Event Reviews

Hot on the heels of the Irish rugby team obliterating English dreams at the Aviva stadium, we shuffled down to Fibber Magees to see the next quartet of bands going head to head at Metal 2 the Masses Ireland. Would one of the outfits begin an unbeaten streak tonight on …

Rock Goddess opened the night with a set based around songs from their 80s albums.  The band reformed a few years ago with the original lineup, and are yet to release a new album although they do feature a new song tonight, “Back off”, to which they got the crowd …

Opening the show tonight are German duo The Picturebooks.  A few technical issues do nothing to dampen the band’s enthusiasm. Supporting Monster Truck will help gain them a new following. After a short set, highlights were ‘Bad Habits Die Hard’ and ‘Your Kisses Burn Like Fire’. If they seem like an …

Tonight was the second UK date for Tarja, and the attendance was good – by the time she came on stage moving around the venue was difficult due to the packed crowd.  The support act on this leg of her European tour is My Own Ghost, a band from Luxembourg. …

Saturday night saw the 5th instalment of this years Metal 2 The Masses showcase at Fibber Magees in Dublin. With one band unable to play the playing field was reduced to 4 groups vying for a place in the semi final. First up are M2TM returnees Antidotes. Fronted by Stephen …

An earlier start with almost twice as many bands as the previous day saw a mad dash for a Wetherspoons fry up before heading off once again to the Snooty Fox Club. On arrival a line up change saw planned third band Cadence Noir opening proceedings as they were two …

A welcome return for me to Wakefield for the annual Bad Ass Bash saw all the bands booked by event organiser Martin Short playing for free with the proceeds once again going to Ian’s Chain and chART charities. Seventeen bands for only £14.50 was a sure fire bargain with proceedings …

Spontaneous fizz, crackle and sparkle – along with superb musicianship – are definitely the order of the day on Dan Reed Network’s Fight Another Day tour.   With Special Guests, VEGA, storming onto stage in support with as tight a 45 minute set as anybody could hope for, the stunning …

This was the first HRH event to be held in Birmingham, and was the first HRH metal.  One of many HRH events, it’s clearly aimed at the same fans as Hammerfest, but in a location far more convenient for many people. Saturday The event has three stages, with the main …

Last Saturday in Dublin, the Metal 2 The Masses Ireland chapter reached the mid-point of the heats and the crowd was in early to see who would progress to the semi finals and maybe make it all the way to Bloodstock. Taking the stage in the unenviable opening slot was …

With Storm Doris battering the country and Leicester City sacking title-winning manager Claudio Ranieri, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the UK was descending into madness. Luckily, there’s none of that in Bristol tonight – or at least, not at the Exchange. Instead, it’s time for the second heat of …

PlanetMosh dropped into Fibber Magees on Saturday night for the latest round of Metal 2 The Masses Ireland. On paper it was an interesting prospect with a few genres being represented, from Black Metal through to Rock n Roll. Drawing the opening slot (by choice) was Horrenda. This extreme metal …

Reputation has it that Wille & The Bandits are even better live than they are recorded. Having already listened to – and reviewed – the band’s latest album, Steal, that’s a pretty big claim. Now, having seen their gig at The Liverpool Philharmonic Hall Music Rooms, ‘better’ is a quantifiable …

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 …

Just as the Royal Rumble kickstarts the road to Wrestlemania, so Metal 2 the Masses begins the journey to Bloodstock. A microscopic Eurovision Song Contest of sorts, the competition to perform on the New Blood Stage at Bloodstock Open Air has given exposure to some of the country’s hottest underground …

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 …

Saturday night saw the second heat of Metal 2 The Masses Ireland take place at Fibber Magees and with 4 new bands  to the competition (of the 5) taking part, it was a night of new discoveries and crunching rock and metal. With the straws drawn, Dublin metal troop Outbreak …

It doesn’t matter how many times you attend, there’s something special about watching a gig in the belly of a boat. Bristol’s Thekla is one of the city’s most renowned venues and anticipation is high; it’s the last night of the headliner’s tour and sold out to boot. As the …

So goes the age-old joke: “I wonder what it would be like to live in Bath…” “Well, probably rather wet.” Thing is, the city lives up to its name tonight as the South West is caught up in a sharp, heavy shower that leaves everything soggier than your favourite digestive when …

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 …