The noise level was critical when Welsh Glam Titans Tigertailz finally returned to the Manchester stage as a headline act for the first time since late 1991.
Re-energised, refreshed and reloaded with the new addition of Ex-Fuzzbox bass player Sarah Firebrand and drummer extraordinaire Robin Guy the mighty 'tailz took to the stage following a last minute support slot from upcoming band, Falling Red.
I had heard great things about Falling Red and was looking forward to checking them out but after a strong opening the band, I felt lacked a creative spark jamming no less than 3 cover versions (including a ridiculously plodding cover of Love Gun by Kiss) into a 30 minute set. The band either have no faith in their own material or are under-rehearsed either way I can't see that the show earned them any new fans.
The front-line of Falling Red really look like a band, their image, their stagecraft even down to their choice of guitars. The drummer however was, for me, the weak link in a chain already loosened by the aforementioned cover versions. Certainly stylistically he looked as though he would be more at home in a band fronted by Marilyn Manson but even his musicality was seemingly devoid of the energy and spark needed (and certainly generated) by the rest of the band. I think more time needs to be spent practising stick-spinning and visual tricks to really fit in with the band. Having said that, he was very tight, just a little...well...boring.
No doubt the band, having been shoehorned onto the bill at the last moment were suffering from this and I look forward to being much more impressed by them in their slot at the S.O.S. Festival in July certainly their own material showed a great deal of promise with big chords and catchy choruses including a lovely power ballad. I just wish the band believed in it more.
After a short break Tigertailz took to the stage with the massive opening track 'Sick Sex' from the 1989 stand-out album Berzerk and that is exactly what the (disappointingly thin) crowd did. From Jay Pepper's opening riff to the closing Chord of the evening the crowd went beserk as only a Mancunian crowd can. The energy levels rising as the set wound on.
Crashing swiftly into 'Wazbones' the title track from the unreleased 1992 album of the same name the band played a set culled mostly from the aforementioned Beserk album Tigertailz showing everyone why exactly they were once one of the UK rock-scenes most exciting bands fusing the bombast of Kiss with the showmanship of Motley Crue and utilising samples and loops before most band had even figured out how to use a drum machine.
As a longtime fan of the band I was really looking forward to seeing what the new line-up brought to the older material and I was not disappointed. The delicious Ms. Firebrand gave the basslines of the back catalogue a sexy new fire whilst the blur of sticks at the back of the stage kicked (literally) the intensity of the tracks up several notches.
Struggling against a horrendous onstage sound and this being the third show in a row the band still gave all as the hits kept coming 'Livin' Without You', 'Love Bomb Baby' and 'Noize Level Critical' kept the crowd going whilst a stirring, emotional sing-a-long tribute to deceased bass player Pepsi Tate 'Heaven' brought a tear to a few eyes in the crowd.
After a rampant jaunt through 'Long Live the New Flesh' from the Thrill Pistol album the band took a short break from the stage allowing Robin to show exactly why he is in demand a hi-energy player as he soloed along to a backing track made up of air raid sirens and a pounding electro-bass line.
I've seen Robin play on many occasions and I've never seen him drop a stick but tonight a couple of bits of wood went awry to his amusement. I wonder could he have been feeling the beady eye of former drummer, Ace Finchum who had turned up to watch the band much to the delight of many fans of a certain age who have fond memories of Ace's time with the band.
As the band returned to the stage to the strains and Kim Hooker lead the crowd in a one man singalong of 'Lick it Up' the band readied themselves to take us into the homestretch with an energy and a perfomance belying the onstage difficulties and closing the set with Jay Pepper's 'Robocop' set piece and a monstrously HUGE 'Dirty Needles'.
Answering the calls from the crowd the band took to the stage once more for a spirited cover of KISS favourite 'Deuce' and whipped the crowd into a heaving, sweating, clapping frenzy with final number 'Call of the Wild'.
Despite the bands consternation with the onstage sound the front of house mix was passable, certainly it could have been better but on the whole it was a loud, sweaty, rock and roll show as only Tigertailz can deliver. I just hope they don't leave it as long next time...
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