Live Review: Fozzy - KK's Steel Mill, Wolverhampton
21st February 2026
Support: Tailgunner, Marisa and the Moths
Words & Photos: Tim Finch
It’s back to the UK’s best music venue, Wolverhampton’s KK’s Steel Mill for a triple-bill that delivered rock, muscle, and more than a few moments of glorious excess. With Marisa and the Moths, Tailgunner and headliners Fozzy on the bill, this was never going to be a quiet evening.
Marisa and the Moths opened the night with the kind of presence that belies their “support act” status. From the first crunch of Marisa’s guitar, they had the early crowd edging closer to the barrier. There’s a polish to their sound in big choruses with modern hard rock sheen and Marisa’s vocals soaring effortlessly.
Marisa has a rapport with the crowd and the banter levels were high between songs. Wolverhampton responded to her, heads nodding, fists rising, and by the end of their set they’d clearly won over more than a few new converts. A strong, confident start for an epic evening of rock.
Tailgunner came out and slammed the pedal to the floor. Their set opened with ‘Midnight Blitz’ and lived up to its name with a high-speed barrage of classic heavy metal flair. Despite the lack of Rhea on guitar, her stand in filled the gap with the bands dual guitar combo screaming in harmony, bass thundered beneath, and the drums driving everything forward.
‘White Death’ and ‘Shadows of War’ leaned hard into traditional metal theatrics, complete with soaring vocals and razor-sharp riffing. There’s a clear love of the genre’s golden era in the bands DNA, but it never feels like cosplay, this is a revitalisation, not nostalgia.
By the time they hit ‘Eulogy’ and closed with ‘Guns for Hire’ the crowd was fully locked in. Swaggering, tight, and undeniably loud, they left the stage having delivered a set that was headliner worthy. And this being KK’s Steel Mill, you can expect the band on multiple more bill’s in the next few months!
When Fozzy finally took the stage the temperature inside KK’s jumped another few degrees. A huge roar met the band as ‘Fall in Line’ kicked things off. And from there it was a masterclass in arena-sized hooks delivered in a far more intimate setting. Chris Jericho knows exactly how to command a room with every gesture exaggerated just enough, every line delivered like it matters.
‘One Crazed Anarchist’ and ‘Lights Go Out’ kept the momentum surging, the crowd singing back every word. ‘Painless’ and ‘Spotlight’ showcased the band’s knack for marrying crunching riffs with radio-ready choruses. The Duke - Rich Ward – a ball on energy on stage, leaving me to wish “I want to be taking whatever he’s taking!”.
‘I Still Burn’ and ‘Nowhere to Run’ were punchy reminders of the band’s longevity, while ‘Army of One’ and ‘Sane’ kept fists pumping high. ‘Drinkin With Jesus’ added a tongue-in-cheek swagger before ‘Do You Wanna Start a War’ and ‘Purifier’ amped things up again.
‘Enemy’ felt like an exclamation mark on the set, the entire room moving as one as we neared the end of the evening. But of course, no Fozzy show ends quietly. They returned to the stage for ‘Judas’ and the roof lifted off KK’s Steel Mill with the sing along from the crowd hitting at full force.
In a tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne, the band close with a raucous take on ‘Crazy Train’ and by the time the last riff rang out, Wolverhampton had been thoroughly shaken. What a night!
Photo Credits: Tim Finch Photography
