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Author Archives: andynathan
Gig review: SWEET – Islington Assembly Hall, London, 18 December 2019

After many years as strangers in their home country, Sweet have become a fixture since their well-received support slot to Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow at 2017’s Stone Free Festival. This is the third year running they have played a London show … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 18 December, Andy Scott, gig, glam rock, Islington Assembly Hall, Lee Small, London, Paul Manzi, review, Steve Mann, Sweet
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Album review: WORK OF ART – Exhibits

Release Date 8.11.19 It’s been five years since Work of Art’s third album ‘Framework’ was voted GRTR!’s melodic rock album of 2014, after which they went on an extended hiatus. However this welcome return has shown no change in philosophy … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Jim Peterik, Lars Safsund, Robert Sall, Vince DiCola, Work Of Art
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Gig review: HEAT FESTIVAL – Ludwigsburg, Germany, 30 November- 1 December 2019

Having grown steadily since its inception in 2008, the HEAT Festival in Ludwigsburg, just outside Stuttgart, can lay claim to being one of the longest continuously running melodic rock festivals in Europe. For most of the last few years their … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Age of Reflection, AOR, Black Diamonds, Black Tiger, Blood Red Saints, Cats In Space, Crashdiet, Dark Sky, Degreed, Devicious, festival, gig, HEAT festival, Licence, Maverick, melodic rock, Robert Tepper, Stage Dolls, STAN BUSH, Treat, Vega
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Gig review: RAIDING THE ROCK VAULT – Subterania, London, 5 December 2019

Proof of the enduring appeal of classic rock is the success over seven years of residencies in Las Vegas of the ‘Raiding the Rock Vault’ show. The concept is deceptively simple, with live playing from a band of seasoned musicians, … Continue reading
Gig review: GRAND SLAM/Bad Touch – Camden Underworld, London, 22 November 2019

One of the great sadnesses of my formative music years was the failure of Philip Lynott’s post- Thin Lizzy outfit to get as far as a record deal- despite their reputation as a live act, including as support to Status … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 22 November 2019, Bad Touch, Benjy Reid, Camden Underworld, Dave Boyce, gig, Grand Slam, Laurence Archer, London, Mike Dyer, Philip Lynott
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Gig review: BUCK & EVANS – 100 Club, London, 19 November 2019

When I saw them at the prestigious 100 Club only six months ago, Buck and Evans were still previewing songs from an album that, like Billy Bunter’s postal order or an election manifesto promise, was constantly about to be delivered- … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 100 Club, 19 November 2019, blues rock, Bob Richards, Buck & Evans, Chris Buck, Dominic Hill, gig, London, Sally Ann Evans, Sweet Crisis
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Gig review: MIDNITE CITY – The Lounge, Archway, London, 8 November 2019

The list of successful UK melodic rock acts is a frustratingly short one, but Midnite City must be going about things the right way. After releasing a pair of excellent albums in short succession they recently enjoyed the prestige of … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 8 November 2019, AOR, Archway, gig, London, lounge, melodic rock, Midnite City, Miles Meakin, Pete Newdeck, Rob Wylde, Shawn Charvette
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Gig review: BRIAN DOWNEY’S ALIVE AND DANGEROUS – Underworld, Camden, London, 7 November 2019

While Phil Lynott was the public face and voice of Thin Lizzy and the twin lead guitars their identifiable sound, the contribution of drummer Brian Downey throughout the band’s original existence should never be underestimated. He was even tempted back … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 7 November 2019, Alive and Dangerous, Brian Downey, Brian Grace, Camden, gig, hard rock, London, Matt Wilson, Phil Edgar, Rebecca Downes, review, Steve Birkett, Thin Lizzy, Underworld
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Gig review: MASON HILL/Keylock/Cormac Neeson – The Black Heart, Camden, London, 5 November 2019

While classic rock may no longer sit in the mainstream, the contemporary scene has continuously been improving and is now arguably at its healthiest for many years, helped by sympathetic radio stations and websites (or both in GRTR!’s case!) This … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Aaron Keylock, classic rock, Cormac Neeson, gig, James Bird, Jonnie Hodson, Keylock, Mason Hill, Scott Taylor, THE ANSWER
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Gig review: SARI SCHORR – Water Rats, London, 4 November 2019

2019 has been something of a breakthrough year for powerful blues rocker Sari Schorr. The New Yorker began the year with a prestigious Blues Week slot at the 100 Club then as a very well matched support for King King. … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Ash Wilson, blues rock, gig, Jon Amor, Sari Schorr, Stevie Watts
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Gig review: GOODBYE JUNE – Colours, Hoxton, London, 29 October 2019

There seems to be a never ending series of hirsute young bands, influenced by their parents’ record collections, coming out of the USA, and the southern states in particular. One such is Goodbye June who first appeared on my radar … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged blues rock, gig, Goodbye June, Landon Milbourn, Tom Leighton, Tyler Baker, Wolf Jaw
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Gig review: INGLORIOUS – 02 Academy, Oxford, 28 October 2019

