Fozzy (w/ Hardcore Superstar, Madame Mayhem, The Last Band) @ Club Academy (Manchester, UK) on November 1, 2017 [Photos & Review]

First on stage tonight were the ironically named The Last Band. Hailing from Sweden, they had a tough task ahead of them as they began playing just as doors opened, but their raucous songs about drugs, booze and skinny bitches (their words, not mine!) managed to sufficiently warm up those people who turned up early.

Madame Mayhem was up next and she took a slightly more theatrical, yet still hard-hitting, approach to things. The New York native has been making waves in the US while collaborating with some of rock’s biggest luminaries and, based on her live performance tonight, this will not be the last we see of Madame Mayhem and her powerful voice on this side of the pond.

This tour is actually a co-headline affair with Hardcore Superstar. The Swedish rockers haven’t released an album since 2015’s HCSS but with new songs already in the bag, the beginning of 2018 should see a fresh album on the shelves. But thoughts of album release dates seemed to be far from the minds of the Gothenberg rockers as they take to the smoke-filled stage for 60 minutes of riffs, Axl Rose-inspired dancing and last calls for alcohol. Judging by the reception the crowd give the guys, it was an inspired choice on someone’s part to have them along as co-headliners.

October 13th saw the release of Fozzy’s seventh album, Judas, on Century Media Records and they have wasted no time in embarking on a lengthy UK and European tour before linking up with Steel Panther for a run of shows in early 2018. Fozzy are out on the road for one thing; to make sure you have a good time. Their stage presence is phenomenal, with Chris Jericho taking a commanding position on a raised platform and Rich, Billy and Paul moving about the stage constantly and pulling enough moves to tire out the most energetic amongst us.

Lead single, “Judas”, from the new album opens proceedings and marks the beginning of 70 minutes of non-stop action. It’s clear to see that the band are having fun and that spills over liberally into the packed and sweaty crowd who are willing to match them lyric for lyric and headbang for headbang. I wouldn’t class myself as a Fozzy fan, but they definitely won me over with their live show tonight.