The Night Flight Orchestra, Tragedy – The Garage, London – 1st February 2025

The Night Flight Orchestra have a long awaited new album and are on tour showcasing it, we went to check it out at their only UK show!

Arriving later than expected at the venue this evening, I’m surprised to see there is still a sizeable queue waiting to get into the warm. The show has been sold out for a number of weeks so I shouldn’t be surprised really, the crowd clearly looking forward to hearing the new album get a live airing. Some dressed as pilots and flight attendants. When I eventually get in, it is clear that a fair few people have decided to come out early to see the support as well as The Night Flight Orchestra.

TRAGEDY

So, standing room only and a pretty packed venue greets the support band, Tragedy from New York, as they take to the stage to get the evenings entertainment on the move. For those not familiar with Tragedy, they are an all metal tribute to the Bee Gees and beyond. Covering a while host of songs that you’d have thought defied being treated to a metalling up!

From the moment they step onto the stage, with Lance (the towel boy) pretending to play the Final Countdown on a flute, you can see that this is going to be an interesting set, not just from the musical perspective (although that is definitely the case) but also from the stage presence of the band. Taking their queues from metal heroes and merging it with some very over the top camp styling they make for an interesting bunch! We have furry boots, glittery tops, feather boas, short (very short!) silver trunks, chainmail….

The onstage antics and general theatre continue throughout the set and there’s a great camaraderie between the members of the band. Mo’Royce Peterson on guitar with a feather boa hanging from the tuning pegs pulls some suitably metal poses and the band rip through a ton of familiar songs that you’ll have heard in very different formats! They start with the song that has given the band their name, Tragedy, a Bee Gees classic has never sounded so good!

Lay Your Love On Me, an Abba classic provides some options for harmonies and chugging guitars. Summer Nights gives Disco Mountain Man an opportunity to try his hand at the high girly vocal. Sweet Caroline is suitably metalized, with some nice drumming and suitably dramatic stabs.

It’s Raining Men has the unmistakable intro of Slayers Reigning Blood to get it going and the rest of the set continues in the same vein.

The set finally concludes with the mighty Stayin’ Alive. Tragedy are an amusing band and the set is very well received, in truth, the songs are well played and the band are pretty tight despite the ridiculous antics on the stage. I wonder if I would want to see them more than once though, somehow the video renditions on YouTube are enough for me!

The Night Flight Orchestra

So Tragedy leave and the stage is cleared in readiness for The Night Flight Orchestra. There’s a real feeling of anticipation in the air and the venue is now filled to capacity, with very little room to move around. Soon the lights go down and The Night Flight Orchestra take to the stage. Now, the stage in the Garage is pretty small to begin with and with this large band and their gear it looks even smaller. It doesn’t help that Sharlee D’Angelo on bass is an absolute mount of a man who could almost fill the stage on his own!

Mixing classic rock with a bit of glamour and just a touch of funkiness The Night Flight Orchestra make proper feelgood music that makes you smile and is infectious from the first few notes. Starting with the tape intro from the new album Give Us The Moon and then launching into Stratus from the same album we’re immediately transported to a new musical landscape with fine pop sensibilities. Frontman Björn Strid’s vocal prowess is worth a mention, tackling the more harmonious parts effortlessly and complimented by the female backing vocals of Åsa Lundman and Anna Brygård they make for a formidable addition to the already layered sound.

Rasmus Ehrnborn also looks very much at home, knocking out the solos with precision. Hidden at the back of the stage and barely visible are John Lönnmyr on keyboards, Jonas Källsbäck on drums and Sebastian Forslund on guitar and percussion. California Morning takes us to a more standard rock footing and another excellent sing along chorus.

The band are all dressed in black suits, Strid being the exception with a loud silver jacket, lots of tassels and a handful of medals, his look is completed with his trademark beret. The female vocalists are dressed as flight attendants too, completing the TNFO ensemble.

Shooting Velvet is another track from the excellent new album, showcasing some inspired poppy song writing. Domino is a highlight in the set for me with its effortless funky feel and bassline and a chorus that sees the whole room singing along and swaying to the hypnotic rhythm. Björn Strid comments as the last notes fade “…Real Smooth!” and he’s not wrong!

Paloma, also from the current album, is another instant crowd pleaser, greeted by big cheers. The whole room is bouncing for Satellite and Transmissions sees a 4 to the floor disco approach mixed in with the more rockier elements and another chorus worthy of the best pop bands from the 80’s (you know who I mean here!)

Strid refers to John Lönnmyr on keyboards as sexy Jesus and this heralds Transatlantic Blues which brings the keyboards to the fore and some very mellow vibes (until the metal break in the middle of the song!). Throughout the set Strid refers to the potential for a forthcoming UK tour and each mention is greeted with cheers. There is clearly demand for a return visit to the UK with a more extensive set of locations.

Burn For Me closes the set and the band leave the stage for a brief period before returning with White Jeans which has the the crowd punching the air in unison. West Ruth Avenue closes off the set and this sees the room turned into a party with a full on conga train snaking its way around the room. Strid comments this is a night to remember and he’s not wrong, good times all round. Fingers x’ed for the UK tour!

The Night Flight Orchestra have a new album hot off of the press – “Give Us The Moon” now available through all of the usual channels .

All concert photography by Graham Hilling. You can check out more of his work on his website, here.

The Night Flight Orchestra online: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Bands In Town

Tragedy online: Website / Facebook / YouTube / Instagram / X (formerly Twitter)

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