After their much publicised line up changes 2019 has been a year of inglorious putting in the hard yards to regain career momentum. A February tour and well-received festival appearances were followed by this second tour of the year, covering … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Dan Stevens, Danny Delacruz, gig, hard rock, Inglorious, Nathan James, Phil Beaver, review, Ride to Nowhere
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Gig review: FOCUS/Chantel McGregor – Under the Bridge, London, 25 October 2019

This show in one of London’s more enjoyably upscale venues was an opportunity for me to kill two birds with one stone, as well as bringing together two contrasting acts in an interesting pairing. Chantel McGregor has been a rising … Continue reading
Gig review: KISSIN’ DYNAMITE – Camden Underworld, London, 18 October 2019

Kissin’ Dynamite have over a decade’s worth of albums to their name, but the young Germans have managed to pass me by until I became aware their last album ‘Ecstasy’ was receiving rave reviews. Yet this sole UK date of … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Anna Brunner, gig, Hannes Braun, hard rock, Kissin’ Dynamite, melodic rock, review
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Gig review: UNPLUGGED AND UNSCRIPTED: AN EVENING WITH DANNY AND LUKE (Thunder) – Alban Arena, St Albans, 9 October 2019

It’s been a busy year already for Thunder with their ‘Please Remain Seated’ tour and the launch of a career spanning greatest hits album, not to mention a recent club show at the Garage in London, recently reviewed on this … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 9 October 2019, acoustic, Alban Arena, Danny Bowes, gig, Harry James, Luke Morley, Mick Wall, review, St Albans, Thunder, unplugged, unscripted
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Album review: THE DEFIANTS – Zokusho

Frontiers Records [Release Date 13.09.19] Boasting three quarters of the Paul Laine-fronted Danger Danger line up that plugged on through melodic rock’s wilderness years, the Defiants debut was one of the best albums of 2016, but I can’t remember making … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Bruno Ravel, Danger Danger, melodic rock, Paul Laine, Rob Marcello, The Defiants
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Gig review: MARTIN TURNER – Under the Bridge, London, 27 September 2019

Martin Turner’s latest tour revisiting his Wishbone Ash catalogue one step at a time, took him to Under the Bridge, home of his beloved Chelsea FC, with their 1971 sophomore album ‘Pilgrimage’ following in the footsteps of ‘There’s The Rub’, … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Danny Willson, gig, Martin Turner, Misha Nikolic, Pilgrimage, Tim Brown, Wishbone Ash
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Gig review: THUNDER – The Garage, London, 26 September 2019

Thunder gigs come in all shapes and sizes, from the crowd pleasing festival appearances, to their semi-legendary Christmas shows, to the recent ‘Please Remain Seated’ semi-unplugged tour. Since their latest reformation for a third spell they have even played arena … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Ben Matthews, blues rock, Danny Bowes, gig, Luke Morley, melodic rock, Thunder
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Gig review: STRAY – Boom Boom Club, Sutton, 20 September 2019

For every guitar great that sprang to prominence in rock’s golden age- a Blackmore, a Page, a Schenker – there were other guitar heroes who given the breaks should have become equal household names on musical terms alone, one of … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 20 September 2019, blues, Blues Devils, blues rock, Boom Boom Club, DEL BROMHAM, gig, hard rock, Karl Randall, Pete Dyer, review, Simon Rinaldo, Stray, Sutton
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Gig review: DON FELDER – Bush Hall, London, 19 September 2019

While a familiar face across the pond in the past decade – I saw him no less than three times at the Moondance Jam festival – Don Felder has to my knowledge not set foot in the UK since the … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 19 September 2019, American rock'n'roll, Bush Hall, classic rock, country rock, David Myhre, Don Felder, Eagles, gig, London, review, Timothy Drury
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Gig review: BONNIE TYLER/Cats In Space – London Palladium, 18 September 2019

I wonder if the rock world underestimates Bonnie Tyler. Allied to the fact she has been more of a singles than an albums artist, and an interpreter of other people’s songs rather than her own, the overblown power ballads and … Continue reading
Album review: UNRULY CHILD – Big Blue World

Frontiers [Release date 09.08.19] The reunion of Unruly Child’s classic line up with original singer Marcie Free, which began with 2010’s excellent ‘Worlds Collide’, has stood the test of time with its fourth album since then. Two years ago, try … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Bruce Gowdy, Guy Allison, Marcie Free, melodic rock, review, Unruly Child
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Gig review: DAN BAIRD AND HOMEMADE SIN, JASON AND THE SCORCHERS, KENTUCKY HEADHUNTERS – Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 6 September 2019

Package tours are an increasingly common feature of the gig scene, but it’s rare for one with three bands to have equal billing for each. The fact that Dan Baird and Homemade Sin, Jason and the Scorchers and the Kentucky … Continue reading
Gig review: DEF LEPPARD – Zappo’s Theater, Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas, USA, 14 August 2019

Las Vegas used to be the place where musicians were put out to pasture- the white suited Elvis and other stars to be filed under ‘oldies’. My partner grew up in the area and apparently in the eighties the big … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Def Leppard, gig, Joe Elliott, Las Vegas, Phil Collen, residency, review, Rick Allen, Rick Savage, Vivian Campbell
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