Event Reviews

Tonight’s show is the penultimate date on the current Epica European tour.  It’s a co-headline tour with Powerwolf, with Powerwolf closing some shows and Epica closing others.  In London it’s Epica who is top of the bill which makes sense as they have a bigger fanbase here than Powerwolf (Epica …

Tonight was the first night of Anthrax’s UK “Among the kings” tour.  The tour features Anthrax playing two sets, one of which is them playing the entire “Among the living” album in full and in order, with the other set being voted on by fans online. Before Anthrax though it …

First up on tonight’s varied bill was Long John and the killer blues collective.  As the name suggests, they’re a Blues act, and I have to say they’re a damn good one.  They’ve got good strong tunes and great vocals, so it’s a really good start to the night. Next …

Tonight’s gig is somewhat of a local affair.  Glenn Hughes may live in California these days but he was born just a couple of miles up the road in Cannock.  Supporting him tonight (and on the rest of his UK and European dates) is another local act, Stone Broken. I’ve …

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 …

This was a busy night for gigs in London – there were 4 in total I wanted to be at, but sadly its not possible to attend them all, but due to the different stage times I was able to attend a gig in soho before racing across London to …

Tonight’s show was a special show from Delain to mark 10 years as a band.  The setting for the show was the beautiful and legendary Paradiso venue in the heart of Amsterdam.  An old church it’s a great venue with two balconies and raised areas near the bar which mean …

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 …

Tonight was my first time at Shepherds Bush Empire since it recently reopened following its year-long closure for major repairs.  The occasion was Black Stone Cherry doing a special tour. Rather than having a support act they chose to play two sets, one acoustic and one electric, which sounded like …

Tonight’s lineup looked pretty damn good – Airbourne with support from Crobot.  It then got better with the addition of The Franklys, a band I hadn’t seen live before, but I’ve heard the EP and really like it, so I was looking forward to all three bands on the bill.  …

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 …

The problem with gigs at Rock City on a Friday these days is that because they have a club night afterwards they are on an early-finish curfew so they tend to start early too. Reckless Love apparently had doors at 6pm. I don’t know, I was still facing the torture …

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 – …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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, …

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 …

As the season saunters into autumn I found myself at The Slade Rooms in Wolverhampton for the second time in my life this time to see StOp, sToP a flamboyant three piece originally from Barcelona and Bulgaria and now based, not too far from Wolverhampton, in sunny (sometimes) Birmingham. Opening …

A Saturday night out in Manchester was something I hadn’t experienced for quite a while, so I was looking forward to this, the third show of the current tour by Glasgow’s Attica Rage. I really enjoy the Rebellion Rock Bar as a venue, it seems to be able to maintain …

Cats In Space – a new name to me so I really wasn’t sure what to expect to see. I was thinking probably a bunch of old hippies playing Hawkwind-inspired trippy psychadelia, but as you will see I couldn’t have been more wrong! The evening turned out to be a …

Another year and another fantastic Rockwich Festival. For a measly £15 we got fifteen bands kicking out the jams from midday till midnight. As AC/DC once sang, “Aye aye oh, shake your foundations” which is what opening band Red Spektor certainly did. The Stoke based power trio hit their time …

Thursday at Bloodstock this year was busier than any previous year with more and more people arriving on Thursday to pitch their tents and enjoy a few bands, and a lot of beers before the main 3 days.  Before the bands started, there was the ceremonial opening of the bar.  …

Sunday comes around too soon as it means the final day of Bloodstock Open Air Festival. 2016 has been one of the strongest line ups I have seen and I’m already counting down the days to 2017. The plan on my schedule was to watch the first half of Ghost …

After a well deserved, senses saving nights sleep and full English breakfast, we lead our merry way to Bloodstock Open Air Festival for more metal. Cambion, first band of the day on the Ronnie James Dio stage had been highly recommended to me and they did not disappoint. Fronted by …

Due to holiday shifts being changed, I had to work the Thursday night which meant catching the first train I could get to Tamworth, early hotel check in, then mad dash to the Bloodstock Open Air Festival arena to catch Witch Tripper, first band of the day on the New …

