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Latest Album Reviews
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Album review: SELWYN BIRCHWOOD – Electric Swamp Funkin’ Blues
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Album review: MIKE ZITO – Outside Or The Eastside
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Album review: HANNAH JAMES & TOBY KUHN – Where All Our Names Belong
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Album review: MARIACHI EL BRONX – Mariachi El Bronx IV
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Album review : JON ANDERSON – Survival And Other Stories / Earth Mother Earth (2 CDs / remasters)
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Album review: MYRATH – Wilderness Of Mirrors
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Gig review: BRAVE RIVAL – The Stables, Milton Keynes, 14 March 2026
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Gig review: A VERY SPECIAL EVENING OF MOTT THE HOOPLE – Riverside Studios, London, 27 February 2026
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Gig review: EMERALD MOON – Le Marquee, Peyrignac, Dordogne, SW France, 7 March 2026
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Gig review: MILKFEST, Indigo2, London, 1 March 2026
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Category Archives: GIG REVIEWS
Gig review: GREAT BRITISH ROCK AND BLUES FESTIVAL – Butlins, Skegness,17th to 20th January 2020

Skegness in early January is a bit of a strange place. Row upon row of empty caravans lie in wait for warmer weather and better times. When once again the sound of laughter and the smell of stale beer, cigarette … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
Tagged 17th to 20th January 2020, AC/DC, Atomic Rooster, Bernie Marsden, blues, Burnt Out Wreck, Butlins, Chris Bevington Organisation, Chris Slade Time Line, Clearwater, Crow Black Chicken, David Coverdale, Gary Moore, Geordie, gig, Great British Rock And Blues Festival, Hollowstar, James Oliver Band, Joan ov Arc, Killit, live, Matt Pearce and the Mutiny, Mike Farris, NINE BELOW ZERO, Pete Feenstra, Peter Green, Redfish, Rhinos revenge, rock, Savoy Brown, SKAM!, Skegness, The Animals And Friends, Vambo, Whitesnake, Zoe Scwarz Blue Commotion
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Gig review: BERNIE MARSDEN/Deborah Bonham – Under the Bridge, London, 24 January 2020

You might say it was a case of ‘Blues is the colour’ as Under the Bridge, located beneath the East Stand at Chelsea FC, played host to one of London Blues Month’s highest-profile gigs. It lies squarely within the wealthiest … Continue reading
Gig review: SAVOY BROWN – 100 Club, London, 18 January 2020

The marketing for the now traditional January London Blues Month is a mocked up, retro-style handbill. Someone who can remember those days is Kim Simmonds. He may not have the high profile of other guitar contemporaries of the British blues … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 100 Club, 18 January 2020, blues rock, Garnet Grimm, gig, Keith Boyce, Kim Simmonds, London, London Blues Month, Pat DeSalvo, Savoy Brown
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Gig review: INTERPLAY – Le Chaudron, Montignac, SW France, 17 January 2020

Jazz is alive, well and prospering in the inventive hands of a French modern quartet called Interplay. There was once a time when jazz fusion and rock almost coalesced and took the music beyond its historical antecedents. And while Interplay … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Photo Galleries
Tagged blues, Charles Mingus, Chic Corea, Dave Brubeck, Denis Gautier, Didier Villalba, Dore, Ella Fitzgerald, Emilio Fabrice Leroy, Franck Mathieu, funk, fusion, Herbie Hancock, improvisation, Interplay, jazz, Le Chaudron, Lee Hazlewood, live gig, Miles Davis, Montignac, Pink Floyd, review, rock, SW France, Wayne Shrter
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Gig review: COLLATERAL – The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 10 January 2020

2020 promises to be a big year for Collateral, with their debut full-length album out in February to capitalise on the growing buzz around them. Indeed GRTR!’s writers voted the Kentish rockers the breakthrough act for 2020 in our end … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 10 January, Angelo Tristan, Collateral, gig, London, melodic rock, Raynes Park, The Cavern, Todd Winger
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Gig review: SKERRYVORE/MANRAN – Albert Hall, Stirling, 29 December 2019

