Event Reviews

The major rock and metal festivals and events …reviewed

Rival Sons – Limelight Belfast 21/01/17

Rival Sons’ Belfast debut comes eight years into their career. Playing their own headline shows in between support slots with Black Sabbath, tonight it’s Belfast’s turn. Its an early show with no support, presumably for logistical reasons as they are due in Manchester the following day. The venue is a …

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Meshuggah – O2 Academy, Bristol, 12/01/2017

Colder than a polar bear’s backside, the threat of snow overnight and more than a little bit damp – it can only be UK gigs in January. It’s the first concert of the year for Bristol’s O2 Academy, the first date of the headliner’s UK tour and whilst it’s not …

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Clutch – Great Hall, Cardiff, 17/12/2016

Away from the German market, the temporary ice rink and the giant ferris wheel, the queue outside Cardiff University’s Great Hall snakes around the corner without a hint of Christmas in sight apart from the odd heavy metal ugly sweater – oh, and the brass band who are successfully irritating …

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Airbourne – O2 Ritz, Manchester: 26th November 2016

On a frosty winter’s day in Manchester, three bands from three different continents Europe, North America and Australia descended upon the O2 Ritz for a sell-out show. First up at 6:20 pm, and a little too early for many revellers, came ‘all girl garage group’ The Franklys, although they’re based …

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King King at Chester Live Rooms. November 26th

There are some nights that might fall a bit flat due to the anticipation they are afforded. Not a chance of that though when either King King or Broken Witt Rebels are in town. Get both on the same bill and what results is musical dynamite. Both bands quite simply …

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Lordi, London Islington Academy, 20/11/16

Any of you who have seen Lordi in concert before know that you are in for a show full of theatrics and riffs to challenge hell itself and last night didn’t disappoint in the slightest…. The lights were dimmed, background music cut out and attention of the crowd was drawn …

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Reading Festival, 2016 – PlanetMosh Review

When one thinks of ‘PlanetMosh’, Reading Festival is not always the pinnacle event that may spring to mind – but surprisingly, Reading and Leeds have diversified more and more into our alternative subculture, making the idea of spending August bank holiday weekend in a field surrounded by citizens of the …

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Delain – Koko, London – 13th November 2016

Kobra and the Lotus had the job of opening tonight’s strong lineup.  The Canadian band played their first every UK show almost exactly seven years ago playing to a dozen or so people, and have toured a lot since then, building up a support base the old fashioned way – …

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MFVF 2016 – Sunday

First up today were Mercy Isle, a band with a mix of European and American members.  They play a mix of rock and symphonic metal – which sounds like a slightly odd mix, but it works very well.  Keyboard player Joop de Rooij is no stranger to MFVF having played …

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MFVF 2016 – Saturday

An early start means it’s always a struggle to get up and out for the first full day of MFVF, but it’s one of those festivals where you don’t want to miss a band even if you haven’t heard many of the bands before as I’ve never left disappointed. Evig …

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MFVF 2016 – Friday

Fridays at MFVF are normally more a social affair than anything else.  Yes there are usually some bands on, but it’s a chance for people who havent seen each other recently to catch up.  With no MFVF in 2015 then it was two years since I’d seen some people, and …

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