Electric boys opened the night. Formed in 1988, they’re the first of three 80s bands playing tonight. They play great music which mixes hard rock with a funk sound and are a great live band. It’s no surprise to see they go down well with the crowd – they’re not …
Read More »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 …
Read More »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 …
Read More »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 …
Read More »Lacuna Coil -The Garage, Glasgow. 15/11/16.
On a chilly November Tuesday, warmed by burritos from the best rock bar in Glasgow, Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, we headed across the road to The Garage to see Lacuna Coil and their two support bands on the Delirium World Tour. With doors at seven and a ten pm curfew I …
Read More »The Cadillac Three with Tyler Bryant and The Shakedown – O2 Academy, Birmingham – 10th November 2016
There is nothing we like better than music and whiskey and who better to deliver that special recipe than Tennessee’s The Cadillac Three. On this occasion they have brought along fellow Nashville residents Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown. This band have already played stadiums across Europe with AC/DC and have …
Read More »Redemption Festival 2016, Warehouse 23, Wakefield
Following a successful one day Festival in 2015. (Reviewed here). The second Redemption Festival returned on a bigger scale, with sixteen bands over two days at Warehouse 23 in Wakefield on Saturday and Sunday 10th-11th September. With different ticket options if you were canny and bought in advance you could …
Read More »Lordi, The Button Factory, Dublin, 09/11/2016
It’s a strange Wednesday night in Dublin, with the entire Internet in seeming meltdown over events that are taking place in the USA, that Finnish rock legends Lordi are here to prove to us that the only monsters we need care about are in town and ready to rock The …
Read More »Beth Hart – Symphony Hall, Birmingham – 11th November 2016
Tonight’s opening act is Canadian musician Colin James. He’s not playing with a full band – instead he’s joined by Chris Caddell performing as a duo. Both spend the set seated playing acoustic guitar while Colin James sings. As well as some of his own material, he plays a Muddy …
Read More »No Sinner – Borderline, London – 25th October 2016
Tonight’s support came from Sheffield based Bang Bang Romeo. They’re fronted by Anastasia Walker, a singer with a nice powerful voice which suits their vintage rock sound. It’s a good set and goes down well with the crowd, getting the night off to a good start. Next it was time …
Read More »Aussie Wrecking Crew Tour, The Eagle Inn, Salford – 13th October 2016
The Aussie Wrecking Crew Tour saw Massive, Tequila Mockingbyrd and Black Aces, three bands from the new wave of Australian rock ‘n’ roll heading out on a Eurpoean Tour starting in Berlin, Germany in September and travelling through Denmark, Sweden, Norway, The Netherlands and today, the last day of this UK …
Read More »Status Quo – The SSE Arena, Belfast – 28th October 2016
In music history there were not too many bands that could get away with wearing double denim. 90s Irish pop group B*witched count as one but no one was able to rock the look more than British rock legends Status Quo. The Quo boys have always been highly regarded and respected …
Read More »Anvil – Rebellion Bar, Manchester, October 21st 2016.
Now this is the perfect example of how to show respect to your fans! A planned interview with lead vocalist Lips and drummer Robb Reiner from Canadian metallers Anvil resulted in me just talking to Robb Reiner as Lips’ voice was barely a croak and he was worried about doing …
Read More »Alien Ant Farm – The Empire Hall, Belfast – 21st October 2016
Ahhh 2001, what a time to be alive, especially for someone who was born in the 90s (myself included) to which not only had the early stages of puberty had begun but so had the stages of listening to better music. Linkin Park, Sum 41, Papa Roach are to name …
Read More »Joanne Shaw Taylor – Chester Live Rooms, 21st October 2016
Anticipation ahead of seeing Joanne Shaw Taylor was understandably high. Having seen her in the support slot for Joe Bonamassa earlier in the year and, also, on Later … With Jools Holland recently, Shaw Taylor certainly has established herself as an artist of sublime skills. Then add to the mix …
Read More »Bowling For Soup, The Academy, Dublin. 17/10/2016
Four years after their last visit to Dublin Bowling For Soup have had a farewell tour, a reunion, and now have a brand new album ‘Drunk Dynasty’ under their collective belts. The question is are they still as relevant and irreverent as ever? The sold out venue (first time to …
Read More »Feeder, Belfast Limelight, 17/10/16
Feeder return to the live stage in support of new album, All Bright Electric. After a four year hiatus expectations are high, as evidenced by the lines of fans around the block. This is an old school touring schedule, release and tour the album as soon as possible. Early shows at …
Read More »Barb Wire Dolls – Camden Assembly, London – 12th October 2016
On their last few UK tours, I’ve missed seeing Barb Wire Dolls as their gigs have always clashed with something, so I was looking forward to my first time seeing them. Sadly it appeared I was in a minority – I walked into the venue to find it almost empty, …
Read More »Nickelback & Monster Truck – Genting arena, Birmingham – 14th October 2016
Nickelback may be a band that people love to mock, but the simple fact is they make albums of rock music that sells millions of copies, and have a huge fanbase. Add to that the fact that when I’ve seen them before they’ve put on a great show, and the …
Read More »The Birthday Massacre – The Fleece, Bristol, 03/10/16
The nights are drawing in, the temperature is dropping and somewhere in an animated world a gothic city is preparing to sing ‘This is Halloween’ all over again. Curiously, this is the first show at the Fleece in a good number of months where the audience are queuing round the …
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