Category Archives: GIG REVIEWS

Gig review: THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT – The Ritz, Manchester, 17 November 2014

The Temperance Movement - The Ritz, Manchester, 17 November 2014

Having followed The Temperance Movement since the early days we have seen them sell out pretty much every venue they play; ranging from the 250 capacity Bodega in Nottingham to the 550 capacity Club Academy so tonight at the 1500 … Continue reading

Posted in GIG REVIEWS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: GRAHAM BONNET – 02 Islington Academy 2, 1 December 2014

GRAHAM BONNET, 02 Islington Academy 2, 1 December 2014

For someone whose live appearances have been sporadic in his home country over the years, it was a surprise to see Graham Bonnet doing a second tour of 2014. Unfortunately allied to timing it in the busiest period of the … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Gig review: BIG COUNTRY – Clapham Grand, 28 November 2014

BIG COUNTRY - Clapham Grand, 28 November 2014

Big Country’s sophomore album Steeltown has had the full treatment to mark its 30th anniversary, first a deluxe reissue and then a tour in which the album is played in its entirety. The band did a similar thing with their … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off

Gig review: ACCEPT – The Forum, London, 27 November 2014

ACCEPT – The Forum, London, 27 November 2014

When the last of many attempts to reunite Udo Dirkschneider with the remaining members of Accept folded back in 2009, many fans of the German Heavy Metal combo, myself included, believed that the days of this musical institution were numbered. … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Gig reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: BRYAN ADAMS – Wembley Arena, London, 26 November 2014

BRYAN ADAMS - Wembley Arena, London, 26 November 2014

A recent discussion thread on social media was to list 15 albums that in some way had changed your musical life over the years. Bryan Adams’ Reckless would have been one such for me. I well remember as a headbanging … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Gig review: AUDREY HORNE – Underworld, London, 2 December 2014

Audrey Horne pulled in a slightly bigger audience than when I saw them last year, although a Tuesday night and Slash playing at Wembley won’t have helped. Luckily though no major sound issues as the bass rig failed last time. … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: BIGELF – The Garage, London, 19 November 2014

Support Acts: Bend Sinister / Jolly Review by Yiannis (John) Stefanis Photos by Yiannis (John) Stefanis Though first formed in Los Angeles twenty three years ago, it took the US trio Bigelf plenty of personal effort and the committed support … Continue reading

Posted in GIG REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Gig reviews | Leave a comment

Gig review: HARD ROCK HELL 8 – Pwllheli, 15 November 2014

HARD ROCK HELL 8 - Pwllheli, 15 November 2014

Simon Dunkerley writes: I hadn’t seen opening act MORE play for 33 years.  In fact the last time was at Monster Of Rock – the original Download before all the hype took over and turned it into the money making … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: HARD ROCK HELL 8 – Pwllheli, 13-14 November 2014

HARD ROCK HELL - Pwllheli, 13-14 November 2014

Simon Dunkerley writes: The time has come to rally the HRH tribe for the last time this year to yet another sold out celebration of all things rock with a lineup that has so many great names both old and … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Photo Galleries, Special Events | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: THE YARDBIRDS – Bush Hall, London, 21 November 2014

Capable support was supplied by the promising Some Velvet Morning, a three piece pop-rock outfit taking a 21st century twist on some classic ’80′s influences. The band came on to the atmospheric Nancy Sinatra track from which they take their … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: THE LEVELLERS, ABC, Glasgow, 21 November 2014

THE LEVELLERS, ABC, Glasgow, 21 November 2014

The definition of frustration is arriving at a venue just after 8pm only to discover that both support bands have been and gone. This is the situation which I found myself in tonight, made all the worse by the fact … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: FM – The Globe, Cardiff, 22 November 2014

FM - The Globe, Cardiff, 22 November 2014

A packed house in the Globe for this much loved band and huge respect should be given to the promoter at Major Minor Productions for delivering a sold out show with a fantastic sound quality in a city that is … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: FM – The Brook, Southampton, 21 November 2014

FM - The Brook, Southampton, 21 November 2014

Can it really be 30 years since the Overland brothers from Wildlife and former members of Samson and Diamond Head formed a new band, inspired by the then fashionable radio-friendly AOR sounds of the likes of Journey, Foreigner and Survivor, … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Gig review: THE QUIREBOYS – The Garage, Glasgow, 20 November 2014

