Live Review : The Treatment + Bigfoot @ Rebellion, Manchester on May 30th 2019

Tonight's entertainment comes courtesy of two relatively new British rock outfits that are either coming or going. Support band, Bigfoot are going, having decided to call it a day after only 5 years together, and headliners The Treatment, despite suffering from exploding singer syndrome in recent years, are still coming, and currently busy promoting their recently released 4th album “Power Crazy”.

Bigfoot hit the stage and kick things off with ‘Tell Me a Lie’ and ‘Run’, a large dosage of classic British Rock that smashes right between the eyes. They cite internal politics as one of the reason for the parting of the waves, but tonight however, you would not think anything of the slightest as they turn in a rousing, confident performance. Hailing from Wigan, they’re on home turf and newish front man Sean Seabrook plays the audience wonderfully and there’s obviously lots of Bigfoot fans here. There’s a great sound in the Rebellion, it’s nicely busy, and the crowd are singing along with every song. There’s plenty of really catchy songs like ‘Forever Alone’, ‘Freak Show’ and ‘The Fear’‘ showcasing some lovely guitar harmonies courtesy of twin axe men Sam Millar and Mick McCullagh. It’s a cracking set and really well received by everyone. Ending their set with ‘Blame It On The Dog’ then ‘Uninvited’, the band announces that their last ever show will be here on 28th of September. Bigfoot are certainly going to be missed, if you get the chance to see these guys, do so. Time is running out, but they symbolise everything that’s good about British rock and they deserved to have broke through. They might have only been around for a short time but Bigfoot has certainly stamped their foot on the UK heavy rock music scene.

The Treatment head onto the stage around 20.45, it’s been an early kick off tonight and the Wigan v Cambridge gig is heating up nicely. Starting things off and straight off the new record we get ‘Hang Them High’. Now fronted by their 3rd singer, the enigmatic Tom Rampton; the chap’s race out of the blocks and into ‘Let’s Get Dirty’. They hit hard, the sound is nothing short of excellent. ‘Let it Begin’, and then ‘The Doctor’ are next. The crowd lap up ‘On the Money’ before a newbie ‘King of the City’ displaying a more modern sound; these guys have had some pretty serious support tours with Alice Cooper, Steel Panther and Thin Lizzy as well as Mötley Crüe and KISS over the years. Serious credentials indeed, and they do write good, punchy catchy tunes in the style of Airbourne and AC/DC which you either love or you don’t. Either way, they go down well with their core fan base and no doubt winning over a few new fans tonight too. The guitars of brothers Tagore and Tao Grey blend well together and the rhythm section of Dhani Mansworth and Rick Newman keep things locked in tight. ‘Running With The Dogs’, ‘Bite Back’ then ‘Luck of The Draw’, ‘Emergency‘ and before we know it, they end the evening with ‘Rising Power’.

They clearly appreciate what the fans mean to them and offer 3 encores as a reward with ‘Get The Party On’ starting it and the anthemic ‘Drink, Fuck, Fight’ bringing the evening to a rousing end. It’s been a good gig, a very good one in fact, and one in which British Hard Rock is flying the flag at full mast