Another recent album launch for me recently where the band play it in its entirety before I’ve heard it and once again have been blown away. A home gig for Obey meant a big crowd for their third studio album Maelstrom at the Sugarmill in Stoke. Before Obey did their …

Now this is what you call a punk rock show! Formed in New York in 1973, the old guard have finally returned to the UK. The Dictators, currently on a lengthy European tour, stopped off in Manchester to deliver a genre defining fifteen song, seventy five minute set. Two original members, …

Sunday openers at SOS Festival were Hells Addiction, another band that have recently come up on my radar under the “one to watch” banner. Catchy classic rock with a big twin guitar sound and some fine vocals in the style of a Gillan or Plant give this band a growing …

Saturday dawned hot and sunny for SOS festival day two and I made it back just in time to catch openers Soma Dark who were another thrash band with shouty vocals but also some melody. They powered through a short set that finished with what appeared to be a metal …

2016 saw the debut of a new venue for Rocksector Records’ SOS Festival following the demolition of their previous home at Radcliffe Civic Hall. The Longfield Suite in Prestwich turned out to be a good choice, easy to get to (apart from a bit of congestion on the M60) with …

There’s something exciting about a sold out gig, you know in advance the atmosphere is going to be good and Slade Rooms tonight was no exception. When Inglorious came on stage the venue was already hot, sweaty and full to the back. Evident from the number of band t-shirts coming …

On a scorching hot day then spending a few hours stuck in a hot venue wouldn’t normally be most people’s idea of fun, but when Warren Haynes plays then that’s different and the venue was full.  Normally gigs at the Stables have an interval either after the support act or …

Day three of Tuska Open Air Metal Festival 2016 is about to begin: today’s big three are Gojira, Katatonia and headliners Children of Bodom. There’s been ominous rain all morning and as we head up to the arena we get a nice respite as the sun glistens over the harbour. Block Buster: …

It’s day two of Tuska Open Air Metal Festival 2016 already and it is the hottest day of the weekend so far. I cannot wait to see some more top quality bands throughout the day at this fantastic site. Looking forward to Primordial, Obscura, Anthrax, Havok and Ghost in particular. Brymir: …

This weekend is going to be a bit exciting to say the least. Finland’s premier metal event, Tuska Open Air Metal Festival, starts tomorrow and we have just reached our comfortable apartment in Helsinki, a fifteen minute walk from the arena. Friday’s schedule has an incredible line up and I am …

Sunday:- The third and unfortunately the last day of Wildfire Festival 2016 but there are bands to be watched all day as Canterbury based Wretched Soul proceed to try and darken the blue skies at 11.30am with a visceral six song set. Opener ‘Bury The Heretic’ was nothing less than face melting …

Saturday :-  Day two of Wildfire Festival and after a bleary eyed walk to Wiston Lodge for a handful of bacon baps, it was time to head off for a full day of bands. A major improvement this year was having the two stages side by side with literally a few yards …

 Friday :- So here I am again, third year running for me at the fantastic Wildfire festival, run by the ever smiling Dave Ritchie. Situated in the rolling hills in the grounds of Wiston Lodge, the views are nothing short of stunning. Due to finishing work at 6.15am, catching an 8.00am …

The night after Tarja headlined the Rock on Green festival at the Forum, she played a very different show at a recording studio in West London.  In front of a tiny audience of maybe 30-40 people she played material from both her new albums – the newly released “The Brightest …

Tonight’s gig was a band I thought I’d never get to see – Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow.  It’s a long time since Ritchie Blackmore has played rock, so this mini-tour of three dates in Europe (none announced for anywhere else in the world so far) was a very rare chance to …

First up tonight were the opening act, Slydigs. Vintage Trouble singer Ty Taylor came on stage to introduce them, then on they came.  Straight away you got the idea that they’re big fans of The Who and The Rolling Stones from the way they dress, and that impression was confirmed …

Support tonight comes from New wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) band Angel Witch.  With a curtain blocking off most of the stage, Angel Witch were confined to a small area at the front of the stage.  Although they have just one original member left in the band (Kevin Heybourne), …

