The Treatment hope to get the local music scene buzzing in Blackpool

Alice Cooper, Steel Panther, Thin Lizzy, KISS, Motley Crue and W.A.S.P. - are all bands who feature highly in the Who's Who of heavy rock. So what do they all have in common? That would be Cambridge five-piece The Treatment.
The Treatment in actionThe Treatment in action
The Treatment in action

Formed in 2008 the band quickly found themselves thrust into the limelight with gigs at the Sonisphere Festival and a Medication for the Nation UK tour, organised by the Powerage record label. This was followed by a tour in support of Alice Cooper, Steel Panther and Thin Lizzy in 2012. Then there was the gig at Download Festival, Ozzfest in Japan, and even four dates with legendary guitarist Slash - including a date in Blackpool.

But their biggest triumph, according to guitarist Tagore Grey, was going on tour with KISS and Motley Crue.

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"Playing with KISS and Motley Crue, that was just amazing. It was an incredible experience from start to finish. We had the chance to open up for Kiss and Motley Crue which was absolutely amazing. When you see the size of their shows and pyros - everything was just amazing. Really it was so incredible," he said.

Five-piece Cambridge outfit The Treatment will be appearing in BlackpoolFive-piece Cambridge outfit The Treatment will be appearing in Blackpool
Five-piece Cambridge outfit The Treatment will be appearing in Blackpool

The Treatment are made up of Tagore Grey on guitar and backing vocals, alongside his brother Tao, also on guitar. Then there's vocalist Tom Rampton and bassist Rick "Swoggle" Newman. And keeping them all in time is drummer Dhani Mansworth.

Keeping it brief, Tagore said: "We've been together about 10 years now and just love the live shows. We all grew up on AC/DC, Sex Pistols and Led Zeppelin. And that's just it - we're a good time rock and roll band."

Blackpool was never on their radar for this upcoming tour, but the manager of The Waterloo Bar called the band and asked them to perform.

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"The guy who runs The Waterloo contacted us and said I would love to have you guys on board.

"So we said well when do you want?

"He said I'll take the Sunday night and we thought, hell, we're already halfway up the country so what's the harm in doing it? What else are you going to do on a Sunday night?," said Tagore.

"We really wanted to go to places we haven't been.

"I think the music scene in the UK has gone very saturated. It's the same 10 towns.

"I remember when we were first gigging when we would go to the more obscure towns they would actually have a better scene because there's like a local buzz going on. In the big cities there's no local buzz any more. It's just a when a big band rolls in everyone will go.

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"But in the smaller cities they roll out to anything because not a lot of bands come through. And we're missing that. I think it's important to help local venues as well. And you get to play somewhere new. It's awesome to be going to somewhere we haven't been. To see some new places, and some new faces as well."

If you head on over to Blackpool, what might you expect of The Treatment on the night?

"The best rock and roll show ever. That's it. For us, it's just about the music. Just a high energy rock and roll show and it's going to be really loud," adds Tagore.

The Treatment will be live on stage at The Waterloo Bar in Blackpool on Sunday, March 24. This is a co-headline gig with Air Race. Doors open 6.30pm. Tickets are £11, available from https://www.seetickets.com/event/the-treatment-airrace/the-waterloo/1299573

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