Marisa Rodriguez is back at KK’s just weeks after fronting Sophie Lloyd here, but tonight she’s back in what you might call the day job: Marisa And The Moths. And they really are one of the most interesting up and coming bands around right now. There’s rock at the core of what they do — the kind of thing that might once have been labelled “alternative” — but they’re more than that. Their songs feel cathartic in the strongest possible sense, and in a way that feels almost literally born out of Rodriguez herself.
Lyrically, there’s no hiding place. Mental health is tackled head-on in songs like “Nothing’s Getting Better” and “Skin”, but crucially they’re never downbeat for the sake of it. These songs are anthemic. “Choke” is fast becoming a proper singalong, and “Needy” ends the set on a note that leaves the room wanting more. They’re a band you really should be watching — because there’s something about what Marisa And The Moths are doing that others perhaps just aren’t.
Tailgunner, meanwhile, are one of the best up and coming metal bands this country has produced in years. Let’s get that clear from the off. Their set begins with an ominous intro tape and, honestly, if you’ve got your own microphone with your band name engraved on the bottom, that alone tells you something. And yes — they brought that one to the gig.
They open with the title track of their just-released (and it must be said, brilliant) album Midnight Blitz, before tearing into older material like “White Death”. Fists are in the air everywhere — and that’s impossible not to notice even from where I’m sitting in the accessible section, surrounded by the Judas Priest memorabilia that adorns KK’s. You can’t help but think about the contrast between the old guard and this new breed.
There’s a brief moment of restraint with “Tears In Rain”, but it’s only there to make the impact of the Power Metal
“Barren Lands And Seas Of Red hit harder, especially when Rhea Thompson rips out a solo of tremendous skill.
“Guns For Hire” lands exactly where it should, and . They close with the title track from their debut album, proving they’ve always been this good. As they take the obligatory post-gig horns-up photo, Sham 69’s “Hurry Up Harry” blasts out, and frankly they deserve to go down the pub for a swift half.
Their new album was produced by KK Downing, and as he walks past MV at the end of the set there’s a huge grin on his face. And why wouldn’t there be? Tailgunner are a force of nature. There’s no other way of putting it. They are arguably the future of British heavy metal.
Then it’s Fozzy, and this is a band you simply have to see live to appreciate — something that’s been true since the first time I caught them way back at the Slade Rooms, before budgets, before bigger stages, before all of this.
Chris Jericho appears shirtless — but with a jacket on — because of course he does. From the off, with “One Crazed Anarchist” placed early in the set, it’s obvious this end-of-tour show is going to be nothing more than a party. No pretence. No pressure. Just fun.
The set is stacked with big songs, and “Painless” has that huge, drum-led stop-start moment Def Leppard would be proud of. “Army of One” slows things down just enough to give the songs room to breathe, before the momentum builds again.
“Drinking With Jesus” features a solo from Rich Ward that underlines just how good this band really is, and when they fire into “Do You Wanna Start A War” — complete with dry ice blasting over the crowd — subtlety isn’t even pretending to be invited.
They close the main set with “Enemy”, and the interplay between Ward and Billy Grey is genuinely tremendous. They return with “Judas”, still their biggest single, before ending on an absolutely raucous version of “Crazy Train”. Given the location, the history, and everything Ozzy represents in this area, it clearly means a lot to everyone involved.
But it’s what Jericho says that really lands. He talks about coming to England for 20 years. About not just playing London, Manchester and Birmingham, but places like Margate and Torquay — and everywhere else in between. There’s something pleasingly old school about that approach, and it’s exactly why Fozzy have built the strongest fanbase they’ve ever had over here.
Given Jericho’s background, he doesn’t need to be on that stage anymore. He just wants to be. And that’s the key difference. Fozzy are as good as American hard rock gets — and nights like this prove it.
