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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
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Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD/Bluray) 2026
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Upcoming: UK & Ireland Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2026)
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Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2025)
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Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2026)
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Category Archives: Quick Plays
Quick plays: BLACK RAINBOWS, NEVER TRUST, TIM GRIMM, JADED HEART
BLACK RAINBOWS – Holy Moon (EP) Heavy Psych Sounds Something in the Italian water as they not only produce a series of fine melodic rock/AOR bands but now have some rather good stoner/psych rock bands including this band Black Rainbows. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged Americana, AOR, BLACK RAINBOWS, EP, Fastball Music, High Bar Gang, Holy Moon, Italian, Italy, Jaded Heart, Lost And Undone, MASTERPLAN, melodic metal, metal, Morning Light, Never Trust, roots, Tim Grimm, Turning Point
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Quick plays: JOEY SUMMER, WILLIE & THE BANDITS, ANN SCOTT, PROSPEKT
JOEY SUMMER – Even The Saints Are Sinners Perris Records ww.joeysummer.com Latest album from Joey Summer who has a grounding in classic sounding melodic rock. It’s not a bad album as Joey Summers has a voice suited to melodic hard … Continue reading
Quick plays: KAYLEIGH LEITH, KIMMIE RHODES, BAND OF SISTERS, THE BEAUBOWBELLES
KAYLEIGH LEITH This Woman Looking for a Nashville ‘new country’ sound on her second album, young American singer songwriter Kayleigh Leith turned to one of Nashville’s top songwriters Rob Crosby (Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride). Her debut album Miles Away (2011) … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Band Of Systers, country, Covers, Issues, Kayleigh Leith, Kimmie Rhodes, review, rock, roots, singer, songwriter, The Beaubowbelles, This Woman, To The Moon
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Quick plays: RUSTY SHACKLE, STEPHEN KELLOGG, THE DUNWELLS, ROD PICOTT
Rusty Shackle – The Bones Rusty Shackle appear to have tripped over the ‘difficult second album’ stepping stone with the follow up to their 2012 debut album Wash Away These Nights which was a more varied offering than the ‘pedal … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Blunderstone Rectory, Follow The Road, Get Up, Hang Your Hopes On A Crooked Nail, Kevin Peroni, review, rock, Rod Picott, roots, Rusty Shackle, singer, songwriter, Stephen Kellogg, The Bones, The Dunwells, Wiretree
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Quick plays: REBELLIOUS SPIRIT, UGLY KID JOE, KING KOBRA
REBELLIOUS SPIRIT – Gamble Shot (SPV) The recent success of Reckless Love has had an impact on a number of young bands. A good example of this is young German band Rebellious Spirit, whose logo is not dissimilar from the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Doll, Gamble Shot, II, KING KOBRA, Ragdoll Diaries, Rebellious Spirit, review, Stairway To Hell, The Quill, UGLY KID JOE
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Quick plays: DIO, HEAVEN RAIN, OLIVA, VANDROYA, EVILYN STRANGE
Nick van der Meulen gives us a run through new releases from Heaven Rain, Giunitini Project, Oliva, Vandroya, Evelyn Strange and another Dio reissue… HEAVEN RAIN – Second Sun Music Buy Mail Another slipped through my fingers: this album was released … Continue reading
Quick plays: BALFLARE, CHRIS NORMAN
Album review: BALFLARE – Downpour Balfare are a Japanese power metal band who have been around since 2004 and this is their fourth studio album. The music is keyboard led and keyboards player Tommy is the star of the show, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Balflare, Chris Norman, Downpour, Japan, pop, power metal, review, Smokie, There And Back
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Quick plays: FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY, THE CUSTODIAN, HEAVENS FIRE
FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY – Echogenetic Dependent (released 19th August) Front Line Assembly are a Canadian electro-industrial band who have been going for over 25 years now. This new album had the band stating they would return to their more electronic … Continue reading
Quick plays: THE FIREFLYS, DYNAMITE, ANTO MORRA
THE FIREFLYS – Embers of the Autumn www.thefireflys.co.uk [Release date 12.08.13] Third album from this band who hail from Runcorn in Cheshire and they have supported Ocean Colour Scene amongst others, and they have bits of that band in their … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged AC/DC, Anto Morra, Dynamite, The Fireflys
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Quick plays: JAMES YOUNGER, THE CAPSULES, APESKULL
JAMES YOUNGER – Feelin’ American This may sound like a classy piece of US heartland rock, yet James Younger comes from Manchester! He nails that classic US rock sound with the lead single ‘Monday Morning’ and the other album stand … Continue reading
Quick plays: VALENTIINE, NEVERSTAR, WHITE CLOUDS & GUNFIRE
VALENTIINE Valentiine Valentiine – Vanessa (guitars / vocals), Erica (bass/vocals) and Shelly (drums/vocals) – are a 3-piece all girl garage rock outfit from Melbourne, Australia. And they come with attitude in abundance. Their laid back, almost nonchalant approach leans on … Continue reading
Quick plays: UGLY GUYS, JOEL SARAKULA, NOEGA, MAD CHICKENS
UGLY GUYS – Lost in the Badlands Angel Air www.angelair.co.uk The Ugly Guys feature Paul Shuttleworth and Vic Collins from the legendary 70’s pub rock band the Kursaal Flyers and the band take their name from a Kursaal Flyers song. … Continue reading
