Live review: Tygers Of Pan Tang and Star Circus, Downstairs At The Dome, London, Friday, May 3 2024
May By STEVE MASCORD
“DOWNSTAIRS at The Dome”. Where the hell is that?
A month previously your correspondent had stood between 11000 people and Uriah Heep and Saxon at Wembley Arena, where they were opening for Judas Priest. Tonight I am looking for Tygers Of Pan Tang out the back of a pub at Tufnell Park.
Tygers were formed in Whitley Bay in England in 1978 and became part of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal movement that gave us Def Leppard and inspired Metallica. One could answer the question of why Saxon were on stage at Wembley and Tygers Of Pan Tang are in this nondescript hall (very handy to the tube though) by pointing out that Saxon had many more hits.
Most casual music fans here know of Tygers for their 1982 cover of the Searchers’ “Love Potion No.9”.
Saxon, by comparison, have “Denim And Leather”, “Long Arm Of The Law”, “Wheels Of Steel”, “Princess Of The Night”, etc.
But the curious thing about Tygers Of Pan Tang is that, with a back catalogue a little less imposing, their finest work has been done since they reformed in 1999. With guitarist Robb Weir their only original member, they’ve but pushing out five-star releases on a pretty much annual basis.
Tonight’s openers are Star Circus, an entertaining enough melodic hard rock band who certainly dress the part. Their guest guitarist singed his fretboard enough for the regular guy to be concerned for his job and “Gina In A Bottle” was catchy and clever.
There are three songs each from their first album, Wild Cat, and their most recent Bloodlines and let me tell you – that latter three do not suffer in comparison. In fact, I’d say “Edge Of The World”, “Back For Good” and “A New Heartbeat” are close to the strongest songs in the whole set.
It’s a rather diverse crowd for a London ‘traditional’ heavy metal gig too. A pair of middle aged ladies stand in front of us before thankfully deciding not to block our view since they are about 13ft tall between them. A fellow in his early thirties high fives me, apropos of nothing. Many people appear to have come on their own, having not been able to convince anyone to accompany them to an obscure gig by an obscure band (that everyone has nonetheless heard of) at an obscure venue.
And it’s a wonderful night. Crunchy, essential heard rock and metal riffage with uplifting, perfectly executed melodic choruses. The people bounce and punch the air, the band throw heavy metal shapes and everyone leaves with a grin.
How many times can you say you’ve recently got into a band that started in 1978 and that it’s their recent releases that attracted you?
Tygers deserve to be on stage opening for Priest. They deserve to be on the Monsters Of Rock Cruise. Get them out for Glam Fest in OZ.
I’m not sure what’s upstairs at the Dome but they should at least but up there next time the pass through town.
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