URIAH HEEP & HEAVY PETTIN – 03.02.2026 – Grieghallen, Bergen

VENUE: Grieghallen
DATE: 03.02.2026
ORGANIZER: FKP Scorpio Norge
PHOTOGRAPHER: C. Nepper

Legendary British hard rockers Uriah Heep surely need no introduction as their classic song material is the stuff that prog-esque dreams are made of. Timeless outputs such as Demons and Wizards and The Magician’s Birthday from 1972 still resonate with fans of old while simultaneously finding new listeners among younger fans too, which was evident on this particular night when glancing at the appreciative audience who had turned up to see the fabulous ensemble for what could well turn out to be Uriah Heep’s last show in Bergen.

The Glaswegian outfit named Heavy Pettin had the great honor of opening the show and they did a good job and managed to rock the audience quite well. I recall reviewing a compilation album a few years ago consisting of some of their old NWOBHM-inspired material from the 80s and me finding it only mildly entertaining, but their latest album titled Rock Generation (2025) is an exciting and muscular-sounding affair that is undoubtedly the best thing they have ever done. It was therefore a real treat to see and hear said album being featured so prominently in their setlist last night. They played well and the band as a whole was tight and delivered plenty of memorable moments including the title track, which opened the show, as well as the epic and riveting “Line in the Sand” and the dynamic “Mother Earth.” Old tunes such as “In and Out of Love” and “Shout It Out” were good fun but paled in comparison to the 2025 material. Simply put, the songs from Rock Generation worked incredibly well in a live setting and constituted the most memorable part of Heavy Pettin’s set.

What a fantastic way to spend a crisp and cold Tuesday by seeing the mighty Uriah Heep play their asses off to a sell-out crowd. Billed The Magician’s Farewell and essentially celebrating the group’s impressive legacy while also serving as a farewell of sorts to the idea of Heep doing long tours in general, they treated us to songs both old and new – all of which were stupendously dynamic. When you also throw stellar musicianship, a visually appealing stage setup, a robust sound highlighting many of the layers and nuances of the compositions, and an engaging sense of melody into the mix, you simply cannot go wrong. Prime cuts such as “The Wizard,” “Shadows of Grief,” “Gypsy,” “Lady in Black,” “July Morning,” and the kick-ass “Stealin’” sounded fabulous with each member being right on the money and delivering just the right amount of passion and enthusiasm. When they launched into the majestic “The Magician’s Birthday”, you simply knew that you were witnessing something special and unique. Personally, I love and cherish The Magician’s Birthday LP the most, so the fact that the cheeky yet clever “Sweet Lorraine” and the irresistibly catchy “Sunrise” were also aired imbued the evening with a sense of prog rock enchantment for lack of a better term.  

The concert reached its peak and climactic denouement during the encores, more specifically the one-two punch of the aforementioned “Sunrise” and the instantly memorable “Easy Livin’.”

You could tell that the five members of the constellation had fun on stage, and the talented Sam Wood from Black Star Riders (who was filling in for sole original member Mick Box who had been hospitalized) made a great and lasting impression on this scribe. The interaction between him and vocalist Bernie Shaw in particular was splendid. Come to think of it, the word “splendid” sums the whole event up rather nicely.