Words by Ryan Brown
Photo by Blind Johnny
Twin Toon outfits support Tigercub for an evening of headbanging at The Grove.
The opening act was Newcastle’s own Twin Fire, who took to the stage in style; collectively embodying the spirit of leather jackets, leopard print and wearing sunglasses indoors. The set began with explosive back-to-back tracks with huge riffs, soaring vocals and a funky bass solo to round off their introduction.
The band made good use of their opening timeslot, powering through tracks in an extravaganza of riffage. The two guitarists took turns taking solo’s while the singer made the most of the packed venue. The Geordie quintet was kept neatly together by the drummer and bassist, who provided an infectious groove to the set with a flair on stage that made it look effortless.
The second band of the night was Giant Walker, another local outfit that brought a more prog-rock, almost psychedelic vibe to the stage. My initial impression was that their sound followed a ‘less is more’ approach, with a similar tonality to Royal Blood. However, as the set progressed, the riffs, motifs and melodies became increasingly intricate.
Singer Steff Fish’s vocal style was very reminiscent of Stevie Nicks and even wore an appropriately big sleeved 70’s style shirt. Partway through the set, the band played a currently untitled track, which featured guitar arpeggios with a heavy bass effect and the following song closed with a roaring David Gilmore-esq guitar solo.
Lastly, walking out to the unmistakable hype of ‘Ante Up’, the Brighton three-piece Tigercub launched straight into their opening track ‘Anti-Sceptic’. The sound on stage was massive, and it was difficult to believe it came from just three musicians. One of Tigercubs’s greatest strengths is the relationship between their guitar and bass. The thick, weighty bass tone perfectly complements glistening guitar lines that pave the verses in their songs, whilst also providing the ideal foundation for guitar solo’s, allowing for engaging melody and rhythm combinations throughout the set.
During the song ‘The Perfume of Decay’, the introduction featured a fuzz-laden guitar playing sharp arpeggios that leaned into the realm of noise-rock, building tension during the instrumental breaks within the song. ‘You Are My Dopamine’ offered another memorable moment, featuring a guitar tone that took on an almost organ-like sound. It was a great example of Tigercub’s ability to experiment while maintaining their trademark heaviness. Elsewhere, other songs channeled a goth-rock vibe, with a darker edge and machine-gun sounding basslines, giving tracks an industrial beat.
After a relentlessly heavy evening, Tigercub closed on ‘Beauty’, a groovy track with the essence of a ‘Queens of the Stone Age’ deep cut, the band took their bow and left the crowd with sore necks and the memory that the underground rock scene is still going strong.
