Tygers of Pan Tang and Star Circus, Boston Music Rooms, May 3, 2024

As I came into the Boston Music Rooms tonight I thought “that band sounds great”, and it proved to be Star Circus fronted by real life couple Dave Winkler and Sophie Aurelia Young. The song was ‘Just Like In A Movie’ and, as usual, they sound much meatier live. Round, warm, hard rock and, I think to myself “this band are getting even better live” (they are indeed supporting a lot of bands putting in the necessary graft) and with a set full of singles they are ratcheting up the catchy tracks.

Sophisticated harmonies abound and the guest guitarist Santiago Periotti adds some mean blues licks into the mix which got me thinking “I’m likin’ dat”. With the keyboard player William Robertson (‘Wheelie’) (banging the hell out of his keyboards in staccato style, sweeping up and down in true Jon Lord style) also playing guitar, that takes it to a triple guitar assault counting frontman Dave giving depth and richness. ‘Beautiful Sophie’ as Dave rightfully calls her on bass makes it look easy while looking immaculate and never breaking a sweat. Having Reuben’s drums on the side (due to the Tygers kit already being on stage) works remarkably well, hey well Stryper do it!!

And segue-ing to another band with that phonetic letter ‘y’ the Tygers axe attack the stage with ‘Euthanasia’ from 1980 with a gusto that’s great to see. They’re clearly having fun on the road and have old school work ethics. It’s straight into ‘Keeping Me Alive’ from 2012 which sounds just like the live record – perfect! Jack has some pipes! Everything they do is live music with no tapes or any smoke and mirrors.

‘Love Don’t Stay’ and  ‘Gangland’ took us right back to the eighties with the accomplished shredding of Francesco Marras. Robb Weir, the only original member’s energy and passion is ably supported by all of the line up, although it is Robb that gets all the fuss from the crowd when he comes on stage, rightfully so, as he has kept the Tygers flame alive for over forty years.  There is a photographer from ‘The Wall Street Journal’ in the crowd. Apparently, it’s doing an article on rock – well justified recognition!

The band then move into several new songs from the newest album released last year ‘Bloodlines’. It’s rarely that I say that I enjoy a band’s brand new material as much as the older tracks, but I can honestly say that for ‘Edge of the World’ and ‘Destiny’ with a heavy back end, super eighties style guitar solos and super catchy melodies over the top, are a dream combination for old school NWOBHM fans.

 The place is packed. Someone asked me if I had a spare ticket outside and so I guess the show was sold out. By constantly delivering for fans the band have kept the older fans, but I also spot a lot of younger people in the audience and plenty of girls and it’s great to see the band’s appeal diversify and continue through new generations. After the meat and potatoes Rocker ‘Back For Good’, the crowd is delighted to hear ‘Paris By Air’ which has been missing from the set for at least eight years. It is AOR heaven and I can still remember ever word. It gets a huge cheer so there is no doubt the crowd has missed it too. ‘Only The Brave’ another super memorable track from 2016’s self titled album follows.

Frontman Jack says to Robb “It’s time to play that song you love from ‘Wildcat’” which in a departure from the set list proves to be ‘Slave To Freedom’. In fact they have just swapped two songs around and we also get ‘Do It Good’ from the same record. It is obvious that Robb still loves everything Tygers just as much as the crowd.

Jack introduces  ‘A New Heartbeat’ from the self titled EP as “a track that means a lot to us” as the first track the new line up recorded.

‘Suzie Smiled’ from ‘Wildcat’ is a heavier stomper and the band are getting amped up towards climax. At one point Jack wrestles Robb around the neck.

Drummer Craig Ellis not only brings the syncopation goods, but he enters into the fun spinning his sticks and jumping up with sticks in the air, interacting and pulling faces at the crowd.

Hugh Holding (bassist since 2021 with long curly blonde locks like John Sykes) having dutifully stayed behind Robb for most of the gig quietly delivering the goods, reaches up high in a dramatic gesture with his massively long bass in triumph.

 

Before the encore Robb takes the mike and after thanking everybody tells people to treasure venues such as this one. He is right, as many venues of this size are disappearing. After ‘Hellbound’ from ‘Spellbound’ from the early eighties, they end with their biggest hit which is still the most popular song with the crowd ‘Love Potion No. 9’. Jack replaces ‘it’s been that way since 1976’ with ‘1999’ like on the live record. I still sing the old words having followed the band since ‘The Cage’.

It’s lovely to go see a band when the songs seem like old friends. What is even nicer is that the new songs have really stuck with me, so I am really just as happy, in some cases, happier to hear them, than the old ones. Robb recently confirmed that the Tygers is a lifelong project for him. He doesn’t even get involved in any other projects. We don’t have to worry about him hanging up his guitar strap any time soon and that’s a comforting thing to know.

 

Dawn Osborne