The Scottish folk rock scene has been topped for the last 40 odd years by Runrig who had a huge following across the country and beyond. There have been a number of other bands however who have been on a rapid … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Alec Dalglish, Craig Espie, Ewan Henderson, folk music, Gary Innes, gig, Kim Carnie, live, Manran, review, rock, Runrig, Scottish, Skerryvore
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Gig review: DAN REED NETWORK/GUN/FM – Waterfront, Norwich,14 December 2019

Three of the common sights of the 21st century concert scene are bands playing a classic album in its entirety; package tours bringing together acts with a complementary fanbase; and bands that we thought would never get back together again … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 14 December 2019, 1989, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Dan Reed Network, Dante Gizzi, FM, funk, gig, Gun, Headstart Promotions, Jim Kirkpatrick, Jools Gizzi, live, Martin Jarvis, Norwich, rock, Slam, Steve Overland, Taking On The World, Tough It Out, Waterfront
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Gig review: ALTER BRIDGE – O2 Arena, London, 21 December 2019

Oh, what to make of Shinedown. Despite their second-billing on this tour, the multi-million selling Floridian quartet smashed out their anthemic tunes to an enthusiastic O2 Arena. The music mostly went down well. My problem is Brent Smith’s grandstanding audience participation … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 21 December 2019, ALTER BRIDGE, Blackbird, Brent Smith, gig, hard rock, live, Mark Tremonti, Myles Kennedy, O2 Arena, review, Shinedown, Walk The Sky
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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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Gig review: CATS IN SPACE – The Tivoli, Buckley, 20 December 2019

As we near the end of 2019, and indeed another decade, Cats In Space should be cherished. In fact, our year was bookended by the band, an appearance at Giants Of Rock in January and a “Christmas in Narnia” tour … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 20 December 2019, Buckley, Cats In Space, classic rock, gig, pop, pop rock, review, The Tivoli
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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: HAWKWIND – Cambridge Corn Exchange,18 November 2019

Now celebrating their 50th tour, Hawkwind have always been one of the giants of the UK rock scene but have, despite their longevity, never seen the plaudits and respect that are heaped on many acts of their vintage and younger. … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 50th anniversary, Blackheart Orchestra, Cambridge Corn Exchange, classic rock, Dave Brock, gig, Hawkwind, live, prog rock, review, space rock
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Gig review: LAST IN LINE/Vega – The Tivoli, Buckley, 27 November 2019

This gig was nearly, but not quite, ring out the old ring in the new. With some gigs rearranged from early December, this was a chance to see a band of essentially old stagers with two of the “nu-breed” of … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
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Gig review: SNOW PATROL – Regent Theatre, Ipswich, 21 November 2019
Sometimes, just sometimes, true magic happens and a band clearly demonstrate the incredible power of music to change the world. With a song or even a phrase or small collection of notes or possibly just a word they can break … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Gary Lightbody, gig, indie pop, Ipswich, live, Regent Theatre, review, rock, Snow Patrol
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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: THE AMAZONS – O2 Academy, Bristol, 17 November 2019
It’s a cold Sunday night, and raining heavily as I try to navigate the streets of Bristol, armed with Google Maps and a soggy friend in tow to see the Amazons. We finally arrive at the O2 Academy, where the … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Bristol, Demob Happy, gig, indie, live, Matthew Thomson, O2 Academy, review, rock, the Amazons, the Mysterines
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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: STEVE HACKETT – Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, 11 November 2019

The latest incarnation of Steve Hackett’s “Genesis Revisited” tour swept into Liverpool’s iconic, Eric Gill-inspired, Philharmonic Hall on an absolutely filthy November evening – not that it deterred a single one of the Hackett cognoscenti who filled the hall to … Continue reading
Gig review – HRH FESTIVAL, DAY 1, Vauxhall Holiday Park, Gt Yarmouth, 7 November 2019

Day one proper of the HRH festivities found a change to the set up in the main arena following the awards ceremony. A VIP section had been placed directly in front of the main stage pushing back the main public barrier. This meant the vibe definitely changed from the previous day from one of frivolity and … Continue reading





