Tygers of Pan Tang - Live
Voodoo Six / Aroteh / Jenna's Revenge
Monday 21st of April 2008
By Jeanie C
As the doors open on another Joiners musical extravaganza, the usual crowd are joined by a slightly longer-in-the-tooth contingent - the followers of Tygers of Pan Tang, a band who have been around since the 70s. The ToPT faithful merge comfortably with the Voodoo Six crowd, having been going to rock gigs for 30 years or more - nothing can possibly shock them anymore, can it?
First to hit the stage are Jenna's Revenge, Pompey's homage to all that was great about 70s and 80s rock and metal. You know you're in for a treat when their opening track contains the lyric "Love train, choo choo!" With Keith Moon's reincarnation on drums and some absolutely classic Halford-esque vocals, the set is feelgood rock from beginning to end (yes, even the track about concentration camps!). Awesome!
After a very quick switch over, next up are Aroteh, a young Southampton five-piece who promise something a bit different. I have to admit, I was reminded of Charlie Simpson from Busted and Fightstar when I saw the singer, but was pleasantly surprised (along with the rest of the crowd judging by the eyebrows) when he let rip with a metalcore vocal.
The new twin-neck bass was getting rather more attention than its 19-year-old owner until he showed his mastery of the stage - shirt off by song two - a great showman! With a little more focus and live experience, this troupe will no doubt soon build a healthy following, although tonight they were somewhat out of place in a largely rock-focused setting.
Voodoo Six are no strangers to the stage, however, whether at small, intimate gigs like tonight, or larger mainstream venues. Their front man, Henry Rundell, appears dressed in leather trousers, frock coat and floppy cuffs, with half his face made up voodoo style - imagine Russell Brand guest starring in Michael Jackson's Thriller. Their new single, Faith, is on Scuzz TV at the moment, and was clearly the extent of the majority of the crowd's experience of the band, and the reason so many of them were in attendance.
With some fabulous David Gahan (Depeche Mode) posturing from Rundell, and quality pinched harmonics from guitarist Matt Pearce, the band draw to the end of their set with 'Saints and Sinners' with the disclaimer, "We don't really do this live." An excellent set from a visually magical band.
Sadly, many of the Voodoo Six fans didn't hang around to experience some real rock and metal heritage, leaving ToPT with a rather depleted audience.
Thankfully, these guys are real pros, and would play to the same high standard whether they were performing to ten or ten thousand fans. It is easy to understand the loyalty of their fans as, even after line-up changes and a growing need for elasticated waistbands, they still know how to rock, bringing renewed life to tracks from way back in their career.
Their set is a riot of classic riffs and sizzling solos, and you would be forgiven for thinking you were listening to ACDC, Maiden, even Rob Zombie at times - so many bands owe ToPT at least a mention when asked for past influences. 'Rock and Roll Man' very fittingly rounds off their set (with a treat for all fans of the talk box - marvellous!), excluding their encore, and the lucky crowd who decided to stay left the venue with a better idea of where so many of their heroes learnt the tricks of their trade. School of Rock it isn't, though there was undoubtedly a great deal of education going on here tonight.
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