Tonight’s gig opened with a set from The men that will not be blamed for nothing.  I’d seen them at Download little more than a week earlier and enjoyed their set, so it was nice to get another chance to see them, and to see them with a longer set …

Today at Stone Free was all about Prog on the IndigO2 and arena stages.  Sadly travel problems meant I arrived late and missed the first bands on the entrance and IndigO2 stages (Broken Witt Rebels and Cats in space), and arrived in time to see Knifeworld who had been recommended …

This was the first day of the inaugural Stone Free festival.  Held at the O2 in London, it offers a big advantage over other festivals – the fact it’s indoors means the traditional British summer weather isn’t going to dampen spirits.  Of course there are equally big downsides – the …

Tucked away in the depths of Birmingham’s Digbeth at The Rainbow, we embarked on a night of blues rock grooves. Local prog rock band Xilla were first to take to the stage, they had a tough job with only a small crowd to feed off. They play with a myriad …

Every year metallians watch for the Belsonic line-up announcement in the hope that one or two rock/metal acts might make it onto the bill, along with whatever generic chart bubblegum music that is currently trendy. This year was no exception, with a change of venue to the much larger outdoor location …

On the eve of Camden Rocks Festival 2016, Warrior Soul played a show at The Barfly, Camden with support from The Black Bullets and The Main Grains. Warrior Soul and The Main Grains also played Camden Rocks Festival but with 200 bands to see I decided it would make more …

As the rain continued its June deluge outside, rock fans huddled inside the bar and hallway of The Robin 2 in Bilston ahead of doors. My first time here, this great little 700 capacity venue to my delight and surprise ended up packed out, not only on a Monday night, …

The opening act tonight is Scottish band The King Lot.  Sometimes they play a full electric set, but tonight they’re doing an acoustic set.  A three-piece, you have two guitarists and a drummer (tonight playing a cajon).  All three of them also do vocals, and when the three of them …

Not long before Sixx A.M were due to play, along with a few other photographers, I headed to the main stage where we were met by Lawmower Deth and their special guest – Kim Wilde.  We were then escorted onto the stage (to the puzzlement of the crowd) to get …

Royal Republic (7) are the perfect Lemmy stage opening band for the weekend – fun, energetic and with a Volbeat-esque vibe to boot, they’re able to get things going in the best way possible. Finishing song Full Steam Space Machine is a particular highlight and the band look certain to …

Camden Rocks Festival took place on Saturday 4th June 2016. With 200 bands playing in 20 venues throughout Camden Town in North London. The venues are all within walking distance of Camden Town Tube Station. 2016 was the fifth event but my first, with so many bands to choose from …

Evergreen Rock giants AC/DC returned to U.K. shores this week, as part of their second stint of European shows on the ‘ Rock Or Bust’  tour. Of course, circumstances had changed since 2015, so Planetmosh were in attendance at both the London and Manchester shows to see whether the Rock …

Bearded Theory is a festival that covers a wide range of music – Rock, Punk, Ska, Reggae, Folk, Dance and almost anything else you can think of.  Held on the same site as Bloodstock festival it’s a great weekend, with a great layout, wonderful family friendly atmosphere and plenty of …

This past Sunday I headed to Kentish Town’s O2 Forum for the first edition of Rock On Green Festival; it was a bit surreal getting there and there not being a queue as it’s 4pm doors today. Initially there are only a hundred or so people there and the back part …

Tonight’s show was at the 100 club – a basement venue on Oxford Street that over the years has hosted gigs by plenty of big names.  I was looking forward to tonight’s show as the new album (Luxury hobo) from Big Boy Bloater is absolutely superb, so I was hoping …

First up tonight were local Milton Keynes band False Idol.  They’re a young band and do a set based mainly on their own material but also including two covers – “Take me to Church” (Hozier) and “The Kill” (30 Seconds to Mars).  They’re a decent opener with a hard rock/pop …

Much had been made in Belfast on local rock chatter and social media of the 25 odd years it had been since Magnum had last visited the city, but the night had rolled round quickly since they announced the date and a capacity crowd at the Limelight ensured it was …

