Kicking off things tonight are Melbourne’s own Bengal Tigers who first started in the late 70’s, their career is one that should have been huge. In Melbourne’s metal scene in the Bengal Tigers were tipped to be one of the next big things in metal/hard rock to come out of this country. From 1982-84 they could do no wrong, that was until the band split. In 1989 the band reformed and actively released new music through the 90’s rebuilding what they had already started.
Fast forward to 2023 when I first got to see what these guys were all about. Live they were good on first impression, perhaps not to the standard that had been painted in my mind or the stories as I had been told by of age fans of their gigs back in the 80’s. Afterall that was almost forty years prior to this show. Tonight, I can say without a doubt that the band are firing on all cylinders.
Their short and sweet 30-minute set contained a mix of old and new songs and it was the new songs that really caught my attention tonight. With a new album titled “Cry Havoc” due soon it was an opportunity to showcase what Bengal Tigers are capable of in 2025. Visually the band are a ton of fun to watch, frontman Gordon Heald has every rock move in the book covered and is a joy to watch. Engaging, charismatic and on point. They capture the very essence of metal and hard rock.
Musically they are tight as hell. The one thing that truly added to their set was the lighting. They had the best lighting of all the bands tonight which is rare for an opening act. In all honesty they could have headlined tonight as they were that damn good. I can’t wait to check out these guys again. I’m looking forward to what is to come from these guys. This line up kicks some serious ass.
Setlist : Tear You To Shreds, Penetrator, Cry Havoc, Under The Tower, Break & Bend, Pounding Energy.
Sydney’s Night Legion are a new band for me and seeing them tonight, they took me by surprise. They have all the hallmarks of what we know as power metal these days, the very genre that Ross The Boss and Manowar defined for me four decades ago. There is a slight theatrical element to the band with frontman Vo Simpson, he never stays still and leads the band perfectly. His voice is incredible and the band are simply a full on powerhouse delivering riffs, grooves and melodies to die for.
I came out of tonight a fan of the band, and that as an artist is all that you can hope for. I’m keen to see these guys again. Unfortunately the lighting during their set was pretty dark and didn’t highlight the band as they deserved. Night legion have something very special about them and I am sure they will be ones to watch here at home and internationally in the next twelve months. I didn’t dare attempt to the setlist or song names in fear of getting the titles wrong but believe me they were all killer songs. A great set indeed.
Both Night Legion and Bengal Tigers did an incredible job warming up the crowd which was at near capacity by now. The moment and main reason for attending tonight was upon us. I finally get to experience Ross The Boss and hear “Sign Of The Hammer” live. I’m filled with anticipation and excitement.
Frontman Marc Lopes is simply a powerhouse, I’m speechless, we are only the first song in and what a frontman. Energetic, engaging and powerful. Manowar frontman Eric Adams has certainly left a huge vocal task ahead of him and by the end of ‘Blood Of The Kings’ I knew Lopes has the chops and voice to deliver this catalogue of songs many would not dare to even tackle. Lopes is by no means a clone of Adams, he has his own voice and vocal characteristics and that I think is a part of the appeal of his performance. Lopes is just the tip of the iceberg with this band.
Bassist Dirk Schlaechter (Gamma Ray) is an absolute beast. His playing is gritty yet precise, his bass tone is just perfect and the switch between four and eight string basses really do add something special. His interludes and mini solos were so damn good. Drummer Sean Elg (KK’s Priest) is just a powerhouse and gives these songs the absolute kick in the ass they deserve. He is a pleasure to watch and a showman behind the skins. For me it was seeing and hearing Ross “The Boss” Friedman play those riffs and rip our heads off with the solos from this immense catalogue of songs that truly blew me away. I shouldn’t be surprised by how good he is. That tone too is just killer.
By the time we reached the end of “Sign Of The Hammer” which was closed out by the absolute anthem of ‘All Men Play On 10’ which received a massive response it was obvious the fans here tonight were of all of the same schooling as me. Some from the same year, others from much later, however the common thread was we had all grown up with and been schooled by the sheer power of those early Manowar records. Seeing so many sing every word and engage the way they did certainly reminded me of why I love and formed a deep connection with metal from an early age. It’s a release, it’s fun, it’s powerful and it connects.
The final five songs of tonight were all anthems that span Ross’ era with the band. All battle cries and sing along fun. I had a tear in my eye as I heard ‘Fighting The World’ being launched through the PA, in-fact that last group of songs were all one I wanted to hear. Having said that the guys could have played for another hour and still not lost me or any or the energy inside the room.
Ross The Boss live was everything I had hoped for. It’s a no bullshit delivery of metal classics done with authenticity and integrity, energy and power. All round tonight was a stellar night of heavy metal, there was something for everyone’s tastes. Something old, something new. It was a celebration of the evolution of power metal as we know it. Well done to all involved and especially Hardline Media for making this happen.
Setlist : Blood Of The King, Oath, Sign Of The Hammer, Thor, Dark Avenger, Blood Of My Enemies, Kings Of Metal, Mountains, Black Wind Fire Steel, Guyana, All Men Play On 10, Secret Of Steel, Battle Hymns, Fighting The World, Kill With Power, Hail And Kill.
Photos by Shot By Slaidins Photography