THE QUIREBOYS – The Garage, Glasgow, 20 November 2014

Mid November is a time when you can count on a few things, shops will have their decorations up, the latest ridiculous Christmas ads will hit your TV screens and Spike and his merry men will be in town ready … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: THE TEXAS FLOOD, Hard Rock Hell, Pwllheli, 14 November 2014

THE TEXAS FLOOD, Hard Rock Hell, Pwllheli, 14 November 2014

The opening slot on any of the stages can be daunting but for The Texas Flood it’s even more so as these young guys take on their biggest gig yet. After going to Glasgow and winning the top slot at … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: VARDIS – Hard Rock Hell, Pwllheli, 15 November 2014

Vardis - Hard Rock Hell, Pwllheli, 15 November 2014

Band reformations always form differences of opinions but the few thousand people watching Vardis on the main stage at Hard Rock Hell delivered their overwhelmingly positive verdict. After being apart for almost 30 years, drummer Gary Pearson, after a lot … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: SANTA CRUZ – The Barfly, Camden, London, 17 November 2014

SANTA CRUZ - The Barfly, Camden, London, 17 November 2014

A whole generation after grunge was supposed to have killed it, the sleaze and glam scene continues to thrive with younger Scandinavian bands leading a revival. The likes of Hardcore Superstar and Crash Diet have already made a mark and … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Gig review: NINE BELOW ZERO – O2 Academy, London, 19 November 2014

Wham bam. For about an hour, this was a fearsome, supercharged r ‘n’ b pummelling. Nine Below Zero, classic line-up back together to tour their first three – and most influential – albums, came out pumped and with all guns … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: LEVELLERS/The Selecter – William Aston Hall, Wrexham, 18 November 2014

LEVELLERS - William Aston Hall, Wrexham, 18 November 2014

There is something wonderfully timeless about a Levellers gig. Every time I have seen them over the past twenty-odd years they have always been the same, giving a full-on performance for their adoring fans and leaving nothing on the stage … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: BLUES PILLS/THE VINTAGE CARAVAN/BLACK WOLF – The Dome, London, 18 November 2014

Blues Pills - Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 18 November 2014

And suddenly everything is 1971 again, from the three long-hair bands and their similar looking audience, to a stage full of Orange amps, virtuoso bass players, screaming guitarists, wah-wah pedals, the smell of patchouli and psychedelic posters. Blues is alive … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: SOiL, American Head Charge – Rock City, Nottingham, 1 November 2014

SOIL - Rock City, Nottingham, 1 November 2014

Another early start due to the trend of running club nights after the gig – but that didn’t seem to bother the crowd already queued up the road for tonight’s gig. Headliners SOiL had toured earlier in the year supporting … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: HARD ROCK HELL 8 – Pwllheli, November 2014 (Overview)

HARD ROCK HELL, Pwllheli, 15 November 2014

Photo: David Randall Seeing Grifter on the second stage made me reflect on the current state of the rock scene.  There are many similar bands plying their trade, in this case inspired by the heavy rock first purveyed widely by … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Leave a comment

Gig review: NAZARETH – Metropolis Studios, London, 14 November 2014

Nazareth - Metropolis Studios, London, 14 November 2014

A new chapter in Nazareth’s long history was captured for posterity at this very special gig. They used Metropolis, one of London’s top studios in a converted power station in Chiswick, to record a live DVD in front of an … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: DARK TRANQUILLITY – The Underworld, London, 9 November 2014

 Acyl - The Underworld, London, 9 November 2014

Support Acts: Amoral, Acyl Review and photos by Yiannis (John) Stefanis The secret to musical longevity is difficult to define, however, there are bands like the Gothenburg Melodic Death Metal quintet Dark Tranquillity who seem to know very well what … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Gig reviews | Leave a comment

Gig review: MONSTER TRUCK – O2 Academy, Islington, London, 7 November 2014

Band names are a funny thing these days. From sublime classics such as Iron Maiden and Cradle of Filth to the utterly ridiculous like W**k for Peace – you’re never quite sure what to expect. Thank God then for Monster … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment