Tag Archives: live review

It may be the last day of July, but already it is a typical Belfast “summer” evening – the temperature is plummeting into the lower reaches of single figures and the rain isn’t taking its time to belt it down as the PM team duck from the adjacent pub and …

Now in it’s fifth year, the Steelhouse Festival is one of the UK’s more remote festivals.  Although only four miles from the nearest town, Ebbw Vale, Hafod-Y-Dafal Farm’s mountain top location means it is not the most accessible – especially in a weekend dominated, in both the build up to …

Belfast had been in virtual lockdown for the long weekend which marked the cornerstone of Northern Ireland’s marching season, the Twelfth.  Bars, restaurants and shops kept their doors firmly shut for most of the duration, leaving those who dared to venture into the practically abandoned city centre with little to …

“I told you we’d be fucking back!”  It may be somewhat unusual to start a review at the end, but drummer Brann Dailor’s closing remarks to the audience are important for contextualizing what had happened over the previous hour-and-a-half or so.  You see, it had only been a little more than …

It could be argued that, although they hail from the Midlands of England, Diamond Head share an affinity with Belfast:  after all, it was they who helped shape the sound of the nascent Metallica – a place in history they share with a band from this neck of the woods, …

The venue for this evening’s long-awaited return to Belfast by Pat McManus – it has been almost exactly a year since ‘The Professor’ last graced a stage here – is the basement of a pub situated in Belfast’s oldest known building, McHugh’s Bar.  Built back in the 17th century it, like …

Ah well, here we are… it’s a Wednesday night here in Belfast and it’s officially the start of the week;  well, as far as Team PM is concerned anyway, with the prospect of six gigs over the course of the next five nights, starting with tonight’s long overdue return to …

This evening, Charlie’s Bar in Enniskillen plays host to a cross border punk and rock assault, the likes that the town has not seen in quite some time, organised by Henchman Promotions, a local promotional company who are contributing to the continued growth of the Enniskillen music scene. Sense Deficiency …

Imagine the most ungodly hour possible for a self-respecting metallian to be crawling from their pit – and then move it back an hour or more… well, while most of our readers were most likely turning over for your second sleep, your reviewer was up and about in the wee …

This evening’s gig – featuring the somewhat ironically named LA punks The Bronx and Florida-based grinders Torche – was originally scheduled to be two separate affairs, with the two bands playing in neighbouring venues within the same complex.  However, the promoters – and, co-incidentally, the venue owners – quickly managed …

Enniskillen’s Charlie’s Bar is fast becoming the location to find the finest in rock based music in the local and surrounding area.  It is constantly been utilised by many promoters who bring in a variety of musical acts to cater to a vast array of people. On this occasion, Penny …

Regular readers will be cognizant of Team PM’s affection for the DRC – an intimate little club above a tiny country bar deep in the heart of Northern Ireland’s ‘Bible Belt’ which has attracted some pretty big names and, in the process, provided us with some of our favourite (and, …

It’s the middle of May and spring is supposed to have sprung with summer allegedly around the corner – but, guess what?  It’s feckin’ freezin’ and it’s sheeting it down – so, there’s nothing else to do but forsake the backyard barbecue for another weekend, plunge out into the night …

It had been a long weekend – and, to be honest, the pace of it was starting to tell on PM’s Belfast team as we prepared for our third gig in as many days and a review tally which would take us to 18 bands in that period (it would …

With PM’s illustrious (!) Ireland editor laid low with a dose of the lurgy, it was up to yours truly to venture first into the rare bright sunny evening and then into the darkened venue for what promises to be rip roaring gig – and my first encounter with the legendary UFO. …

When the line-up for this, the fourth of the five opening heats in the first ever Bloodstock Metal 2 The Masses competition to be held in li’l ol’ Norn Iron was announced, it was generally considered that it would be by far the tightest yet… and so it proves to …

This past Friday evening, Cadaver Club returned to their old haunting ground of Enniskillen to reacquaint the locals with their unique brand of funeral punk.  They were joined on this occasion by Attack The Day and Phil ‘Philthy’ Cassidy who coincidently was performing double duty on the night. The venue lights dim …

For any artist, the launch of a new work is a special occasion.  For Norn Iron’s premier heavyweights, Sinocence, the unveiling of their new EP – the second instalment in their ‘No Gods, No Masters’ triptych – called for that something a little extra special.  And so the band assembled …

The rock and metal community, perhaps more than any other in the field of music, always has been known for its generosity of spirit and support for worthy causes.  For the community in Northern Ireland, few are more special or better supported than Blaze’s Appeal, which raises funds for the …

On a freezing cold Mother’s Day this hard rocking mama took a little time out from her family celebrations to head out and catch a few bands – led by NWOBHM legends Angel Witch, fresh from their appearance just across the Irish Sea at Hammerfest just two days earlier and …