Event Reviews

Dublin’s Olympia Theatre has welcomed many a famous performer on her stage during her reign as the Queen of the Irish Music Scene. For two nights, this Dame is being courted by one of Rock’s crown princes.  Each night, her balconies are bursting. Her ground floor is a seething mass …

Tucked away on a cobbled side street on the edge of the oldest part of Belfast, Oh Yeah is a former whiskey bonding warehouse converted into a bespoke music centre – its ground floor a museum by day and a venue by night, its upper floors filled with recording studios, …

Life is full of disappointments, and it must be said that this evening was one of the more disappointing in my life as a rock critic. Derry four piece Mourning Of The Heretic made a decent fist of their opening slot, with their brand of gothic death metal mixed with …

Considering all the disappointing news in metal over the past week or so; from Lombardo getting thrown out on his arse (it’s nothing to do with the money, Kerry King overheard him saying ‘I guess Jesus is an ok dude’ – straw that broke the camel’s back) and Adam Duce …

I must admit to having been somewhat sceptical about the location for the Belfast leg of Grand Magus’ first UK headlining tour – a nightclub in the city centre more used to hosting spide-crammed ‘dance’ events (or ‘raves’ in old money) than brutally loud heavy metal gigs… OK, I know …

North Wales Metal returns to warm your cockles.   Another night beckoned at the Railway Institute for what has now become a regular date in the local gig calendar. North Wales Metal is now pretty much established and gaining a reputation for showcasing local talent as well as drawing quality …

Given the size of Northern Ireland’s Polish population – and the assumption that a healthy proportion of them should be heavy metal fans – it is somewhat surprising that, outside of tonight’s headliners and their entourage, every accent in the room is a local one (in some shape or form) …

The Union are a English Rock band formed in 2009 by ex Thunder guitarist Luke Morley and Peter Shoulder ( ex Winterville) and who are about to embark on a ten day UK tour in support of their latest album, “The World Is Yours” which had it’s worldwide release on …

Tonight at the Asylum 2 we had three female fronted bands, all signed to the Rocksector label.  Aside from them being on the same label and having female singers they share little in common.  Incassum are heavy as f**k – melodic death metal being a good description of their music, …

It had been five months since Norn Iron’s premier rawk ‘n’f’n’ roll crue had played the region’s capital, and their return to not only the city but also the comparatively cramped Pavilion venue shows that the quintet are just as comfortable playing in sweaty bar rooms as they are in …

It’s a Saturday afternoon in Belfast, and that means there is only one place any self-respecting metalhead should be… down the ‘Slimer’, necking pints, enjoying the craic and breaking necks at the weekly RocKD!  This weekend’s show is an extra bit special, as it also marks the official launch of …

Saturday night in Manchester and the atmosphere is buzzing, I had just finished my catch up interview with Orange Goblin and gained insight on their plans for 2013 (US and Canada Tour with Clutch)! Orange Goblin have had many trials in their career and I think finally things are starting to pay …

Belfast’s doom heads were out in force for this evening bringing together three of the finest exponents of the art on the local scene, with headliners Black Magician having headed over from England for the start of a brace of gigs on this side of the Irish Sea. Dublin trio …

When Shine Promotions – best known for their activities on the local dance scene – bought over the historic Limelight complex after its previous owners went into administration, it has to be admitted that many rock fans baulked.  After all, what the fuck did a bunch of dance promoters know …

As the tourists from near and far trudged through the winding streets of temple bar, taking pictures of themselves as Leprechauns and buying Irish souvenirs made in china, there was something else about to erupt just a stone’s through away – Redemption Festival. A true demonstration of Irishness and tradition …

Many of those here tonight are to embrace the line up that is filled with Death Metal, Hardcore/grindcore and Thrash metal. NQ Live (originally known as Moho Live) was filling fast. It will be pleasure to see Vader tonight, with their massive amount of material drawing from ‘Welcome to the Morbid …

From the ashes of Black Snake Moan come Jokers Hour, formed in March 2012 and  based in Winsford/Macclesfield. They are a 5 piece hard rock/blues band in their early to mid 20’s and at The Commercial Hotel in the quiet village of Wheelock in Cheshire last Friday they had the …

Having just released their debut album – an opus which nearly didn’t see the life of day following guitarist James Coogan’s near death experience, when he feel from a fourth-floor balcony in an horrific accident which left him in a coma for six weeks – Dublin hardocre quartet Wounds returned …

It’s not too hard to tell when the local university semester is in full flow, as inboxes quickly become filled with invitations from Radar, the inhouse promoters at the local students’ union, encouraging one and all to come along to their weekly free showcase gigs, featuring an eclectic – and …

If there is ever something which can be honestly described as an institution on the Belfast metal scene, then it truly is RocKD.  Started up almost a decade and a half ago by James ‘The Nicest Man In Metal’ Loveday as a Saturday afternoon showcase for the best in local …