UFO/4Bitten

O2 Academy, Boscombe

Arriving at eight at the O2, I find the support have already started and I’ve missed my first three songs photo pit stint.

Oh well, 4Bitten are a female fronted band from Greece that play classic melodic Hard Rock with a straight up groove. Lead singer Fofi Roussos can certainly belt out a tune and has an excellent voice, guitarist George M shreds and riffs with the best of ëem and the rhythm section is competently handled by Angelo Giampouras (drums) and Akis “Rooster” but for me there wasnít the spark to set it off. It may have been down to the fact that everyone seemed to still be in the pub over the road avoiding the O2 inflated bar prices until UFO were on, so what crowd there was, were rattling around in the half-empty venue. But on the other hand the “by the numbers rock” although enjoyable, lacked that certain something live.

4Bitten 1–2–3

Onto the headliners, UFO were pure class. For me they always stood apart from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal crowd due to the more melodic nature of their songs and itís due to this that tracks written late 70’s early 80’s still hold their own today. Stalwart lead singer Phil Moggís vocal range is still potent and his libido doesn’t seem to have diminished, judging by the amount of sexual innuendos in his between song banter.

Skin pounder Andy Parker puts drummers half his age to shame, being expertly complemented by touring bassist Rob De Luca they provided a solid rhythm backbone throughout the gig. Paul Raymond fleshes out the sound with guitar and keyboard overtures making the whole thing sound massive. But special mention must go to lead guitarist Vinne Moore whose fingers are a blur on his guitar fret board as he adapts Schenkerís guitar parts on the classic songs and makes them his own. He really shines on the new album Seven Deadlyís tracks making them absolutely killer live!

UFO 1–2–3–4–5–6–7–8–9

Outstanding tracks for me were: Lights Out, Fight Night, Only You Can Rock Me, Burn Your House Down, Too Hot to Handle, Doctor Doctor, Shoot Shoot.

Setlist
Lights Out
Mother Mary
Fight Night
Wonderland
Cherry
Let It Roll
Burn Your House Down
Only You Can Rock Me
Love To Love
Hell Driver
Venus
Too Hot To Handle
Rock Bottom (New arrangement)

Encore
Doctor Doctor
Shoot Shoot

Videos

Links
http://www.ufo-music.info/
http://www.4bitten.com/

Words, Video and (UFO) photos: Dan O’Gara
4Bitten photos: Helen Bradley Owers