Artist: Tygers Of Pan Tang & Steve Grimmett Band

Venue: Trillians Rock Bar, Newcastle   

Date: 6 November 2008  

In what has been a busy week for rock bands in Newcastle we set out for the second show in a row, following Hanoi Rocks at The Carling Academy it was time to visit Trillians Rock Bar for two bands that we at the Mayfair Mall hold in high esteem. Firstly The Steve Grimmett Band and secondly The Tygers Of Pan Tang.  Two bands on a roll at the moment and the perfect pairing for Hard Rock fans in my opinion.

Traffic on the A1 meant that we missed the opening three quarters of the set by the first band, but we were more than ready for Steve and the rest of the band, who are no strangers to us as we had been greatly impressed by their performance at the Firefest IV pre-show, and then totally blown away by them at Rock Of Ages earlier this year, where they were band of that day for us.

The band opened up with ‘Karma’ and despite a severe cold, Steve was still fantastic vocally reaching the high notes with ease, with Pete Newdeck powering through the set like a man possessed and along with the immaculate guitar work of Ian Nash, the band were certainly on fire.  Stand-in bassist Chas also gave a sterling performance tonight.  

The set continued with another track from the phenomenal 'Personal Crisis' album, ‘Wait For Ever’, again a great track from a great album.  Next up it was time for Steve to roll back the years to those more Melodic Rock days with Lionsheart with the superb ‘Portrait’. The Lionsheart material was continued with another great sing-a-long track ‘Can't Believe’, before Grimmett showed his more Metal side with the Grim Reaper classic ‘Rock You Too Hell’.  Again Nash’s guitar work was just sublime as he sliced his way through the fret board with such ease it's just criminal, then it was straight into the 1987 'Rock You To Hell' album for ‘Night Of The Vampire’. We’d had the 'Night of the Vampire' now it was time for the ‘Wrath Of The Ripper’ from 'Personal Crisis' to power on through.

The best of the set was yet to come with the superb ‘So Cold’ and one of the best tracks off PC ‘Afterglow’, with the band finishing off with what else but ‘See You In Hell’.  A song that once again witnessed a flurry of head-banging at stage front from a group of fans old enough to remember Grimmett's many bands over the years, but still young enough to retain the hair to shake it like their very lives depended on it.

A truly great band and a great set and one that I'd really recommend if you like your hard rock with just a touch of metal.  This is a band who really leave your craving for more.  A cracking set by a cracking band and one we'll be eagerly awaiting the return of in the Toon. 

Now to a band that I could watch time and time again and I have, I’m speaking of the mighty Tygers Of Pan Tang. The band have always had a spot in my heart over the years but have really grown in stature since the inclusion of vocalist supreme Jacopo Meille from Florence, Italy, who has really acted as a catalyst for the rest of the band and injected something rather special into the whole Tygers sound.

I’ve noted on many occasions at how good Jacopo vocals are and tonight he and the rest of the band were again as tight as a fishes arse in a wet suit.

Opening up with ‘Cry Sweet Freedom’, the band were instantly in control of the audience as Robb Weir and Dean Robertson just exploded into action, with the powerhouse back beat of Craig Ellis and Brian West backing them all the way.

Talking of Craig Ellis, this guy gives it his all right from the first song to the last and at this type of intimate show you really appreciate the hard work that drummers put into a set.  Ellis really showed his metal tonight, never missing a beat. Back to the set and it was all systems go with the excellent ‘Take It’.  Taken again from the bands best release for years 'Animal Instinct', Weir stepped up to take centre stage in front of the partisan crowd and it was clear to see he was enjoying every moment, as were we. The trading of licks between him and Robertson are just a joy to watch as the pair exchange high jinks with Weir messing with Robertson’s mike making Robertson limbo to do his vocals at times and without missing a note I must add!

The first of the classic Tygers songs was next and one of Weirs favourites ‘Suzie Smiled’, a song that still sounds as good as it did twenty-eight years ago.  Then it was back to the new album for ‘Hot Blooded’, a great track which really shows what a great vocalist Meille is.

The mix of old and new continued with something taken from the bands first album 'Wildcat', this time is was ‘Slave To Freedom’, which I must say sounds better today than the original, the arrangement is much better and makes the song sound fresh and very much alive.

Again from 'Wildcat' another song that sounds really fresh under Weir and Robertson’s new working ‘Euthanasia’.  By this time the band were really on fire and even Brian West was rocking out like a man twenty years his younger, and this has been the main fact about the band over the past couple of years, it's the fact that they are all thoroughly enjoying what they are doing, and this is openly reflected by their stage persona’s and the huge grins they sport while playing.

The tempo was picked up a little with ‘Rock N' Roll Man’ as Weir got this one underway with a little voice box magic, then it was time for an all time classic none other than ‘Love Potion No. 9’.  A few years ago this would have been the final track of the set but the Tygers have grown so much and have better songs on the new album, that this one is now relegated to three quarters through the set.

The excellent ‘Hellbound’ was next with Meille once again powering through and Robertson and Weir showing the young guns how real guitar players do it.  No ego’s, just fret burning at its best.

Now it was time for Deano to really show us how it's done as he got ‘Gangland’ underway this rounded off the main set, but fear not, the band whipped into the encore of ‘Running Out Of Time’ before finishing on a high with ‘Raised On Rock’.

Again the Tygers showed they still have a ROAR and a BITE and there no stopping them when they’re in this much form.

This is a band I don’t get sick of seeing its just a pleasure to see five guys enjoying what their doing and this energy is expelled into their audience who always go home with a smile on their faces. This is what ROCK N ROLL is all about if your not enjoying it then don’t do it but if you enjoy it keep on rocking.

But still no ‘Paris By Air’ Robb?

All content copyright of The Mayfair Mall Zine unless otherwise stated.