Tag Archives: Review

Nordic Union is a project which does exactly what its name suggests, bringing together two generations of the Scandinavian melodic hard rock scene – in the form of Pretty Maids vocalist Ronnie Atkins and uber upstart workaholic Eric Mårtensson (Eclipse/W.E.T/Age Sten Nilsen’s Ammunition). It’s a pairing brought together by Frontiers …

A little more than three months after he last graced this same stage – then accompanied by his Black Star Riders bandmate Damon Johnson – Ricky Warwick returned to one of his favourite haunts for this special New Year show.  In fact, Warwick had forsaken the somewhat sunnier climes of …

Matty James & The Irregulars It was a busy Saturday night in December when Matty James brought his band Matty James & The Irregulars to Tiger Lounge, Manchester for the final night of his first UK tour with a full band. What had been a very rainy day in Manchester …

Some people would go to any lengths for a great party… and, by this, I don’t just mean those of us who regularly board the Beer Bus for the regular trips to the best little rock club in the country:  no, I mean some of the determined folk who have …

It was one of those “you had to be there moments” – and one where I’m fortunate to say, “yes, I was”.  It was the Saturday afternoon of what was then supposed to be the last ever Firefest, and a band wandered onto the stage who proved to be not …

And so it is almost upon us again… the annual Bloodstock Metal 2 The Masses competition, with it’s reward being the much coveted and desired chance to play the New Blood stage at Britain’s favourite bespoke metalfest alongside the likes of Slayer, Mastodon, Twisted Sister, Venom and a host of …

When Nick Oliveri left the stage of this very venue a little more than four months ago, he confidently predicted that the next time he appeared in Belfast it would be with Mondo Generator… little did most of those present realize that the touring schedule was already locked in and the …

Sometimes, you really should do your homework before going to a gig!  On this occasion, I was familiar with three of the five acts beforehand, and was particularly looking forward to seeing the two heavy acts bookending the bill – especially as one was unveiling a new line up and …

With many of their US counterparts cancelling, postponing or cutting short their European tours in the wake of the atrocities in Paris earlier this month and the subsequent security concerns across much of Europe – just hours before the doors opened this evening, Brussels went into a state of lock …

There are few people in the music business to whom the term “living legend” can, and should, be deservedly applied.  As far as the the Irish rock scene is concerned, there is one gentleman to whom that descriptive does not even begin to do justice – and that is Mr …

There are occasions when you go to a gig genuinely not knowing what to expect.  Having witnessed the lunacy that is an Evil Scarecrow show for the first and only time at Bloodstock last summer, your PM team had a rough idea of the madness that was about to descend …

For the band and fans alike, Y&T‘s annual end of year UK tours have become something akin to a pilgrimage.  Despite being more than four decades into their career – and not having released any new material in a little more than five of those years – Dave Meniketti and …

It was like Halloween in Manchester for this second time this year when German Horror Punk band The Other played at Tiger Lounge, a small basement venue on Cooper Street, near Manchester Town Hall and conveniently close to one of Manchester’s Wetherspoons pubs The Waterhouse. Although The Other have been …

The combination of it being a Monday night – and the coldest and stormiest one of the year so far – and the fact that half of Belfast’s metallians had decamped south of the border for the first of the Megahuff/Lamb Of God co-headline arena shows did not initially bode …

Whenever you hear that Pat McManus is playing, it is safe to say that an instantaneous excitement forms in the air.  It doesn’t matter where you are or what you are doing, that come hell or high water you will be in attendance for ‘The Professor’ for an education and a night worth remembering.  Pat McManus is widely …

In contrast to the previous morning, the third and final day of Rockingham dawns crisp and bright, as the PM team join several hundred fellow fans in heading for the hallowed confines of Rock City for another eight bands over 11 hours. The beautiful afternoon outside is complemented by the …

The second morning of the inaugural Rockingham fest dawns overcast and mizzly, but that doesn’t darken or dampen the spirits of the early risers making their way from all directions for the slightly earlier start to Saturday’s proceedings (well, we have gone from six to seven acts performing over the …

First there was Firefest.  An annual celebration of classic melodic rock which, despite being hugely popular and attracting some of the top names in the genre – many of them catalyzed to reform by the event – as well as fans from all over the globe, sadly came to an …

In these straitened economic times – marked from the music business’ perspective by increasing numbers of venues closing down and promoters going bankrupt – success stories are few and far between and thus should be acclaimed, celebrated and heralded at every opportunity.  Which is exactly what today’s proceedings were all …

So after no studio output from Def Leppard since 2008, what does the new self-titled album have to offer? Something for everyone would be the first answer that comes to mind. As a long-time Leppard fan I have always managed to find at least part of their more recent output to satisfy …