British rock band Tygers of Pan Tang made a stop in Ommen during their European tour. With killer support from the Roundabouts, the night was filled with some good old rock ‘n’ roll!
Café Calluna is based in the middle of nowhere and isn’t exactly a place I would expect British hard rock and heavy metal band Tygers of Pan Tang to show up at. The motorcycle clubhouse was in a very green area, but not exactly a big hub of rockers. That said, the small venue was absolutely packed, and we were in for a sweaty show.
The unique location didn’t stop the crowd from turning up for the band, formed in 1978. As part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, the band gained fame with albums like Wild Cat and Spellbound. Despite several line-up changes over the years, they’ve continued releasing new music and touring.
ROUNDABOUTS
Local band the Roundabouts opened up the night. I might be biased, but this is such an exciting band, and they’ve only released two songs so far. Restarted late last year, they’ve been working hard ever since, earning an opening slot for Steel Panther last month and now for the Tygers this time around. Although they don’t have many shows in their books, you wouldn’t guess that from seeing them live.
As a well-oiled machine takes the stage and immediately kicks off their high paced set. Being local, they had already some fans in the crowd, which fuelled them with more energy and positivity. Roundabouts played through their set of catchy tunes that included the singles Outta Your Mind and The Other Side.
Lead singer Felicity van der Smissen truly owns the stage. She glides effortlessly across it, captivating the crowd with her playful energy and natural charisma. Peter Prangsma on bass and drummer Jorick Lubbers laid down a strong foundation on which the guitars could build. Both guitarists Loudy Joseph and Robin van de Wetering jump into the crowd for some fantastic playing. It is though to not be impressed and have a great time with them. It is really a band to watch, and I hope they will release more music soon!
TYGERS OF PAN TANG
After the killer set from The Roundabouts, it was time for the main act. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Tygers. Currently, guitarist Robb Weir is the only founding member still in the band. Drummer Craig Ellis joined in 2000, followed by lead singer Jacopo “Jack” Meille in 2004. The ‘new guys,’ Francesco Marras and Huw Holding, have been with the band since 2020 and 2021, respectively.
The small and crowded stage didn’t stop the band from giving it their all. From the first second, they brought this hard rocking energy with them. Honestly, I was surprised how good the show and crowd were. Robb Weir and the whole band were in top form, scorching through a career-spanning set that featured classics like Gangland, Hellbound and Love Potion No. 9. However, some new tracks like Destiny and Only the Brave gave a great mixture and sounded awesome. Lead vocalist Jack Meille sounded great tonight. The sound was crisp and clear, and their performance was top-notch—exactly what you’d expect!
Tygers of Pan Tang delivered a killer night out and honestly for just a tenner it was just worth it to see the support. Seems like greatly priced concerts are still a thing, and for that money we got a proper night filled with two bands that delivered awesome sets.
