Author Archives: alanjones

Gig review: MARTIN BARRE BAND (50 Years of Jethro Tull) – Floral Pavilion, New Brighton, Wirral, 2 June 2019

Posted on June 3, 2019 by alanjones

The International Guitar Festival Of Great Britain, held annually for many years, has been a showcase for some of the world’s finest players. Sadly, it has lost its focus a little in recent years with acts appearing that have no … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 50 years, Clive Bunker, Dan Crisp, Dee Palmer, Floral Pavilion Theatre, gig, hard rock, Jethro Tull, Martin Barre, prog, Progressive Rock, review | Leave a comment

Album review: RED BAZAR – Things As They Appear

Posted on April 3, 2019 by alanjones

White Knight Records [Release date: 26.01.2019] Whilst much of music these days drifts aimlessly in a reality-TV-induced slough of mediocrity, progressive rock appears to be in rude health – bucking the trend with a slew of tremendous albums released … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile) | Tagged Camel, Peter Jones, Progressive Rock, Red Bazar, review, Things As They Appear, Tiger Moth Tales | Leave a comment

Album review: RPWL – Tales From Outer Space

Posted on February 8, 2019 by alanjones

Gentle Art Of Music [Release date: 22.03.19] You know what it’s like. You go to a gig and there’s a couple of support bands and you’re thinking to yourself “these are quite good” – then the main band comes on … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged album, Blind Ego, Guy Pratt, Kalle Wallner, Pink Floyd, Progressive Rock, review, RPWL, Tales From Outer Space, Yogi Lang | Leave a comment

Album review: PINN DROPP – Perfectly Flawed

Posted on January 27, 2019 by alanjones

Music & More Records [Release date: 18.01.2019] When I saw Pinn Dropp were another progressive band from Poland – home to some of the finest progressive music released in the last ten years – I was hoping Riverside, Believe, Satellite. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile) | Tagged album, Perfectly Flawed, Pinn Dropp, Poland, Progressive Rock, review | Leave a comment

Album review: STEVE HACKETT – At The Edge Of Light

Posted on January 20, 2019 by alanjones

Inside Out [Release Date: 25.01.19] I mentioned in my 2015 GRTR! review of Steve Hackett’s ‘Wolflight’ album how his star has been in the ascendency as a result of his wonderful live shows showcasing the Genesis back catalogue. Such has … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged album, At The Edge Of Light, Flower Kings, Gary O'Toole, John Hackett, Jonas Reingold, Nick D’Virgilio, prog, Progressive Rock, review, Rob Townsend, Roger King, Steve Hackett | Leave a comment

Album review: RIVERSIDE – Wasteland

Posted on November 24, 2018 by alanjones

Inside Out [Release date: 28.09.18] The death of Riverside guitarist Piotr Grudzinski in 2016 hit the band really hard. Not only was he one of a ‘band of brothers’ and an exceptional guitarist, he was part of a band that … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged album, Mariusz Duda, Progressive Rock, review, RIVERSIDE, Wasteland | Leave a comment

Album review: STEVE KILBEY – Sydney Rococo

Posted on November 14, 2018 by alanjones

Golden Robot Records [Release date: 23.11.18] Has anyone else noticed a trend lately to drench perfectly good music in an avalanche of overly high-in-the-mix orchestration? I don’t know why so many top artists are doing this – is it an … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged album, psych rock, review, Steve Kilbey, Sydney Rococo, The Church | Leave a comment

Gig Review: STEVE HACKETT – Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, 3 October 2018

Posted on October 5, 2018 by alanjones

This new interview with Steve Hackett was broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio on the eve of his UK orchestral tour. The hour special includes tracks from several albums included in the retrospective box set released in October 2018. … Continue reading →

Posted in GIG REVIEWS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged 3 October 2018, Amanda Lehmann., Bradley Thachuk, Bridgewater Hall, Gary O'Toole, gig, Heart Of England Orchestra, John Hackett, Jonas Reingold, Manchester, Nad Sylvan, prog rock, Progressive Rock, review, Rob Townsend, Roger King, Steve Hackett | Leave a comment

Album Review: FERNANDO PERDANO – Out To Sea

Posted on July 13, 2018 by alanjones

Cherry Red Records [Release date: 04.05.18] There are not that many rock guitar players who can really carry off an instrumental album. Once you get beyond Satriani, Jeff Beck, Vai and Malmsteen the list tails off and, in the field … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged album, Dave Kerzner Band, Fernando Perdano, guitar, guitarist, Out To Sea, prog, Progressive Rock, review | Leave a comment

Album Review: YUKA AND CHRONOSHIP – Ship

Posted on July 8, 2018 by alanjones

Cherry Red Records [Release date 11.5.18] Yuka Funakoshi is a Japanese keyboard virtuoso who would certainly give any of Sherinian, Rudess or Norlander a run for their money and, together with her band of exceptional session men, Yuka and Chronoship … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged album, prog, Progressive Rock, review, Ship, Sonja Kristina, Yuka and Chronoship, Yuka Funakoshi | Leave a comment