Quick plays: RUSS DWARF, THE LOOK, BLEEDING HANDS, SCOTT COOK
RUSS DWARF – Wireless www.russdwarf.com Singer Russ Dwarf found success in the 80’s fronting the Killer Dwarfs and their 1986 album ‘Stand Tall’ is one of those classic hard rock albums (I still have my vinyl copy!). This new solo … Continue reading
Quick plays: DIANA JONES, KRISTOFFER GILDENLOW, PJP BAND, BE LIKE PABLO,LUCKY BONES
DIANA JONES Museum of Appalachia Recordings Proper Records [Release date 08.07.13] Diana Jones made a break through with her 2006 album ‘My Remembrance Of You’, although she had been singing and recording since the mid-90′s. This album is as basic … Continue reading
Quick plays: GAVIN ROSSDALE – Wanderlust, INSTITUTE – Distort Yourself
GAVIN ROSSDALE – Wanderlust earMUSIC [Release date: 01.07.13] English-born Gavin Rossdale is perhaps best known now for fronting Bush, but back in 2008 he released his debut solo album Wanderlust. Highly accessible, it produced some chart success in the States … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays, Reissues
Tagged album, alt rock, Bush, Chris Traynor, Distort Yourself, Gavin Rossdale, grunge, Helmet, Institute, review, Wanderlust
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Quick plays: DIO, AVANTASIA, DAVID BOWIE, BRYAN FERRY, TASTE, THE POODLES, STRYPER
Nick van der Meulen gives us a round-up of some key new releases… DIO – Dream Evil Deluxe Edition (Universal) Originally released in 1987, this was my real introduction to Dio. It was harsh, yet romantic and I couldn’t help … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, AVANTASIA, Bryan Ferry, David Bowie, Death Dealer, Dio, Dream Evil, From Ashes To Fire, My Endless Wishes, review, Saffire, Stryper, TASTE, The Jazz Age, The Mystery Of Time, The Next Day, The Poodles, Tour De Force, War Machine
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Quick plays: WINTER MOUNTAIN, UK DECAY, HAWKWIND, THE MACC LADS
WINTER MOUNTAIN – Find, Follow (EP) www.wintermountain.co.uk Winter Mountain are a duo consisting of Joseph Francis and Martin Smith. They met for the first time getting the same train at Chicago’s Union station and have since won a Battle of … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Hawkwind, Marcus Bonfanti, review, rock, The Macc Lads, UK DECAY, Victorius, WINTER MOUNTAIN
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Quick plays: STEVE MAYONE,KEVIN DOHERTY,CHRISTOPHER PAUL STELLING
The Cousins Project Steve Mayone & Kristina Stykos – Beautiful Blood In 2006 singer songwriters Steve Mayone and Kristina Stykos met by chance at a gig and discovered they were second cousins. Fate had led them down similar paths – … Continue reading
Quick plays: KILL FOR EDEN, CIRCA, MELINDA ORTNER
KILL FOR EDEN – S/T www.killforeden.com Interestingly, anyone I have mentioned West London band Kill For Eden to has enthusiastically told me how good they are and the general feeling is that their debut, and self titled, album should do … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Billy Sherwood, Circa, Kill For Eden, MELINDA ORTNER, review, rock, Tony Kaye, Yes
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Quick plays: MARC RING, LENKA, THE PROWLERS
MARC RING – The Long Road Home www.marc-ring.co.uk Marc Ring was previously a member of folk rockers Jasper (who have recently had a re-issue campaign through Angel Air) and Good Thinking, who released a comeback album back in 2011. For … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Good Thinking, Jasper, Lenka, Marc Ring, power metal, review, rock, THE PROWLERS
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Quick plays: CRAIG JOHN DAVIDSON, ERICA NOCKALLS, KRIS KRISTOFFERSON,DERRIN NAUENDORF
Craig John Davidson – The Last Laugh (Fat Hippy Records) [Release date: 29.04.13] Being on Fat Hippy Records is somewhat appropriate in the case of this 4th solo album from acoustic troubadour Craig John Davidson. Not because he’s fat, because … Continue reading
Quick plays: DANGER ANGEL, LORNE HIND
Perris Records www.perrisrecords.com Formed back in Athens, Greece in 2006 this is Danger Angel’s second album and they have enlisted Jeff Scott Soto to produce the album plus add his backing vocals. Jeff Scott Soto performed the vocals on their … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Danger Angel, Hardreams, Jeff Scott Soto, Lorne Hind, Perris Records, review, Revolutia, rock, Zuess
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Quick Plays: JESPER LETH, MASQUERAGE
JESPER LETH – Know Thyself www.jesperleth.com Jesper Leth has written and produced this album, previously having worked on an instrumental project called Drome. The album overall is a labour of love and he certainly knows his way around the guitar, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, JESPER LETH, Masquerace, power metal, review, rock
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Album review: IAN DANTER – Prove You Wrong
www.iandanter.co.uk Ian Danter is better known for his radio work as he presents a weekly show, ‘Football First’ on talkSPORT. This album is a collection of songs he has been working on for the past ten years or more and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged IAN DANTER, Lee Small, Prove You Wrong, Shy, talkSPORT
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Quick plays: SPIDER ROCKETS, MY SOLILOQUY, RAGE OF ANGELS, SHANNON, STALA & SO
Spider Rockets – Bitten (SPV) Spider Rockets hail from New Jersey and produce hard rock with classic rock and, to a lesser degree, punk elements. “Bitten” is the outfit’s third release. What you get is a modern take of in-you-face … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged MY SOLILOQUY, Osada Vida, Rage Of Angels, SHANNON, SPIDER ROCKETS, STALA & SO
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