When I took the road to AN Club to see Tight Spot, Velvet Roxxy, and Middle Earth live on stage, I didn’t know what to expect. I knew that these young bands played in a hard rock/heavy metal style, yet this was my first encounter with them, and I was a bit hesitant. Let’s see what happened that Friday night …
by Dimitris Zacharopoulos
photos by Iro Kalligeri (@irokalligeriphotography)
The first band to enter the stage was Tight Spot. This is a group of teenagers, a group in its beginning, which based its set mainly on covers. They began with The Ramones, then chose to play some classic Guns N’ Roses songs, like “Rocket Queen”, “You Could Be Mine”, etc. plus some songs of their own. Their sound was raw and super heavy, yet you could tell that they were immature and needed some more practice. They surely have skills, but they have to keep up their good work and reach the sound they dream of. Their show was a punk rock/hard rock party, full of adrenaline – Tight Spot rocked AN Club and passed their positive vibe to the audience. One of the highlights of their show was when the singer of Velvet Roxxy took the guitar and joined them for a cover of “Don’t Cry” (Guns N’ Roses). We were electrified and gave our applause to this band of youngsters, who have a bright future ahead of them. This was the perfect warm-up live set!
The time for Velvet Roxxy had come. This newcomer band is a more experienced live act than Tight Spot, something you could understand even from the first minutes of their show. Furious, determined, and relentless, Velvet Roxxy took the stage and tore down everything! Yes, they were incredible and attacked us with their fierce heavy metal. They played their own melodic and powerful songs, which sounded really interesting to our ears. The fans, who almost filled the small, historic underground venue, were thrilled by the music of Velvet Roxxy, who made it clear to everyone that they are a strong unit, with many fresh and interesting song ideas, that knows how to play loud, dynamic heavy metal. Velvet Roxxy has the entire package, since they are also cool and extroverted on stage – especially the singer, who was super comfortable and connected with the fans. And the drummer was a beast, no bullshit! The cover of Whitesnake’s “Cryin’ in the Rain” was OK, but the overall Velvet Roxxy experience was extraordinary!
Some minutes after Velvet Roxxy, Middle Earth appeared on stage and set AN Club on fire! From the outset, they played with brio and passion, delivering their primal, filthy hard rock/glam metal and giving an amazing show. Having a clear, thundering sound and an admirable ease and elegance, they didn’t just deliver a fine performance; on the contrary, they smashed everything into pieces! Led by Alexandros Staridis, who has the looks, the voice, and the vibe of a true rock star, Middle Earth presented their own wonderful songs, which sound so good live! Apart from the impressive frontman, the band features four other skilled musicians, who know how to combine feeling with technique. Well-prepared and devoted to their rock ’n’ roll art, Middle Earth proved right all the good things that are said and written about them – for sure, they are one of the best bands in the Greek hard rock/glam metal scene! They even covered Cheap Trick (“Surrender”), a selection that shows how well-informed they are. They have the knowledge and the talent to easily stand out from the rest. And they are so young! I am sure that we will see incredible things from Middle Earth in the near future – this concert was enough to realize that we are talking about a charismatic band. That’s only the beginning!
Middle Earth’s tour de force filled us with enthusiasm! Both sides – bands and fans – had a great time, and our way back home was truly cheerful – we couldn’t get the melodies and riffs out of our heads! Tight Spot, Velvet Roxxy and Middle Earth made this evening an unforgettable one!
