Author Archives: andynathan

Gig review: DEL AMITRI – Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, London, 26 July 2018

DEL AMITRI - Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, London, 26 July 2018

Back in the nineties Del Amitri were chart regulars, the Scots’ wryly bittersweet but cleverly structured, melodic songs making them one of the few bright spots in a bleak musical climate, at least for me. But the new millennium has … Continue reading

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Gig review: VEGA – Camden Underworld, London, 7 July 2018

VEGA - Camden Underworld, London, 7 July 2018

Vega are certainly putting in the hard yards to capitalise on their excellent new album ‘Only Human’ with arguably the UK’s leading contemporary melodic rock band playing an extensive tour, culminating in this London date. While they have yet to … Continue reading

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Gig review: STONE FREE FESTIVAL – Day 2 – 02 Arena, London, 17 June 2018

Anderson, Rabin & Wakeman - STONE FREE FESTIVAL- DAY 2 - 02 Arena, London, 17 June 2018

If day one of Stone Free exhibited classic rock at its heaviest and loudest, the Sunday – at least in the main O2 Arena- had a more progressive and thoughtful bent to it. However the Orange Amps stage was still … Continue reading

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Gig review: BRYAN ADAMS – SSE Arena, Wembley, London, 30 May 2018

BRYAN ADAMS- SSE Arena, Wembley, London, 30 May 2018

When Bryan Adams released his ‘Ultimate’ album last year, I wondered wearily whether the world really needed yet another compilation to add to his catalogue, as there surely can be few potential fans left unaware of the best known elements … Continue reading

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Album review: PERFECT PLAN – All Rise

PERFECT PLAN - All Rise

Frontiers Records [Release Date 20.04.18] The melodic rock world capital of Scandinavia is giving birth to an endless stream of bands- alongside now established names like H.E.A.T. and Eclipse, hardly a month goes by without a promising new band emerging … Continue reading

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Album review: VEGA – Only Human

Release Date 11.05.18 British melodic rock standard bearers Vega are not ones to let the grass grow under their feet, this being their fifth album since 2010. Its predecessor ‘Who We Are’ was their most consistently convincing yet and indeed … Continue reading

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Album review: NO HOT ASHES – s/t

NO HOT ASHES

Frontiers [Release date 23.03.18] They never made it back in the eighties, despite a big reputation in their native Northern Ireland, but No Hot Ashes have been festival favourites for the last few years and finally make it to an … Continue reading

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Album review: W.E.T.- Earthrage

W.E.T.- Earthrage

Frontiers [Release date 23.03.18] In the extensive world of melodic rock collaborations, W.E.T. can be seen as the nearest to a supergroup, bringing together the talents of prolific vocalist Jeff Scott Soto, Eclipse’s main man Erik Martensson and Work of … Continue reading

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Gig review: PAT MCMANUS BAND – Half Moon, Putney, London, 18 April 2018

PAT MCMANUS BAND - Half Moon, Putney, London, 18 April 2018

One of the most welcome developments of recent years has been the return of Pat McManus to the rock environment. The brothers in Mama’s Boys were one of the great bands that nearly made it big before drummer Tommy’s sad … Continue reading

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Album review: AMMUNITION- S/T

Release Date 26.01.18 Ammunition are something of a supergroup among the thriving Scandinavian melodic rock scene, with their members having pedigree with various bands, notably main songwriters Age Sten Nielsen, former singer with WigWam who were early standard bearers for … Continue reading

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Gig review: DEF LEPPARD – Royal Albert Hall, London, 25 March 2018

DEF LEPPARD - Royal Albert Hall, London, 25 March 2018

For well over a decade now, the charity shows in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall, curated by Roger Daltrey, have been a landmark in the Spring gig calendar. As well as raising awareness of … Continue reading

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Album review: RICK SPRINGFIELD- The Snake King

Release Date 26.01.18 You have to admire Rick Springfield’s determination to keep pushing himself explore new musical avenues. A year away from 70, and over 35 years since his commercial heyday, he has followed the country influenced ‘Rocket Science’, with … Continue reading

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Gig review: SKID ROW/NIGHT RANGER – Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 12 March 2018

SKID ROW - Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 12 March 2018

Co-headline tours make business sense,  especially when the bands concerned have flown over from the USA: in Skid Row’s case this double header was part of an extensive UK tour, with Night Ranger’s  briefer stop over focused around a headline … Continue reading