Birdwell Venue is a former Working Mans Club on the outskirts of Barnsley South Yorkshire with good transport links, situated just off the M1, it’s easy to find and a has large car park. It’s a reasonable sized venue with a capacity of 350 seated, possibly more if the seats …

Tonight at the Forum was Gov’t Mule.  As usual there is no support act – Gov’t Mule prefer to play without support and do two sets.  Since both sets each last around an hour then fans get over two hours of music from Gov’t Mule, which is excellent value and …

Dan Reed and Danny Vaughn are both pretty much household names in the rock community and had been ships passing in the night in performance terms until a couple of years ago. They knew of each other, they had met, but they weren’t friends and they hadn’t played together. This …

Tonight’s show was the final date on The Treatment’s UK tour.  Supporting them tonight are The Amorettes, the Scottish trio who have been the support for the whole tour, and Airrace, playing a very rare show. First up were Airrace, a melodic rock band that released a couple of albums …

I’d been looking forward to tonight’s gig as it was my first time seeing Danish band D-A-D – or to give them the name they had before the Disney  lawyers persuaded them of the error of their ways, Disneyland After Dark.  The last few times they’ve played the UK their …

Sunday dawned sunny but cold as we all trooped back up the hill for the second day of this fine little festival. The Spangle Corps kicked things off, a young band playing in a sort of punk/rap/rock crossover style. There was a lot of energy and jumping up and down, …

Now into its  fifth year the Noize Level Critical Festival has undergone a change of name to “Rockin For The Children”; this is due to organiser David Tonge (aka Big D from the Noize Level Critical radio show) adding a second very worthy charity to raise awareness and funds for. …

When event organisers Prometheus Promotions told me a few months ago that they were planning an evening of NWOBHM not far from me in Northwich, to say I was over the moon is an understatement as this genre of heavy metal has been in my blood since its formation. When …

The gig kicked off with a slight hiccup as the Butcher Babies and Sumo Cyco were heading to Southampton from Birmingham leading them to travel through London whilst the marathon was in full swing.  Thankfully the guys and girl of Guilty as Charged were there to save the day and …

The opening act on this leg of the tour are British band I.C.O.N – tonight being their last show with Udo.  I’ve seen them live a few times over the past five years.  A genuinely nice bunch of guys who play some great metal music.  It’s a great set from …

Tonight’s co-headline gig sees both bands getting good length sets.  First up are Pagan metal band, Moonsorrow.  They’ve got a dark, heavy, pagan sound that borders on black metal.  A glance at the setlist shows just 8 songs, so you might think that it was a short set, but nothing …

Sandwiched in between opening band I.C.O.N and headliners UDO, Anvil did what they do best and that was to entertain an appreciative crowd with their proto speed metal. Unfortunately they have only been allotted 45 minutes on these 6 UK dates after being allowed an hour previously on this tour …

Last Great Dreamers have been around since 1989, initially called Silver Hearts, they changed their name to Last Great Dreamers in 1993, were nominated for Best New Band at Kerrang MTV Awards in 1995, where they came runner up to Skunk Anansie before changing their name to Jet/Jet City and …

Delays in getting to the venue after work meant that I missed the opening act, and only caught part of the second act.  The second act was Fred Abbott, who was formerly lead guitarist and keyboard player in Noah And The Whale.  His set was excellent – great rock and …

The new EP, “Georgia Pine” by midlands band Broken Witt Rebels is a stunningly good release, and tonight was my chance to check the band out live and see if they could be as good live as they are on record. I arrived in time to see part of the …

I felt like I was reliving my youth as I headed towards The Merrion Centre in Leeds to The Key Club, although Leeds has changed a lot since those twenty odd years ago and I’d never known of the existence of The Key Club, which turned out to be a …

It had been quite a pleasant day for mid March in Manchester when I headed to Club Academy to see Sanguine, our featured band for March (see here). This was to be the opening night of their UK tour supporting Mushroomhead and American Head Charge but after the latter had …

