Wig Wam, UK - 02/10/2010

[Rockingbear]

Wig Wam
Sheffield Corporation - Saturday 2nd October 2010

For the uninitiated, Wig Wam hail from Scandinavia and are best described as Glam Rock, being a blend of Kiss and The Sweet, playing highly infectious mix of melodic rock and metal with massive choruses. They first came to my attention back in 2005 when they represented Norway in 2005’s Eurovision Song Contest and I have been a fan ever since, though this was my first time seeing them live.

They opened with the title-track of their latest, brilliant album “Non Stop Rock ‘n’ Roll” and it was clear from the start that both the band and the crowd were up for a night of good time party rock ‘n’ roll. “Dare Devil Heat” quickly followed from 2006’s “Wig Wamania” and maintained the early momentum as did the next two tracks “Do You Wanna Taste It” and “Bless The Night”.

You have just got to love any band whose members are called Glam, Teeny, Flash and Sporty The touring band is completed by keyboard player Lasee Finbräten from Norwegian, progressive metal band, Circus Maximus. Lasee looks perfectly normal compared with the other guys in the band. By the end of the evening Wig Wam looked like Norway’s answer to The Village People!

The next tracks were personal favourites and the power salvo of “Walls Come Down” and “I Turn To You”. Throughout the evening the whole audience, which was a mixture of students and older rockers, like my good self, sang every word and lifted the roof off during the huge choruses. The latter was certainly not missed by the band who were having a riot on stage (n.b. the ceiling in The Corporation was too low for them to use their back-drop).

An enjoyable bass solo was next, not something I often write, from George Michael lookalike Flash!

“Car-Lyle” followed from Wig Wam’s wonderfully titled, 2004 debut album, “667...The Neighbour Of The Beast”.

Lead singer Glam had four costume changes throughout the evening and for me was the real star of the show. Imagine if you made a hybrid of The Stones’ Mick Jagger, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Kiss’ Paul Stanley then you would probably end up with Glam.

Things slowed down, only slightly, with the wonderful “Gonna Get You Someday” before picking up full steam again with “Rock My Ride” and with the fantastic over blown chorus from “Rocket Through My Heart”.

Another enjoyable solo from Teeny followed before he took the lead vocals on the ultra-heavy, but amazingly catchy “Still I’m Burning”.

Glam then returned to the stage to be only accompanied by Lasee and gave a wonderful rendition of “All You Wanted”. The rest of the band returned for the Wig Wam anthem of “It’s Hard To Be A Rock ‘n’ Roller”...in Sheffield!

The night’s proceedings were wrapped up with “Out Of Time” - Glam now looking like he just stepped out of a Venetian Masquerade; “C’mon Everybody” from the latest album and the encore of “In My Dreams”. Do you remember the latter from Norway’s entry in 2005’s Eurovision Song Contest in Kiev?

Just under an hour and half of great party rock ‘n’ roll from a highly entertaining band. If you get the opportunity check them out and certainly pick up a copy of their latest album “Non Stop Rock ‘n’ Roll”, you will not be disappointed.

9.5/10