Live Review: Fozzy - Birmingham : The Razor's Edge

Live Review: Fozzy - The Mill, Birmingham
7th December 2021
Support: Stitched Up Heart and The Treatment
Words & photos: Tim Finch

It's been a while since The Razor's Edge team were at The Mill in Digbeth, one of Birmingham's hidden gems and a great yet intimate venue in the heart of the home of metal. What brings us to the venue on this rather moist evening is Fozzy, who over recent years have gone from strength to strength.

Opening act for this evening are Stitched Up Heart, despite having a massive following in the US they are relatively unknown in these parts. This is the perfect tour for them to grow over in the UK and they certainly won over more than a few fans tonight. With glowing aqua toned hair, vocalist Alecia Demner lights up the stage and leads the band through a raucous forty minute set of fist pumping anthems. A style of metal that garners praise from the fans, it's a great way to kick off the evening.

Stitched Up Heart @ The Mill - Tim Finch Photography

The Treament will be familiar to many of you, the young Cambridgeshire outfit turn the evening on its head with their fast paced battering ram of a set. There is an obvious inspiration from the great AC/DC in their set, and that's no bad thing. As frontman Tom Rampton asks if anyone has seen them before maybe a handful of people respond, but that doesn't stop the 700+ in the room bouncing from front to back along with their tunes. You've got to think this band have the world at their feet and after tonight, they've got hundred of new fans too!

The Treatment @ The Mill - Tim Finch Photography

Now we are all here this evening for headliners Fozzy, and it's safe to say the band attract fans from two different bases. Obviously there is the metal community who love them a bit of Fozzy (who doesn't?) but having Chris Jericho in the band also draws fans from the wrestling community. Whilst there has always been some cross over between both social circles, having two fans bases really makes Fozzy a massive draw. Tonight on the barrier along side your usual metal heads we have a pair of lads in 'Be Elite' bandanas, one the spitting image of Nick Jackson - so much so that I had to do a double take. With them is a guy looking strikingly like Dax Harwood, and we won't mention the Spike Dudley lookalike standing just a few feet back from them. All in all it's great to see such a wide variety of people at a metal show!

The band take to the stage to rapturous applause as they kick into latest single 'Sane' which will be making an appearance on their new album 'Boombox' released in 2022. It has proved popular so far on streaming services and now in the live arena they give the song chance to grow so legs, and it certain goes down well.

Fozzy @ The Mill - Tim Finch Photography

Throughout the night the energy in the crowd is replicated by guitarist Rich Ward who never stops bouncing, jumping, spinning and generally just enjoying himself more than any guitarist every could. A huge smile on his face throughout he steers the band through the first half the set which includes 'Drinking With Jesus', 'Painless' and 'Nowhere to Run'.

The inclusion of a cover of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's relax may raise an eyebrow or two, but the fans love it and never one to miss a marketing opportunity, The Painmaker Jericho does of course have 'Fozzy Says Relax' t-shirts on sale this evening.

The set continues with Jericho standing atop his pedestal, serenading his adoring fans with 'Enemy', 'Sandpaper' and Fozzy's most popular song 'Judas' which of course gets everyone in the building singing along! To round out proceedings it's the second cover of the night, this time AC/DC classic 'Dirty Deeds'.

What more can I say? Jericho the ultimate showman, Fozzy the ultimate band for a metal party! Tonight was special, and they'll be back bigger and better next time!