Tag Archives: live review

Co-headline shows are awkward beasts.  And, personally, I’m not a huge fan of them… I mean, you either have a headline act or you don’t – right?  Running a bill with two headliners has inherent problems – who goes on first, what happens if the opening act are better than …

Anthrax have been more regular visitors to this little part of the world than the vast majority of their counterparts, with this – their only UK headlining show, during a ‘night off’ from their support run with Motorhead – being their fifth time playing Northern Ireland. And, the sense of …

The song ‘Cat’s In The Cradle’ carries a particular resonance for Northern Ireland rock fans.  While, almost exactly 20 years ago, our counterparts in the rest of the world were propelling Ugly Kid Joe’s cover of the Harry Chapin ballad back into the upper reaches of the charts, the government …

The TDC Auditorium, part of the Triskel Arts Centre in city-centre Cork, tonight plays host to a ream of great Irish talent, with a definite lean left in audio and aesthetic sensibilities.  Darkened sans the solitary projector up the back and some odd stage lights, it feels different here than …

Sometimes, you just know it is going to be one of those days… Well, we had known for some time that this particular day was going to be one of those… and it was nothing to do with this Essex ‘post-hardcore’ (will somebody please explain what in the name of …

As noted in our recent review of their debut hometown gig last month, Rex Shachath, as an entity, may be a new name to many but, individually, the various members are highly experienced and veterans of several stalwarts of the Belfast scene, such as Overoth and Condemned. And, just as …

What is the collective noun for a group of guitarists? In this case, may we proffer forth the description ‘an audience’ – as nearly every other person assembled for this Belfast stop-off on Firewind’s ten date UK and Ireland tour appeared to be a six-string slinger from one local metal …

Your humble PM scribe feels like he has been living in the brilliantly named Voodoo for the best part of a week, as this is my third gig in as many days in the Belfast city centre venue. Industrial thrashers The Obscene Machine must feel the same way, as it …

This evening’s weekly dose of Saturday metal gave two out of the four local bands attending next month’s Highway To Hell III a chance to run through their paces, albeit in front of a much more partisan crowd than they undoubtedly will face in Glasgow… Opening proceedings for the duo …

When the census did its rounds last year, I filled in the section marked ‘Religion’ with two very simple words – Heavy Metal. For that’s what metal is… a lifestyle choice, at times a religious experience. And, so it is that, for the second time in a little over 24 …

Despite summer trying, vainly, to make a last ditch attempt to make its disappointing presence felt inside, and the counter-attraction of equally disappointing live football in the adjoining bar, an extremely healthy crowd sequestered itself in the darkened environs of metal’s spiritual Belfast home for this weekly early-evening triple header. …

This evening’s gig truly could be described as a night for the ages, with the veteran guardians of the Northern Irish metal scene joining forces with the movement’s young titans to fight off all comers and prove just why this particular corner of the world is a domain to be …

The setting for this evening’s unofficial ‘homecoming’ – and Thin Lizzy’s first outdoor festival gig in Belfast – is a man made auditorium, close by the River Lagan, with apartment blocks to the front and side of the stage, the density of which looms over the normally imposing edifice of …

There’s been something of a trend this year, with some of the top metal bands popping over to Belfast to play exclusive one-off headline shows will pounding their way across Europe’s festival circuit. Machine Head and Lamb Of God respectively sandwiched Download into triumphant appearances at Download, and this time …

It’s always great to see a local venue rammed to the rafters on a week night – and even more satisfying when it’s in support of some of the best in local talent, and not because it’s some visiting ‘big name’ band. That’s why this particular night starts off on …

Heavy metal is supposed to played loud and proud not wrapped in cotton wool: but, unfortunately, the long awaited first visit to this part of the world by the Floridian power titans (one of three dates as part of their build up to Bloodstock) was plagued by an absolutely atrocious …

The irony was not lost on many present. It was two days short of being exactly four years since industrial metal titans Ministry had played what frontman Al Jourgensen had insisted would be the band’s “last ever” live show – just 100 miles down the road in the Irish capital …

For nigh on three decades, Katy Daly’s has stood as a bastion of Belfast’s rock scene, the favoured watering hole of metallers young and not so young, the preferred stop off for a pre-gig imbibance or a meeting place just to chill out, knock back a few beers and JD …

Tonight’s headliners became the envy of every metal band in Ireland – and beyond – when they managed to secure the opening slot at Machine Head’s forthcoming only two headline dates outside Download. To get themselves fighting fit for the challenge of the brace of shows in Belfast and Dublin, …

Just under two weeks before this metal monster of a quadruple bill rolled into Belfast, the demolition crews moved into the neighbouring Spring and Airbrake (separated only from the Limelight by the width of the rawk ‘n’ roll watering hole that is Katy Daly’s) to gut the place out in …