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Tygers of Pan Tang
This was probably the most controversial band that we had here at the
festival today. So many people were against the band not only being on the
line-up but also being so near the top.
Originally they were pencilled in to take the headliner spot but nearer the
day with so many rumours flying around they were moved down to the second
slot. Indeed a lot of people blamed this band for the day not being as
good a seller as the May one.
Whether this is true or not is beside the point, there were a lot of bands
playing here today, and something for everyone. If anyone didn't like the
Tygers then all they had to do was go and have something to eat during
their set. It really was that simple. You can't blame one band for some of
the others being pulled.
It was also supposed to be their big reunion gig although anyone who, like
us, remembered them from their hey days would have noticed straight away
that there was only Rob Weir left from the original line-up.
We know that some of the people who were going to travel down to see them
play today decided to stay at home and watch them in the local pubs.
Well they didn't turn up at the local gigs and we did wonder if they would
make it here today in fact.
There were so many things that were stacked against them before they even
arrived here tonight that it was a bit of an uncomfortable situation for
everyone in a lot of ways.
Earlier in the day when they were supposed to be doing a signing they
didn't show, or if they did it must have been later that expected.
Rumours of a no show were rife around the room and we were starting to
feel uneasy. So many people wanted them to fail today, unfairly really.
The two songs off the 'Rock the Nation' sampler were rather wonderful in
my opinion and I was really looking forward to seeing our local lads
perform here today.
The Tygers of Pan Tang were one of my teenage favourites. I used to go to
see them when they really knew how to blow the cobwebs off the rafters and
did a proper grab yer balls and sing for all yer worth set.
They really knew how to give a crowd a good gig and so although this
wasn't exactly the line-up we would have liked to have seen here today, it
was still a line-up we wanted to see.
What songs would they do? Would it be all old stuff, all new stuff or a
mixture of the two? We were really, really pleased that they hadn't been
dropped altogether and were going to be doing something here today in some
shape or sound.
The band finally made an appearance onstage to a luke warm reception from
the crowd. In fact the majority of the crowd made a point of walking away
or standing at the back looking bored when they came on.
You could see the band were worried sick at the response they were getting
from the room. It showed all too well on both sides how the emotions were
running.
A small bunch of fans and fellow Geordie's stood patiently at the front
and tried to cheer them on. I think if someone had offered them an escape
route before they had to go onstage they would have most certainly taken
it, as they really did not look happy. In fact lead singer Tony Liddell
looked positively miserable.
If he had snapped the microphone stand in half and stabbed a few people he
might have raised a slight smile, but it was not to be. He didn't want to
be there and it showed.
It was such a shame as well because he does in fact have a very good
voice, which is a mixture of Rob Halford, meets Biff Byford. NWOBHM
through and through. They opened the set with the new track 'Detonator'
which sounded very much in the vein of the old material.
Quickly followed by 'Lonely at the Top' a song that had us, well all of us
old fans, singing along and feeling like we had been whisked away to a
time long past.
Rob Weir was on good form and played very well for someone that seems to
spend more time in the sun than playing his music these days. Tony
attempted to say something about being from Newcastle but before he could
finish the hecklers were out and hurling abuse at the band big time.
That really wasn't nice for anyone there and it wasn't clever either. No
one deserved the treatment you gave to these guys today. Shame on you.
The band realized that the sooner they got the set over and done with the
better. They set about going through the rest of the songs in quick
succession, even dropping the song 'Raised on Rock' from the set towards
the end just so they could make their escape sooner rather than later.
The songs off the sampler were included but they didn't sound quite as new
and enticing live. On the CD they sounded like a whole new breed of Tygers
had emerged and had a tasty modern slant to the songs.
We were quite excited by this new sound and were looking forward to
hearing the full album when it eventually gets released.
Live they slipped back into their Rob's old routine and style and they
lost a lot of their magic in the transition.
The old Tygers songs sounded great mind you, we had all our old favourites
including their most famous one 'Love Potion No. 9'. A track that always
got the clubs going whenever it was played. Hellbound was there as well.
It was hard to resist flinging the old head about when they went into that
one.
Oh I really, really, used to love this band and the songs they did. Today
the old songs sounded so good and brought back many happy memories for me.
But were they any good? Well yes and no would have to be the honest answer
to that question. They brought back a time long forgot and made us all
feel young and alive again.
They didn't storm off when they knew they weren't welcome and carried on
with the majority of their setlist.
It was heart breaking though to watch them being put through this, however
coming onstage and looking miserable wasn't going to win anyone over.
Perhaps if Rob Weir had chosen another name for his new band and just
included some Tygers covers they wouldn't have been given such a hard
time?
To continue with the name of a band that were so great, so legendary, when
really it wasn't the same band or the same era even, was perhaps a bit
foolish.
Z were perhaps a little too eager in allowing them to be so high on the
list when they don't even have their comeback album released yet.
If the Tygers were to be included on the bill today then perhaps they
would have been more suited to being the opening act, that way not as many
fans would have had their heckles up and taken a pot shot at the band
during their performance.
When all comes to all they did a great nostalgia gig, they brought back
the past but where can they realistically go from here? This kind of music
is sadly long gone and shouldn't try to be revived.
There is a new breed of British heavy rock and it's being fronted by the
band we saw play second today. They should have been much further up the
list than they were. Not quite sure what will happen when they play
Germany later this month.
Someone's made a bit of a boob taking these guys on by the looks of things
here today. The lead singer didn't even know the words to the old material
never mind the new stuff.
It's not like they had only just found out about doing the show, they'd
had plenty of opportunity to practice just like all the other bands we'd
seen here today.
Could he have been more obvious about it if he'd picked up the song sheets
from the floor and sang from them? This is not what we have come to expect
from the high quality of bands Z usually put forward for us to watch
perform.
They died a thousand deaths here today and other than being a Tygers of
Pan Tang cover band I really can't see them being able to change peoples
minds about them.
I did actually enjoy the songs but I was in the minority and I am also a
realist when it comes to what makes other people tick. This didn't make
anyone tick.
Rob I'm sorry
but you have to admit this is true. This new band of yours is not the
Tygers of Pan Tang, and Z you have to admit this isn't the sort of band
you would normally sign so both of you only have yourselves to blame for
tonight's little performance.
All said and done if the songs from the sampler are anything to go by I
will still be looking forward to the release of their album.
Whether I would want to see them play live again in the near future is
perhaps another question altogether.
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