Sheffield Corporation has always been a champion of hosting some of the biggest bands in Metal and also AOR/Classic Rock, so it's pleasing to see a good turnout for the once poodle haired WINGER.

First up is Brighton based FURYON, who take to the stage and from the off pummel the audience into submission with a pure hard rock assault of the senses. Sometimes not being able to pigeon hole a band into a genre is to their advantage and FURYON fall into that category. With solid rockers like 'Don't follow & Wasted On you' tearing through the venue there's also a moment for some TESLA influenced guitar shredding. These guys are as tight as a Yorkshire man's wallet which only comes from the constant slogging of touring, winning the audience over the 30 minute set comes to a close too soon. FURYON, remember that name I guarantee they're on the cusp of something BIG.

Next up is the shock of the year, AIRRACE. Without a doubt if FURYON laid the foundations of the night then these guys are on a mission to build a skyscraper. The twin Les Paul attack beefs up their thin, watered down sound on record and soon you are mesmerized by how good these guys really are. Reuniting was one of the best things these guys did and it shows, they are having a blast. O.K they may only have one album to their credit (Shaft Of Light) and not much in the image stakes but every song sounds as fresh and relevant today as it did back in 1984. There is no substitute for passion and commitment to your cause and AIRRACE are overflowing with it, delivering their brand of melodic rock to a very positive Sheffield crowd.

The last time I saw WINGER was at the N.E.C in Birmingham supporting THE SCORPIONS on their CRAZY WORLD tour, quite a while ago. Since reuniting this is their first full U.K tour in quite some time. Sheffield, the home of DEF LEPPARD as KIP WINGER reminds us, has always been very supportive of melodic hard rock and on this Good Friday the Corporation is full of Disciples awaiting their hard rock sermon. WINGER are on fire tonight and this is partly due to REB BEACH amazing musicianship and KIP just having a great time and still being able to play his music this far into his career. With new album KARMA, WINGER came back with something of substance and it's songs stand perfectly besides the goose pimple moment of 'Rainbow In The Rose' and the more poppy 'Easy Come Easy Go'. New tracks 'Stone Cold Killer, and Deal With The Devil' have a more metallic edge and offer REB and JOHN some much deserved six string action. With the crowd's enthusiasm reaching fever point you can see that WINGER are on a roll resurrecting songs from their first album 'Seventeen' to the delight of the masses. With a couple of obligatory solo's it's soon time for the encores of forces favorite 'Miles Away' and 'Madeleine' from the first album. Melodic Rock has never gone away and as long as bands like WINGER make the effort there will always be a following, on tonight's performance let's hope they return to these shores sooner rather than later. So far it seems that the old guard still have what it takes in abundance, with this reunion bug being caught by so many let's just hope that this year's FIREFEST delivers all that is promised (Saraya, I'm looking in your direction).

Winger Set List:-
1 Pull Me Under
2 Blind Revolution Mad
3 Easy Come Easy Go
4 Stone Cold Killer
5 Rainbow In The Rose
6 Deal With The Devil
7 Down Incognito
8 John Roth Guitar Solo
9 Your Great Escape
10 Reb Beach Guitar Solo
11 You Are The Saint, I Am The Sinner
12 Rod Morgenstein Drum Solo
13 Headed For A Heartbreak
14 Can't Get Enough
15 Seventeen
Encore
16 Miles Away
17 Madeleine