Tygers of Pan Tang
6 dicembre 2013, Circolo Colony, Brescia

THE REVIEW

Seeing the Tygers of Pan Tang, a historic name in 1980s English heavy metal, back on stage is always a pleasure, and their date at the Colony in Brescia could only take on the charm of a small event. The Tygers, who disappeared from the scene during the dark nineties, have been back steadily for about a decade, thanks in part to having a distinguished singer at the microphone, the Italian Jacopo Meille, who was previously the voice of the Florentine band Mantra. Following the good success of "Animal Instinct" in 2008, which put the Tygers' name back on track, it's now the turn of "Ambush," released last year to critical acclaim almost everywhere.

Accompanied by Ruler and Sixty Miles Ahead, the Brescia concert unfortunately had quite a low turnout, about fifty people, but the evening still proved substantial, with excellent bands alternating on stage and a great atmosphere. On the one hand, it's acknowledged that the Milan-based Ruler are now a guarantee, maybe one of the few young talents capable of proposing heavy metal with NWOBHM influences without being boring, on the other hand, it's worth noting that Sixty Miles Ahead, despite being good, seemed somewhat out of place, with a modern hard rock sound that didn't quite fit with the evening's offerings and, frankly, an audacity that was irritating, considering they are a band that still has a long way to go.

When, at half past eleven, it was time for the Tygers, the first thing that stood out, besides the beautiful banner depicting the cover of "Ambush," was the line-up reshuffle since their last Italian performance. Fortunately for us, Robb Weirr was back in his place, Brian West was replaced by Gavin Gray, formerly with Blitzkrieg and an old acquaintance of the group, while Dean Robertson made way for Micky Crystal. Despite this, it's evident how the English band has been honed by years of constant touring and how a frontman of Meille's caliber makes a difference.

The setlist of the evening was commendable for drawing equally from the more recent works and classic hits, also surprising with tracks rarely featured in the Tygers' concerts, like "The Story So Far," a gem from "Spellbound," or "Paris by Air," retrieved from that much-maligned album "The Cage." The more recent "She" and "Dark Rider" demonstrate how many NWOBHM bands still have much to say in the new millennium, while the older tracks like "Gangland," "Suzie Smiled," or "Euthanasia" remind us why the Tygers of Pan Tang were among the most prominent bands of the movement at the time.

A great evening, then, with experienced musicians still full of passion and Robb Weirr, who for years has been living a second youth, perhaps more charged today than fifteen years ago. A sparse audience turnout, as mentioned earlier, unfortunately almost always the same faces attending these types of events, an evident sign that there is a chronic difficulty for this genre in finding a broader audience and how it now seems to rely, at least here, only on the usual enthusiasts. Nevertheless, the Italian tour included several dates, an evident sign that the band must still have a sufficient following in Italy, even though, just once, it would be nice to see more interest from Italians in names that, albeit with less fame, have nonetheless helped to make the genre great.