Event Reviews

After a six-hour journey from the North on Friday, it’s safe to say I was more than ready to let my hair down, listen to some good music, and enjoy a hyped weekend at this year’s Ramblin’ Man Fair in Maidstone. Upon my arrival, a huge proportion of the weekend’s …

The second day of Steelhouse dawned with an incessant mizzle in the air.  Not the sort of torrential downpour which had turned the mountain top site into a quagmire last year, but a constant enough drizzle to make itself known it was there, and at times annoying in its persistence. …

The weather can invariably play an important role in the enjoyment of a festival – just look at the experiences of many at this year’s Drownload!  The first day of last year’s Steelhouse had been preceded by one of torrential rain, meaning that the mountain top site was already a …

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 …

You know, sometimes you go to a gig not expecting anything more than a good night out and come away with your perception of what ‘a good night out’ actually is. At Chester Live Rooms, as a part of his ongoing Battle Scars tour, Walter Trout and his band – …

I guess if you are going to wait 30 years to come and play the UK, the gig had better be better than okay. Rest assured, then, that if you are planning to take in The Kentucky Headhunters on their first ever UK tour, including a set at the upcoming …

It’s not every day that you see history made, but tonight it happened.  While it may not have been a record-breaking number of appearances at the venue, The Dead Daisies bassist Marco Mendoza became the first artist to take to this hallowed stage on four separate occasions with four different …

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 …

Joanne Shaw Taylor: Special Guest of Joe Bonamassa, The Preston Guild Hall. July 2nd, 2016 She may be quite diminutive in stature, but what Joanne Shaw Taylor lacks in physique she certainly makes up for in musical and vocal strength, tearing The Preston Guild Hall apart with her sultry smooth …

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 …

History was made over the past week as millions of people took to the polls to decide whether the United Kingdom would remain in the European Union.  With the votes counted and the results in it had been decided that we were to leave. Those who voted to remain were …

Joe Bonamassa holding a free gig? At The Cavern Club, Liverpool? Seriously? Oh yes and, what’s more, not only was this a gig to honour three of the finest blues players of all time in Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton, it was an event that is unlikely to …

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), …