Author Archives: andynathan

Album review: FM – The Italian Job (CD/DVD)

Posted on April 24, 2019 by andynathan

Frontiers [Release Date 22.02.19] FM have delivered consistently excellent live performances since the second phase of the band effectively kicked off a decade ago with guitarist Jim Kirkpatrick’s arrival. However this era of their history has gone undocumented so far, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS | Tagged AOR, DVD, FM, Frontiers Rock Festival, Jem Davis, Jim Kirkpatrick, melodic rock, Merv Goldsworthy, Steve Overland | Leave a comment

Album review: FIND ME- Angels In Blue

Posted on April 19, 2019 by andynathan

Release Date 22.02.19 For those in the know, Find Me has been one of the best melodic rock projects in recent years. A partnership between producer and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Flores and Blanc Faces singer Robbie Le Blanc, a stunning performance … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Daniel Flores, Find Me, melodic rock, review, Robbie Le Blanc, Survivor | Leave a comment

Gig review: BURNING RAIN – Camden Underworld, London, 6 April 2019

Posted on April 14, 2019 by andynathan

And now for something slightly different. While many of their contemporaries seem to constantly tour, Burning Rain have a rather chequered career with a low profile in the UK. They have only released four albums over a 20 year period, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 6 April 2019, acoustic, Burning Rain, Camden Underworld, Dead daisies, Doug Aldrich, gig, Keith St John, melodic rock, review, Whitesnake | Leave a comment

Gig review: THE RADIO SUN – Water Rats, London,19 March 2019

Posted on March 27, 2019 by andynathan

Melbourne-based melodic rockers The Radio Sun have over the past four years become regulars at the HRH AOR Festival in North Wales, winning friends both for their music and their sociable nature, entering into the spirit of the occasion. Though … Continue reading →

Posted in GIG REVIEWS | Tagged AOR, gig, Jason Old, melodic rock, review, Steve Janevski, THE RADIO SUN | Leave a comment

Gig review: CATS IN SPACE – Highbury Garage, London, 16 March 2019

Posted on March 21, 2019 by andynathan

After a relatively quiet touring 2018 as they recorded their third album in a short space of time in ‘Daytrip to Narnia’, it was great to see Cats In Space, one of my favourite ‘new’ bands back and gigging, and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Cats In Space, Daytrip to Narnia, Dean Howard, gig, Greg Hart, Jeff Brown, Paul Manzi, pop rock, review | Leave a comment

Gig review: TYKETTO – Islington Academy, London, 12 March 2019

Posted on March 19, 2019 by andynathan

25 years ago this spring, Tyketto’s sophomore album ‘Strength In Numbers’ got a belated release after they were dropped by Geffen Records in the wake of the maelstrom that was the rise of grunge. Out of this difficult birth however … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Chris Green, Danny Vaughn, Ged Rylands, gig, Greg Smith, Kane'd, melodic rock, Michael Clayton Arbeeny, review, Strength in Numbers, Tyketto | Leave a comment

Gig review: DAVE BICKLER/Chrome Molly – Highbury Garage, London, 11 March 2019

Posted on March 15, 2019 by andynathan

Sadly Survivor never made it to UK shores, the sad death of Jimi Jamison scuppering a scheduled show in 2014. However original singer Dave Bickler, who by that stage was back and sharing vocal duties, did play Rockingham Festival 18 … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged AOR, Chrome Molly, Dave Bickler, gig, Glenn Quinn, Jim Kirkpatrick, John Footitt, Nic Wastell, review, Steve Hawkins, Survivor | Leave a comment

Gig review: BOB SEGER AND THE SILVER BULLET BAND – Tingley Coliseum, New Mexico, USA, 5 March 2019

Posted on March 14, 2019 by andynathan

Few artists embody the spirit of the American heartland quite as much as Bob Seger. While others- John Fogerty, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty- can lay equal claim to creating that distinctively American take on classic rock, only the Ann Arbor, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Alto Reed, Bob Seger, Craig Frost, gig, heartland rock, Jim 'Moose' Brown, Rob McNeeley, SIlver Bullet Band, USA | Leave a comment

