Tigercub deliver a ferocious set at NYC’s Gramercy Theater
Tigercub is a British alt-rock trio comprised of Jamie Stephen Hall on vocals and lead guitar, Jimi Wheelwright on bass, and James Allix on drums. Yes — they’re all named James. Formed in Brighton, UK in 2011, the band made their long-awaited return to the United States this past Wednesday night at Gramercy Theatre for their only U.S. show following the release of their fourth studio album, Nets to Catch the Wind, via Loosegroove Records.
Opening the night were NYC locals Bec Lauder and The Noise, whose sultry yet gritty rock sound proved to be the perfect complement to Tigercub’s brooding heaviness. Bec Lauder commanded the stage with effortless confidence, immediately pulling the crowd into the night’s atmosphere.
Next up was fellow New York band Puzzled Panther. Fronted by songwriting duo Victoria Espinoza and Kay Bon Tempo, and joined by Eugene Hütz of Gogol Bordello on guitar, Brian Chase of Yeah Yeah Yeahs on drums, and Rob Mellinger on bass, the band filled the stage with explosive energy. Hair whipped through the air, bodies bounced across the stage, and Espinoza effortlessly shifted between lead vocals, maracas, and violin. Watching them felt less like witnessing an opening set and more like being invited into a chaotic, sweat-soaked celebration. The audience answered back with roaring cheers and nonstop movement.
Tigercub opened with “As Blue as Indigo” from their 2021 album of the same name. The room was swallowed in dark, dramatic lighting as Jamie’s haunting falsetto drifted through the theater during the song’s sparse opening moments. Then, without warning, the track detonated into a wall of grungy riffs and flashing lights as the crowd erupted. From that first explosion of sound, it was obvious this was going to be a special night. The barricade was lined with fans in Tigercub shirts, and their enthusiasm far exceeded the typically reserved energy of a New York crowd. Everyone in the room seemed fully aware they were witnessing a band on the verge of something much bigger.
The band followed with fan favorite “Sleepwalker” before launching into a blistering 90-minute set that balanced newer material with beloved songs spanning the last decade. Throughout the night, the audience’s energy never dipped. Hands stayed raised, voices shouted every lyric back toward the stage, and the connection between band and crowd only grew stronger with each song.
At one point, a fan yelled, “Just move here already!” prompting Jimi to laugh and reply, “If there’s one place we’d live other than the UK, it’d be New York City,” sending the crowd into another roar of approval. Later, Jamie admitted, “Vibe-wise, this is my favorite show of all time.” It didn’t feel like empty stage banter either — there was something genuinely electric about the room that night.
During “Burning Effigies,” two fans near the center of the crowd exchanged nods and quietly carved out space between themselves like fighters preparing for battle. The second the chorus hit, they launched into each other, sparking a circle pit that only widened as the song intensified. Maybe it should’ve been called a “Tiger Pit.” Before long, crowd surfers were floating overhead as fans squeezed every possible second out of Tigercub’s one-night-only U.S. appearance.
The band closed the evening with some of their biggest songs, including “A Black Moon” from Nets to Catch the Wind and “Stop Beating on My Heart” from 2021’s As Blue as Indigo. Their final song, “Beauty,” brought the night full circle — slower, gritty, and haunting in the same way the set had begun. As the last notes echoed through the theater and the lights finally came up, there was a lingering sense that the crowd had experienced something rare: not just a great concert, but a pivotal moment. Tigercub may have only played one U.S. show this run, but if Wednesday night proved anything, it’s that they won’t be able to stay away for long.
tigercub setlist:
As Blue as Indigo
Sleepwalker
Fall In Fall Out
I.W.G.F.U.
The Perfume of Decay
Swoon
I'm Breaking Out
Silver Smile
Play My Favourite Song
Antiseptic
Burning Effigies
Up in Smoke
It's Only Love
Control
Shadowgraph
A Black Moon
Stop Beating on My Heart (Like a Bass Drum)
Beauty