Event Reviews

This weekend was the Ravenheart music festival at the Asylum 2 in Birmingham – a nice little venue a few minutes walk from the city centre.   The event was a real bargain – 12 bands over 2 days at the ridiculously low price of £15 for the weekend.  At …

Setting off today’s shindig with a bang; Chorley’s own Fire In the Empire [8/10] hit the stage with full force, bathing the few followers who turned out to seen them in an onslaught of melodic, yet furious thrash metal. With a God like stage presence and songs that could topple …

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 …

Sunday at Hard Rock Calling started late for me due to a few transport issues, so the first act I caught was Christina Perri.  For some reason she was on stage around 20 minute early (as were all the bands after her).  As well as her own material she did …

On Saturday at Hard Rock Calling, the first band I managed to see was Tom Morello – The nightwatchman. Given that he is part of the band Rage Against The Machine, I wasn’t expecting it to be just one man with an acoustic guitar. It was certainly a surprising choice …

Friday at Hard Rock Calling started for me with a trip over to the Pepsi max stage to see The Dirty Youth get the event off to a great start.  They started their set with “Rise Up” which really set the tone for their set as they put in a …

Les Fest 29th and 30th June 2012 review

With their Sunday headlining set at Sonisphere cancelled, Faith No More took the move to stay in the country and play a couple of London dates to make up for the unfortunate demise of the festival in question. Supporting them on the night at were Guano Padona (6), an Italian …

Ghostfest is the UK’s fastest growing independent metal and hardcore festival, is back and promises to top last year’s sold-out event with over 40 bands, three stages, even bigger names and an increased capacity to 2700. Taking place on the 30 June/1 July at Leeds University Students Union. I had …

Well the Fourth of July has finally arrived and an early morning e-mail giving final confirmation that I would be heading to Glasgow to shoot and review what for me must be one of the most iconic bands of the Ninety’s defiantly put a smile on my face the one …

Walking into the main arena after a hectic 18 hour journey over was a huge relief on it’s own but the sheer impact of the arena set up was far more than anticipated. The beer and merch stalls had interesting and ornate architecture with metal, rusted designs that really made …

It’s been 25 years since the release of The Ultra-Violence by Death Angel so I was looking forward to tonight’s gig where the guys were playing their first album in its entirety as well as few other tracks. First band on was Thrashist Regime, who was starting to whip the …

It’s safe to say that I had been looking forward to this gig for a while. It’s not often you get to be up close and personal to some true masters of their craft but King Tuts in Glasgow gives you that opportunity big style thanks to its compact size …

Since December 2011; sleaze rockers Falling Red have visited the city of Manchester three times, and with each visit absolutely blown the roof off every venue they have played. This time hitting up the Manchester Club Academy, Falling Red is back with their new and improved line-up, supported by local …

Seattle rockers Pearl Jam played two nights at the MEN Arena, Manchester, UK ahead of headlining the Isle of White festival alongside Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty. Although known for being key in the movement of Grunge in the early 1990s, Pearl Jam are undoubtably established as an iconic rock band …

On the outskirts of Manchester City Center, came a night of flowing beer, whiskey and sweat, as Dave Evans the original singer of AC/DC  steps up to do the first night of his UK tour. A little music pub was buzzing with excitement as there was over a hundred people gathered to …

A beautiful Wednesday night in June was the setting for ex-Skid Row frontman and legend of rock and metal, Sebastian Bach, as he took to the stage in Glasgow at G2 with Northern Irish lads Stormzone in support. It was the second of only three stops around the british isles …

Over 400 people boarded the HMS Hammer for the 10th annual Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards show boat trip down the Thames, from Tower Bridge to the 02. Consisting of Media, Bands, Guests and Metal Hammer competition winners, the pre party show kicked of in fine style, with a storming …

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 …

In a refreshing change to £60+ arena shows, the current Ten/serpentine/white widow tour, dubbed a ‘mini firefest’ by many gave punters no excuse not to follow this tour, 3 great bands for £12.50, bargain of the week right there I think. After rave reviews the tour hit the Railway venue …