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Album review: FM – Atomic Generation

FM - Atomic Generation

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio’s David Randall chatted to Steve Overland about FM and the new album for his weekly show, first broadcast 4 March 2018. This hour special includes tracks from ‘Atomic Generation’. There is a non-broadcast interview edit … Continue reading

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Gig review: DAN REED AND DANNY VAUGHN – Borderline, London, 3 March 2018

DAN REED AND DANNY VAUGHN - Borderline, London, 3 March 2018

Dan Reed and Danny Vaughn have hit on a winning formula with their ‘Snake Oil and Harmony’ shows, this being a third tour since 2015. The premise is simple – just these two talented singers perched on stools with their … Continue reading

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Gig review: KEN HENSLEY – The Hospital Club, London, 26 February 2018

KEN HENSLEY - The Hospital Club, London, 26 February 2018

Prior to this showcase gig, Get Ready to ROCK!’s Pete Feenstra caught up with Ken Hensley to chat about his music and play tracks from the new album.  The special feature was first broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio … Continue reading

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Gig review: STONE BROKEN – Islington Assembly Hall, London, 24 February 2018

STONE BROKEN - Islington Assembly Hall, London, 24 February 2018

One of the healthiest factors in the current music scene is that, alongside long-established and recently reformed names, a whole new generation of classic rock bands are coming through and growing in popularity. Indeed one of the fastest-growing Facebook groups … Continue reading

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Gig review: QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT, Wembley Arena, London, 15 December 2017

QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT, Wembley Arena, London, 15 December 2017

Arguably what we now think of as stadium or arena rock – big anthems designed for crowds to sing and sway along to and spectacular stage shows to match – can be dated back to 1977. After being overwhelmed by … Continue reading

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Gig review: JIMMY BARNES – Islington Academy, London, 13 December 2017

JIMMY BARNES - Islington Academy, London, 13 December 2017

The unofficial title of the World’s Greatest Living Australian is up for grabs at the moment. Don Bradman departed a few years back to the great pavilion in the sky, where more recently Richie Benaud has delivered a laconic ‘morning … Continue reading

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Gig review: GUN – Electric Ballroom, London, 9 December 2017

GUN - Electric Ballroom, London, 9 December 2017

2017 has been arguably the biggest year for Gun in the near decade since the Scots reformed, with a critically acclaimed new album, ‘Favourite Pleasures’, radio airplay, prestigious festival slots such as Stone Free, and finally this winter tour. The … Continue reading

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Gig review: ELECTRIC BOYS – Camden Underworld, London, 4 December 2017

ELECTRIC BOYS - Camden Underworld, London, 4 December 2017

When funk rock and metal was all the rage for a brief period at the turn of the nineties, the Electric Boys rode that zeitgeist very effectively with their debut album ‘Funk’ o’ Metal Carpet Ride’, allied to a striking … Continue reading

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Gig review: LIONHEART/AIRRACE- Camden Underworld, London, 2 December 2017

Lionheart - Camden Underworld, London, 2 December 2017

Picture a brief point of time in the early to mid-eighties. With the New Wave of British Heavy Metal running out of steam, many of its more enlightened musicians turned their ears westwards to the more AOR sounds that then … Continue reading

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Gig review: BAD TOUCH/MOLLIE MARRIOTT- Islington Academy 2, London, 26 November 2017

BAD TOUCH - Islington Academy 2, London, 26 November 2017

The old saying that it takes years to become an overnight sensation was never truer in the case of Norfolk band Bad Touch. I’ve seen them play numerous support slots over the years but was unaware until singer Stevie Westwood … Continue reading

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Gig review: BRIAN DOWNEY’S ALIVE AND DANGEROUS – Nells Jazz and Blues, West Kensington, 25 November 2017

BRIAN DOWNEY

If Philip Lynott was the creative force and public image of Thin Lizzy and their twin lead guitars their defining musical sound, Brian Downey was the rock on which the band was based. His understated but effective drumming style was … Continue reading

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Gig review: H.E.A.T. – Islington Academy, London, 21 November 2017

H.E.A.T.- Islington Academy, London, 21 November 2017

H.E.A.T.’s return to the stage, hot on the heels of their long delayed, controversial but in my view excellent ‘Into The Great Unknown’ album, was eagerly anticipated. However November is a notoriously crowded month in the gig calendar, which this … Continue reading

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