For Bridgend’s famous sons Those Damn Crows, it’s a case of all roads leading southwest to the last date on their ‘Inhale/Exhale’ tour: a headline appearance at the brand-new Swansea Arena. To say that the band’s first Arena headline appearance will be an emotional evening is like saying that the …
Read More »Review: The Dollyrots & Don’t Panic – Factory 251, Manchester
I’m not sure why it always ends up being a holiday when I’m reviewing a gig, but I feel like Valentine’s Day is the appropriate time to see three pop-punk artists all together, in one of the most energetic evenings I’ve ever had watching musicians. There’s not a long wait …
Read More »Review: Steve Steinman’s Vampires Rock – Perth Concert Hall
“Do you know where you are?” Perth Concert Hall, baby. The beautiful glass-fronted building is a welcome sight on a very windy Friday night. The foyer is very busy with a mixture of people smartly dressed for an evening at the theatre, and people dressed to rock vampire style in …
Read More »Review: Apocalyptica/Epica – O2 Academy, Glasgow
For fans of symphonic metal, the last few months must have seemed as if their lottery numbers came up and it was a triple-rollover. The tail end of 2022 saw both Within Temptation and Nightwish returning to the live arena, and 2023 shows zero sign of letting up on the …
Read More »Review: Tarja – The Garage, Glasgow
Given that Finnish Queen of Metal Tarja last played in Scotland as a member of Nightwish – the band that she departed in 2005 – it’s fair to say that her long-awaited (and delayed by you-know-what) appearance in Glasgow was a tad overdue. Named after 2019’s studio album ‘In The …
Read More »Review: Dirty Honey – SWG3, Glasgow
Having supported major league names such as Kiss, and Guns N’ Roses (in Europe, and the US) as well as opening for newer names like Rival Sons on their last UK tour, Californians Dirty Honey are incredibly well-traveled for a band still in the fledgling stages of its career. The …
Read More »Review: Black Stone Cherry/The Darkness/Danko Jones – Cardiff
Late January and another quick blast up the motorway from Devon to Cardiff, for an intriguing double headline gig featuring two very contrasting bands, The Darkness, and Black Stone Cherry.The arena is pretty full when the lights go down and openers Danko Jones take to the stage to get everyone …
Read More »Review: Twilight Force/Seven Spires/Silver Bullet – Audio, Glasgow
Weather-wise, the months of January and February can be pretty unforgiving in the UK and Europe. For starters, it will be dark and bitterly cold regardless of the country, and chances are that the UK will be wet and miserable. Hardly the time to be putting in the miles on …
Read More »Review: Trivium – O2 Academy Glasgow
After laying waste to Dublin and Belfast with three soon-to-be-legendary gigs, Trivium made the short, blustery journey over the sea to Scotland for the opening night of the UK mainland leg of their rescheduled ‘Dead Men & Dragons’ tour. And in these worrying times of overseas bands being forced to …
Read More »Review: Electric Six – O2 Academy Bristol
“Do you fancy covering Electric Six in Bristol?”, read the message shortly before I was due to disappear for a bit of winter sun. “Too flipping right I do!” Was my reply, and so, still in the appropriate party spirit, but far from holiday weather, with temperatures well below freezing, …
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