Album review: TOBY HITCHCOCK – Reckoning

Posted on February 28, 2019 by andynathan

Frontiers [Release Date 25.01.19] Best known as the man who brings Jim Peterik’s songs to life in Pride of Lions, this is Toby Hitchcock’s second solo album. His first way back in 2013 was written by the prolific Erik Martensson … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, melodic rock, Pride of Lions, review, Toby Hitchcock | Leave a comment

Gig review: BLUE OYSTER CULT – Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, 22 February 2019

Posted on February 26, 2019 by andynathan

After a lull of a decade or so, Blue Oyster Cult have resumed their love affair with the UK in a big way in the past four years. Show stealing supporting appearances at Ramblin’ Man and Stone Free were sandwiched … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Blue Oyster Cult, Buck Dharma, classic rock, Eric Bloom, gig, hard rock, review, Richie Castellano, Temperance Movement | Leave a comment

Gig review: KING KING – Koko, London, 7 February 2019

Posted on February 9, 2019 by andynathan

King King’s steady rise to prominence over the past decade has now taken on a new chapter with the band signed to a stateside management agency. However there are always casualties in the process of change and in this case, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 7 February 2019, Alan Nimmo, Ash Wilson, blues rock, classic rock, gig, Jonny Dyke, King King, Koko, Lindsay Coulson, London, review, Sari Schorr | Leave a comment

Gig review: INGLORIOUS – Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 1 February 2019

Posted on February 6, 2019 by andynathan

What seemed the inevitable rise to superstardom of classic rock hopefuls Inglorious has hit something of a rocky road in the last year or two. While they were touring bigger venues, initially well received ‘Inglorious 2’ album in hindsight found … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged blues rock, City Of Thieves, Dan Stevens, Danny Dela Cruz, gig, hard rock, Inglorious, Nathan James, Phil Beaver, review | Leave a comment

Album review: STATE OF SALAZAR- Superhero

Posted on January 31, 2019 by andynathan

Release Date 07.12.18 Its four years since State of Salazar released their debut album, and also became the opening band at the very first Frontiers Rock Festival in Italy (to my frustration I was stuck en route waiting for non-existent … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Kevin Hosford, Marcus Nygren, melodic rock, State of Salazar | Leave a comment

Album review: PALACE – Binary Music

Posted on January 31, 2019 by andynathan

Frontiers [Release Date 07.12.18] Alongside a fast rising reputation as contributing songwriter and guitarist to a number of melodic rock releases, Michael Palace has a career of his own. 2016’s ‘Master of the Universe’ was an impressive debut but for … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Daniel Flores, melodic rock, Michael Palace, Palace, pop rock | Leave a comment

Gig review: SARI SCHORR – 100 Club, London, 18 January 2019

Posted on January 21, 2019 by andynathan

The January blues are a concept many of us are familiar with. Days are grey and nights are cold, noses are pressed to the grindstone with Christmas festivities over, and to cap it all virtue signalling campaigns encourage us to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Ash Wilson, blues, blues rock, Bob Fridzema, gig, London Blues Week, review, Sari Schorr, Sharrie Williams | Leave a comment

Album review: NORDIC UNION- Second Coming

Posted on December 18, 2018 by andynathan

Release Date 9.11.18 Erik Martensson has maintained a work rate in 2018 that would put the Stalinist-era miner Stakhanov to shame. His own band Eclipse had a quieter year but on top of his significant participation in the W.E.T. and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Eclipse, Erik Martensson, melodic rock, Nordic Union, Pretty Maids, Ronnie Atkins | Leave a comment

Album review: TEN- Illuminati

Posted on December 18, 2018 by andynathan

Release Date 9.11.18 Ten were standard bearers of the then underground melodic rock scene in the nineties and have recovered after a lean spell to resume a prolific recording schedule- this being their sixth album in this decade alone. Singer … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Gary Hughes, melodic rock, TEN | Leave a comment

