@ Newcastle Legends, July 2 2010

Newcastle got out the hairspray and the eyeliner and returned to the heady days of hair metal for a night of glam with Tigertailz headlining a great four-band line-up.

Kicking off the night was Oslo based band Citizen Charlie. At a time when female rock singers are a rarity, Charlie has the rock and roll swagger of Joan Jett with a voice that is also reminiscent of the ex- Runaway, with a little Patti Smith thrown in for good measure.

Dripping with sarcasm Rock And Roll Poser is a ‘tongue in cheek’ commentary on male musicians and definitely brought a smile to my face.

Next up, Falling Red stormed the stage with high energy and attitude. Tipped by both Classic Rock and Rock The North Magazine as one of the hottest bands of the year, Falling Red lived up to my expectations.

If you love loud dirty rock and roll then these boys are for you. Falling Red hurtled headlong into How You Feel (On Me), Out Of Control and You Were Out To Get Me with ego and passion. Guitarist Shane Kirk caught my attention, snarling and swearing at the audience, and looking like a hybrid Johnny Thunders and Steve Stevens, he plays and performs like it’s his last day on earth.

Having seen New Generation Superstars before, I knew that I would get pure punk rock and roll with a little Bowie glitter on the side. Currently touring their latest album Raising The Stakes, New Generation Superstars are definitely worth a bet.

The boys rocked their way through Nothin To Lose,  Addictive, Come Over and the anthemic Guess What, to name but a few and by the time it was over they had the audience in the palm of their hands and begging for more.

The Ramones, Motley Crue, Iggy and The Stooges, can all be heard in New Generation Superstars’ brand of punk rock, they are tight as a mouse’s waistcoat, with hooky lines and lyrics that would make your mother blush. They are by far one of the best bands around today and their set, for me, was worth the price of admission.

Last but not least, headliners Tigertailz blew up the stage from beginning to end. With a vow to play Bezerk in its entirety, they gave us what we wanted and more. Originally released in 1990, Bezerk brought us the bombastic glam anthem Love Bomb Baby and gave Tigertailz an album that became a worldwide hit.

Bezerk spawned many a hit for the band in the UK the US and Japan and they clearly continue to have a loyal fan base. Rocking through Noise Level Critical and the classic Love Bomb Baby, and not forgetting Heaven, original members Kim Hooker and Jay Pepper still look the part.

Bedecked and bedazzled and with bigger hair and more make-up than KISS, Tigertailz epitomise all that is great about Glam – great fun, great tunes, great times. But times have certainly changed since 1990, as has the line-up within the band.

Following the death of Pepsi Tate in 2007, stunning bassist Sarah Firebrand and drummer Matt Blakout were enlisted to keep the Tiger on the road and provide a solid heartbeat for Kim and Jay.

After a raucous rendition of Ace Of Spades, Tigertailz exited the stage to cries for more. Tigertailz performance took me back to a time when rock music didn’t take itself too seriously, to the time before Nevermind and the emergence of Seattle sound grunge. To when rock music was pretty, not political, and sleazy guitars, big hair and lip-gloss were the order of the day.

Glam rock, we have missed your glitter. But with the emergence of great  bands like New Generation Superstars, Falling Red and Citizen Charlie, and the resurgence of bands form the 1990s touring, maybe, just maybe, the future may sparkle…. Just a little…..

Viki Ridley