
