Page 55 - Black Velvet Issue 95

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FOZZY / HARDCORE SUPERSTAR / MADAME MAYHEM / THE LAST BAND – BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY 2,
27.10.17
Birmingham kicked off Fozzy and Hardcore Superstar’s co-headlining three-week European tour at the end of October. Beginning in the UK with
nine shows including two in Ireland, the tour then was due to head over to mainland Europe for shows in the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and more.
This opening night began a little hectically with soundcheck running over and doors having to be delayed by 15 minutes. When they did open at
5.45pm, opening band, The Last Band, from Gothenburg, Sweden, had already started their set – playing to only a handful of people for the first song
or two until more had finally filtered in. Despite rock ‘n’ roll flowing through their veins, The Last Band have a much harder edge, more in line with
shouty hardcore punk bands. Frontman Coffe Blood’s vocals are quite penetrating. ‘So What’ and ‘The Hunt’ are packed with riffs, cut-throat screams
and moshpit-inducing drumming (shame there weren’t enough people for a moshpit). No-one really knows what to make of Coffe Blood’s mention of
‘skinny bitches’ – it’s a reference to the chorus in ‘The Hunt’. The band may need to return a few more times before the UK really figures The Last
Band out. But the rockers seem intent on becoming the real ‘last band’ on stage, so it’s only a matter of time.
With her third full-length album having been released a week before the tour, the UK has been missing out on Madame Mayhem somewhat. It’s
her first time in the UK, but it definitely won’t be her last. Being impressed by her on disc, we’re happy to report that Madame Mayhem is equally as
impressive on stage too. Vocally, she’s a great talent, but she knows how to put on a show too. Singing songs such as ‘Monster’ and ‘All Around The
World’, this female rocker does deserve to be known all around the world.
So while it’s billed as a co-headline tour,
Fozzy are playing last at the UK shows, with
Hardcore Superstar then being the final band in
Europe. They have sets the same length though
(or supposedly, as Hardcore Superstar’s was
only 50 minutes rather than an hour tonight), and
Hardcore Superstar dive right in with ‘Beg For It’;
pure high-octane rock. Frontman Jocke Berg ac-
tually surprises fans by walking into the photopit
and jumping on the barrier quickly before getting
up on stage. The one downside to Hardcore Su-
perstar’s set is the stage lighting being mostly
backlit blues – although Jocke moves around so
much that a spotlight probably wouldn’t be able
to keep up with him. They’re a band that defi-
nitely focus on the music, giving their audience
a good time via their non-stop, energetic rock ‘n’
roll. New single ‘Have Mercy On Me’ goes down
a treat, being instantly contagious and full of fun,
while ‘Above The Law’ is a rebellious punk rock
anthem. With ‘We Don’t Celebrate Sundays’
helping to wrap up the set, we definitely cele-
brate Hardcore Superstar, and look forward to
the next time they’re back in town.
If you’ve never seen Fozzy, you must.
Fronted by WWE wrestler Chris Jericho, a self-
confessed charismatic showman, he brings en-
tertainment to the concert stage. Opening with
‘Judas’, the title track of the band’s new album,
suddenly everything is larger than life. The light-
ing has gone up a notch or two, Chris Jericho is
dressed in a sequined jacket, and the band’s
sound is more mainstream rock. Chris basks in
the audience’s chants of ‘Fozzy’ and puts on his
light-up jacket for ‘Spider In My Mouth’. The
venue lights go down and there’s a huge cheer
when everyone sees the flashing lights on the
jacket. It’s definitely not all novelty though, as his
band, which includes lead guitarist Rich Ward,
rhythm guitarist Billy Grey, bassist Paul Di Leo
and Frank Fontsere on drums, are incredibly pro-
ficient musicians in their own right and have each
paid their dues in the music business. Songs
such as ‘Do You Wanna Start A War’ are perfect
for singing along to, while ‘Enemy’ includes an
extensive guitar solo. “Weezer’s playing next
door… Everyone say “Fuck Weezer”,” says
Chris. Maybe that’s because Weezer reportedly
took both of the tourbus spaces outside, leaving
no room for Fozzy or Hardcore Superstar’s.
Rather than leaving the stage for an encore,
Chris tells the crowd they know bands leave just
to return, so why bother leaving the stage at all?
They play ‘Sandpaper’ for what is supposedly
the encore. This band has definitely been sand-
papered, being smooth and spot on, with no
rough edges or uneven points. If you’re looking
for a solid rock show to thoroughly enjoy, this is
your band.
YYYY
Shari Black Velvet
Chris Jericho (Fozzy) Photo By Shari Black Velvet

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