Album review: ACE – Five-a-Side/Time For Another/No Strings

Posted on December 18, 2018 by andynathan

BGO Records [Release Date 12.10.18] In most people’s eyes, Ace are a curiosity remembered only for an admittedly classic transatlantic hit single in ‘How Long’ and for giving a first break to one of the UK’s most respected blue eyed … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged Ace, album, Five-a-Side, Jon Woodhead, No Strings, Paul Carrack, reissue, review, Time For Another | Leave a comment

Album review: CREYE – s/t

Posted on December 12, 2018 by andynathan

Release Date 12.10.18 It is a sign of the march of time that former new kids on the of Scandinavian melodic rock block are now being succeeded by a third wave of impossibly young bands, and alongside the likes of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Andreas Gullstrand, AOR, Creye, melodic rock, Robin Jidhed | Leave a comment

Gig review: THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA – Camden Underworld, London, 30 November 2018

Posted on December 3, 2018 by andynathan

The Night Flight Orchestra are an intriguing proposition and proof that whatever their chosen musical field, musicians invariably draw on a love of other styles. In their case, singer Bjorn Strid and guitarist David Andersson of Swedish metallers Soilwork, discovered … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged AOR, Bjorn Strid, gig, melodic rock, Night Flight Orchestra, review, soft rock, Soilwork, the Night Flight Orchestra | 1 Comment

Gig review: THE NEW ROSES – Camden Underworld, London, 29 November 2018

Posted on December 2, 2018 by andynathan

The New Roses are making up for lost time to launch a concerted push on the UK. Big in their native Germany, for some reason it has taken three albums and an EP, culminating in last year’s ‘One More For … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 29 November 2018, Camden Underworld, gig, hard rock, London, One More From the Road, review, The Brink, the New Roses, Timmy Rough | Leave a comment

Gig review: TERRY BROCK – Hope and Anchor, Islington, London, 22 November 2018

Posted on November 28, 2018 by andynathan

One of melodic rock’s great voices, Terry Brock is best known for lifting Strangeways’ ‘Native Sons’ and ‘Walk In The Fire’ albums to classic status. There is however much more to the Georgia native’s career, whether as an in-demand backing … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 22 November 2018, Anna Portaluppi, AOR, gig, Hope And Anchor, Islington, London, melodic rock, NEWMAN, review, Shaun Bessant, Steve Newman, Strangeways, Terry Brock | Leave a comment

Gig review: DAN REED NETWORK – 229 Club, London, 23 November 2018

Posted on November 27, 2018 by andynathan

Photo: Simon Green Many bands pay lip service to their fans but Dan Reed Network have something of a unique communion with theirs, to the extent that their new album ‘Origins’ was recorded across the world, mixing old and new … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged album, Brion James, Dan Reed, Dan Reed Network, funk rock, gig, Hollowstar, Mason Hill, Melvin Brannon, Origins, review, Rob Daiker | Leave a comment

Gig review: BIG COUNTRY – Under The Bridge, London, 16 November 2018

Posted on November 21, 2018 by andynathan

For Big Country, their 1983 album ‘The Crossing’ is the gift that keeps on giving. It catapulted them to fame, established their trademark sound and to this day contains most of their best loved songs. Shortly after reforming at the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Big Country, Bruce Watson, gig, Jamie Watson, Mark Brzezicki, review, Simon Hough, The Crossing | Leave a comment

Gig review: JOHN FOGERTY AND STEVE MILLER BAND – 02 Arena, London, 25 October 2018

Posted on November 10, 2018 by andynathan

JOHN FOGERTY - 02 Arena London, 25 October 2018

Bluesfest has become a fixture in the gig calendar with its October concerts over successive nights in the different venues in the 02 complex. The definition of blues has been elastic to say the least- with Chic, Steely Dan and … Continue reading →