TYGERS OF PAN TANG, Agincourt, Diamond Lil @Roadhouse, Birmingham 2/8/12

It’s not often that you get to see a song called “Sex Injuries” – in fact it might well be the daftest song title in history – but then, if you ever watch Diamond Lil you probably will. Stalwarts of the Brummie basement scene, Lil, you suspect might always be at that level. There’s nothing wrong with their songs, but nothing that makes you desperate to see them again.  “Bottom Of A Glass” is pretty catchy but that is about as far as it goes.

Agincourt are the second support band tonight and they are much, much better. Back in May RTM saw them support rather ludicrous power metallers Stuka Squadron and they were an entertaining and engaging affair. Tonight is no different. The song they are named after is perhaps their best, but their twin guitar onslaught is worth watching.

Time, it seems, has not been overly kind to the Tygers of Pan Tang. Formed in 1978, they were once at the forefront of the NWOBHM movement that spawned some of the greatest bands the world has seen.

However, spin forward 34 years they have reconvened with just one original member (guitarist Robb Weir) and there are barely 20 paying customers here for this gig.

Although this isn’t a reformation that has been a recent affair, indeed the line-up of the five piece has been relatively stable for the past decade (barring last years addition of former Whatever and one-time Almighty bass man Gav Gray) and they appear anxious to play us a lot of their new album “Ambush,” which is out in September. Early indications are that it is going to a pretty decent affair, certainly if CD opener “Keeping Me Alive” and “These Eyes” are anything to go by anyway.

Of course there is an extensive rummage through the back catalogue, set opener “Euthanasia,” “Live For The Day” and perhaps best known song “Spellbound” are enjoyable enough. As is “Don’t Touch Me There” – the problem is that the latter also shows the problem with the concert. Tygers front man Jacopo Meille tries to start a singalong on the chorus line, and there is no response whatsoever. He tries to get clapping started on closer “Rock N Roll Man” but that too dies out.

It's not fault of the bands – or indeed the crowd – it is merely just that evening such as this can never be fantastic, by virture of the fact the tiny audience feels uncomfortable and the band itself can’t be enjoying it too much either. And yet the guitar interplay between Weir and Dean Robertson as well as the class of the new songs, showed the band still have plenty to offer.

It’s a shame, because it had the potential to be fine evening, but ended up not being especially memorable. Pub Rock par excellence, is probably the best way of putting it – which probably isn't what the Tygers of Pan Tang  had in mind.