In this exclusive interview edit, David Randall chats to Anne-Marie Helder about the band and the PledgeMusic campaign (First broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, 15 May 2016) The full version of this interview is available via our Mixcloud page.

Although the band didn’t hit their £25,000 target by early-June, the campaign will roll forward and the intention is to finance and record their first DVD in the autumn.

I must stop using footballing analogies in relation to Panic Room gigs – but they have a habit of playing Liverpool/St Helens during major tournaments – and on the night Wales, playing in their first major tournament since the 1958 World Cup, progressed to the quarter finals of the Euros, so too Panic Room played the final night of their Spring/ Summer 2016 Start The Sound tour.

With an extensive two full set format spanning all five of their excellent releases from Visionary Position (2008) to Essence (2015) you sensed that after a period of line up turbulence – and with Steve Rothery Band guitarist Dave Foster now firmly established as an integral part of the line-up – that the ‘Start The Sound’ tour underlined the end of a chapter in the band’s evolution, and signposted an exciting new one.

The nice thing about Panic Room is they don’t take themselves too seriously, resulting in an onstage fluency that makes each performance unique.

There was a perfect balance displayed on this occasion with Jon Edwards’ unassuming keyboard playing more prominent (although it was only on the tumultuous crescendo to the evening of ‘Nocturnal’ and ‘Sandstorms’ that he really let rip), some marvellous interplay between Gavin Griffiths and Yatim Halimi – surely one of the very best rhythm sections in the business – Anne-Marie Helder the vocal and visual centre point, and Foster providing the perfect counterpoint.

Brilliant playing is all very well, but strong material is critical, and Panic Room demonstrated they have a veritable treasure trove to plunder.  ‘Incarnate’ was delivered with a lovely bluesy guitar finale, ‘Chameleon’ with the most marvellous of instrumental jamming outros (with Helder on flute), and ‘Promises’ was a suitably explosive climax to the first set.

‘Into Temptation’ and ‘Freedom To Breathe’ took that energy to another level as the second set opened, with some marvellously fluid bass and lead guitar lines from Halimi and Foster.  ‘Screens’ was given a suitably percussive outing, and the bluesy ‘Denial’ showcased Helder’s vocal and Foster’s guitar talents, with everything that’s good about Panic Room coming together on the stunning finale of ‘Nocturnal’ and ‘Sandstorms’.

The tour flyer was badged with Get Ready to ROCK! attributed adjectives “explosive, inspired, monumental and unstoppable”.  On a night when Wales edged into the next round with a scrappy result, Panic Room very much lived up to that billing.

Visually, it might have been fitting if Foster had sported a Bale ‘bun’ to mark the occasion – he must surely have a Welsh passport to have joined the band?  But he did make a fashion statement of his own – wearing what must be the widest flares, or should I say ‘loons’, that I’ve witnessed since the 1970′s ended.   Marvellous.

Setlist:  Song For Tomorrow / Velocity / Incarnate / Yasuni / Start The Sound / The Fall / Chameleon / Promises / Into Temptation / Freedom To Breathe / Screens / Tightrope Walking / Sunshine / Denial / Skin / Hiding The World / Nocturnal / Sandstorms

Review by Pete Whalley
Photos by David Randall

News item (PledgeMusic campaign)

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Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

Next session: Sunday 19 January

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

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David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 1 December 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 December 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)

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