Album review: GIN BLOSSOMS – Mixed Reality

Posted on June 27, 2018 by alanjones

Cleopatra Records [Release date: 22.06.18] Back in the late ‘80s, early ‘90s I was turned on to the jangling guitar sound of American “college radio” by my discovery of two bands – REM (before they hit paydirt) and The Gin … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged album, college rock, Gin Blossoms, Mitch Easter, Mixed Reality, power pop, R.E.M., review | Leave a comment

DVD review: TOMMY EMMANUEL – Music Gone Public

Posted on October 31, 2017 by alanjones

CGP Sounds/Music Gone Public - [Release date: 10.02.17] Tommy Emmanuel, for those not in the know, is surely one of the finest exponents of the acoustic guitar on the planet. The affable Aussie has released a fair number of DVDs … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, DVD REVIEWS | Tagged acoustic guitar, Bucky Pizzarelli, DVD, Frank Vignola, Music Gone Public, review, Tommy Emmanuel, Vinny Raniola | Leave a comment

Album review: VICTIM OF ILLUSION – Invisible Light

Posted on October 10, 2017 by alanjones

Self-released - [Release date: 20.6.17] Time was that if it was prog it was British. And the Brits had it more or less all their own way for a good part of the late sixties through to the late eighties. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged Invisible Light, Italy, prog, Progressive Rock, review, Victim Of Illusion | Leave a comment

Album review: THE CHURCH – Man Woman Life Death Infinity

Posted on October 9, 2017 by alanjones

Unorthodox Records – [Release date: 27 .10.17] Back in the day – and the day was the mid eighties to early nineties – The Church became my favourite band following the release of a series of fabulous albums that, despite … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts, The Best of 2017 | Tagged album, Man Woman Life Death Infinity, Powderfinger, psych rock, review, Steve Kilby, The Church | Leave a comment

Album review: MACHINES DREAM – Black Science

Posted on August 14, 2017 by alanjones

Progressive Gears – [Release date: 16.05.17] With the notable and towering exception of Rush, Canada has not exactly been renowned for its contributors to the field of progressive rock. That, however, is very much on the change with bands such … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged album, Black Science, Canada, Machines Dream, Progressive Rock, review | Leave a comment

Album review: ANATHEMA – The Optimist

Posted on August 5, 2017 by alanjones

K-Scope [Release date: 09.06.17] Having moved on from their dark metal roots into progressive rock loveliness with the wonderful ‘We’re Here Because We’re Here’ album in 2010 and its magnificent follow-up ‘Weather Systems’ in 2012, Anathema somewhat divided opinion with … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged album, Anathema, Danny Cavanaugh, Lee Douglas, prog, Progressive Rock, review, The Optimist, Vincent Cavanaugh | Leave a comment

Album review: RPWL – A New Dawn

Posted on August 1, 2017 by alanjones

Gentle Art Of Music [Release date: 14.07.17] RPWL are one of the finest purveyors of intelligent, meaningful progressive rock currently plying their trade in Europe and seem to be making a habit of releasing a superb album and following it … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged A New Dawn, album, Kalle Wallner, live, prog, Progressive Rock, review, RPWL, Yogi Lang | Leave a comment

Album review: THEA GILMORE – The Counterweight

Posted on June 27, 2017 by alanjones

WMW/Cooking Vinyl [Release date 02.06.17] So what’s a girl to do? She’s got bills to pay just like the rest of us, so is this the moment that Thea Gilmore drifts into the mainstream? From the release of the bile-spitting … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts, The Best of 2017 | Tagged acoustic, album, Nigel Stonier, pop, review, rock, Singer/Songwriter, The Counterweight, Thea Gilmore | Leave a comment

Gig review: PANIC ROOM – Citadel Arts Centre, St Helens, 2 June 2017

Posted on June 4, 2017 by alanjones

Panic Room - The Citadel, St.Helens, 2 June 2017

Tour preview broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, 4 June 2017 (9:47) It is two years since I last saw Panic Room, and, musically, what a difference two years can make. Back then, the band played a fantastic ‘double … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, GIG REVIEWS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview, The Best of 2017 | Tagged 2 June 2017, Anne-Marie Helder, Citadel Arts Centre, Dave Foster, gig, Panic Room, progressive, review, rock, St Helens | Leave a comment

Gig review: MAGENTA – The Citadel Arts Centre, St. Helens, 13 May 2017

Posted on May 14, 2017 by alanjones

With the band celebrating fifteen years together and with a fabulous new album to promote, Rob Reed’s Magenta completed their (all too) short Spring tour in front of a suitably appreciative audience at The Citadel in St. Helens – a … Continue reading →