Live | Shakra [support: Baby Killed The Roses]- Nieuwe Nor – Heerlen [NL]

23 May 2025

Friday, May 23, Swiss rock band Shakra visited the Heerlen Nieuwe Nor, to celebrate their 30th anniversary together with a hundred fans. 30 Years!!! Damn, I remember when their self titled debut album came out. Apparently, I’ve been around the circus called music business for a while myself.

BABY KILLED THE ROSES – THE SUPPORTACT

Attending as support were Baby Killed The Roses. This band from the south of the Netherlands has been making great music for years. First as BloYaTop and nowadays as Baby Killed The Roses. Just to finally get rid of people thinking this is a ZZ-top tribute, which is definitely not the case!!

For this occasion they put together a wonderful musical set and it is therefore very nice for the band and attendees that the hall is well filled. Musically, the band around singer/bassist Eric Fox have it all more than in order. The sound is great and the atmosphere is quickly set.

The alternation of new Baby Killed The Roses work with previously released work under the BloYaTop name was a clever move, because the music from the early records simply deserves to be played live. Judging by the reactions in the audience they agreed. ,,Recipe For Destruction’’, ,,Dead Man Rocking’’, ,,Catch Me If You Can’’ or ,,Speak Of A Witch’’, this trio knows how to sling a muddy sound into the hall. Paul Heuts on drums and guitarist Mark Vergoossen together with frontman Eric Fox know how to give an excellent performance. Always a treat to see this talented band at work!

SHAKRA – THE HEADLINER

After a brief change over, it is up to Swiss veterans Shakra to treat the audience to a cross section of their 30 years musical career. They kick off with ,,Hello” and immediately it is clear that the excellent sound of the support act can be surpassed. Damn what a fat sound. For that alone it is a pleasure to attend one of their shows. Vocalist Marc Fox [yes, indeed another Fox, but not related to Eric] with his rough voice blasts above the musical violence of his fellow Shakra musicians. It is also immediately clear that this band is most definitely still hungry and not on the road in the twilight of their career to raise some money. Nope, this is a band that goes full throttle and nothing less.

Lead guitarist Thom Blunier is one of those guitarists you immediately recognize by his solo build-up and sound. Rhythm guitarist and main songwriter of the band Thomas Muster blasts one riff after another into the audience. This guitar tandem can clearly read and write with each other effortless. A well-oiled machine running at full speed.

Drummer Roger Tanner and bassist Cyril Montavon cannot hide the smiles on their faces anywhere. The joy of playing simply radiates from them. The audience in Heerlen thoroughly enjoys songs like ,,Roll The Dice’’, ,,Walk On Water’’, ,,Hands On The Trigger’’ and ,,Raise Your Hands’’. Time seems to fly by and both band and audience are clearly enjoying this beautiful musical evening. After just under 2 hours, the set list is finished, the audience is left clamoring for encores. Which of course they get in the form of ,,Life Is Now’’ and ,,Rising High’’.

SHAKRA – IN CONCLUSION

This performance by Shakra was a wonderful trip down memory lane on a very high musical level. But let’s definitely not forget the contribution of Baby Killed The Roses, because the combination of both band on one night was a match made in heaven. My suggestion? This would be a nice package to tour together. Fact is that Shakra are definitely still among the top melodic rock acts from Switzerland. Always a treat to see them live. Rock On!!! In any case, I went home with a fat smile on my face. As did many visitors to this delightful event.

SETLIST SHAKRA

Hello
Love & Pain
Now Or Never
The One
Role The Dice
Walk On Water
SYDU
Hands On The Trigger
Don’t Try To Call
Too Much Is Not Enough
Love Will Find A Way
Invincible
Matrix Unfolds
Cassandra’s Curse
Raise Your Hands
Trapped
Ashes To Ashes

ENCORE:

Life Is Now
Rising High

All photos by Raymond Helebrand