The night was opened by support band Damn Dice, a 5-piece outfit based in London, to a woefully small crowd. After a short intro they went into their first song – I didn’t catch the title but it was quite fast with good harmony vocals and reminded me a bit …

For the first time in my life I actually got off the train at Wolverhampton rather than just passing through on the way back from Birmingham! The violent hailstorm and grey miserable skies did little to dampen my spirits as I was there to see two Finnish rock bands Reckless …

Tonight’s gig was the first full Avantasia gig in the UK.  It’s hard to believe it’s taken so long – the band have been going for 15 years and recently released their seventh album, but apart from a set at Bloodstock festival a couple of years ago they haven’t played …

I first came across Anti-Nowhere League (ANL) five years ago when I was in Glasgow for a few days. I had a look to see if there were any gigs on, saw that they were playing, watched the video to So What and thought well so what, they’ll be a …

First up tonight was Ricky Warwick and the Fighting Hearts, who took to the stage in front of a half empty venue (a lot of SLF fans chose to drink at the nearby pub rather than watch the support act).  Ricky Warwick has changed his look dramatically – when I …

Another year, another Badass Bash at the Snooty Fox in Wakefield. An excellent venue for live music with a punchy p.a system cranking out some great live music from 18 bands hand picked once again by event organiser Martin Short. At a spritely 62yrs young he also compered the event …

Tonight’s bill looked certain to be a good one – Sabaton and Alestorm plus Bloodbound.  The two main acts both pulled in a lot of fans – there were lots of Sabaton Tshirts being worn in the queue outside, and also a lot of Alestorm Tshirts plus people dressed as …

Tonight’s show was part of Wednesday 13’s acoustic tour.  Billed as “An evening with..” There is no support act, and instead fans get a two hour show from Wednesday 13.  It’s more than a straightforward acoustic gig though as rather than just playing songs, there is far more to it …

This will be a co-review between myself and PlanetMosh stalwart Louise Swift, who unfortunately couldn’t make the afternoon sessions. Last year’s Rockmantic saw the Saturday afternoon given over to acoustic performances, this year it was the turn of the youngsters. First up we had Black Nevada, a five-piece alt.rock band …

Tonight’s gig saw Thunder playing Wembley Arena in London.  On arriving it was clear the gig wasn’t sold out as the back part of the arena was curtained off, but I’d estimate around 7000 as the attendance which is more than enough to justify playing a venue of this size …

Tucked away in the corner of stage left, guitar duo Curran sought to warm up the London crowd ahead of tonight’s headliners Inglorious, but despite the best efforts of Mark Curran, they struggle to motivate the apathetic crowd. Armed with the simplicity of acoustic guitars, they played some well written …

Rockmantic now in it’s fouth year is an annual mini festival, hosted around Valentine’s Day (hence the name) by Raz White. It might be the fourth event but this was my third Rockmantic as I missed Rockmantic 2. Valentine’s Day 2016 fell on on a Sunday so this year’s event …

Nottingham Rock City is the local mecca for bands, and headlining the mainstage of this iconic venue is a dream show for any midlands band. Evil Scarecrow have been building a local following for a number of years now with their off the wall stage show, and Planetmosh went along …

First up were Crimes of Passion, or COP UK as they introduced themselves (apparently at the request of their label when they got signed).  I hadn’t had chance to check these guys out before the show, so wasn’t sure what to expect.  Opening bands can be a bit of a …

At a time when the world seems rather saturated with bands and musicians who are trying to make something of themselves but get kicked back at almost every turn, it is a genuinely wonderful experience to see a band of accomplished musicians finally making a name for themselves. Getting the …

Tonight’s gig was originally due to be at Shepherds Bush Empire, but with major roof repairs there taking longer than expected it was moved to the larger Forum. By the time the opening act came on, the venue was pretty much full, so a great turnout. First up were British …

It’s another cold day in Camden but there is already a queue of fans around the block eagerly anticipating tonight’s Motionless In White show. Especially as it was due to originally take place at the end of last year; the tour was originally postponed in light of the tragic events …

Tonight’s gig was completely sold out which is good to see especially since it’s midweek and it’s only a couple of months since the band played Wolverhampton civic hall a couple of miles away supporting Judas Priest, and fans had been queueing in the freezing cold outside the venue early.  …

Tonight’s gig had a very early start – 6pm doors with the first band on stage at 6.15pm.  Sadly being a weeknight then this inevitably meant most people didn’t arrive in time to see the first band.  Opening act Imperial Age therefore played to a tiny number of people which …

Matty James & The Irregulars It was a busy Saturday night in December when Matty James brought his band Matty James & The Irregulars to Tiger Lounge, Manchester for the final night of his first UK tour with a full band. What had been a very rainy day in Manchester …

Winter Rocks 2015 – Corporation, Sheffield A very windy day in December heralded the second ever Winter Rocks Festival at Corporation, Sheffield . After a successful event in 2014. There was a bit of a queue when I arrived and the event didn’t kick off at 12.15 with Skarlett Riot …

Tonight was my third time seeing Nightwish on this tour, and having seen how good they are at the moment I was really looking forward to seeing this, the last date on their European tour, and the first time they’ve brought their full show over to the UK.  It’s probably …

Tonight was a night I was so excited about, Fear Factory celebrating 20 years since the release of Demanufacture. I was 8 years old when this album came out, I was lucky enough to be raised on a diet of copious amounts of metal very early on; as I got …

First tonight is British band Hell.  I’ve seen them live several times and they always put on a fantastic show. Since the band was resurrected a few years ago when Andy Sneap teamed up with them, they’ve released two great albums and tonight’s set includes songs from both of those …

Tonight was a gig I’d been looking forward to for some time – Deep Purple’s only UK date.   As the band that many years ago started my love of rock and metal music I’ve been a fan ever since, and while they aren’t the same live as they were years …

On a wet and breezy day at the beginning of December a pirate ship bearing the Jolly Roger insignia sailed up Oxford Road and deposited The Captain (Sensible of The Damned) and his crew of brigands, Slim Jim Phantom (of Stray Cats), Chris Cheney (of The Living End) and Mike …

First up were Archer – a metal band from Santa Cruz, California.  This three piece had plenty of enthusiasm but to be brutally honest I found them dull and mediocre with nothing at all to make them stand out from the sort of bands you can see playing gigs in …

I arrived at the venue for tonight’s show to find a huge queue despite the doors having opened some time ago.  The reason soon became apparent – coming not long after the tragic events in Paris, security had been stepped up for tonight’s show with everyone being thoroughly frisked and …

It’s a freezing cold afternoon in November which reflects the darkness falling across the metal community currently with the horrific tragedy and loss, with recent events weighing heavily on our hearts.  I know a lot of us are still anxious about going to gigs and I applaud the venue staff …

Friday the 13th of November is the date Paradise Lost chose to end their extensive European tour in Nottingham’s Rock City. Braving the fierce winds outside the venue a small queue of stalwart fans lined the side of the building chatting eagerly while seeking shelter where they could. Rock City …

The opening act of the night was local band Enkelination.  They haven’t been playing many gigs this year as they are currently focussing on working on their second album, but tonight is a rare show for them, and judging by the number of EnkElination T-shirts being worn by people in …

Bands often get an affinity with certain places they tour, for Tracer that place seems to be Sheffield with a sold out gig at Plug. Before the scantily clad teenagers and twenty-somethings spilled drunkenly out of taxis into the venue and Tracer tore through the smoke that resembled a fireman’s …

As gig lineups go this was always going to be a hard one to beat.  Megadeth, Lamb of God, Children of Bodom and Sylosis, so it’s no surprise that there was a good turnout tonight.  The night kicked off with Sylosis.  They only get a short set tonight, but they …

Back in May this year I travelled up to Dames of Darkness Festival which was hellishly brilliant, whilst I was there I picked up Control The Storm‘s debut release Beast Inside.  I gave it a spin on my long drive back and fell in love with the album; Control The …

The night kicked off with Divine Ascension, an Australian band here on their first trip to the UK. Sadly as is often the case with opening acts at midweek gigs, the venue was only half full for their set, but the fans who were there were definitely the lucky ones …