Category Archives: GIG REVIEWS

Gig review: SPIN DOCTORS + DODGY The Garage, London Saturday 22nd February 2014

The last date of the Spin Doctors three date UK visit re-arranged from last autumn. It was a decent turn out at the Garage, although the curse of the 10pm curfew to allow for the nightclub after badly hit openers … Continue reading

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

Gig review: GIANTS OF ROCK, Butlins, Minehead, 7- 9 February 2014

Giants Of Rock - 7-9 February 2014

Floods, rain, rock music, more rain, howling wind, storms, seagulls, climactic guitar solos, wigs, trannies, vestal virgins, tarts, vicars, hot dogs, oceans of beer and more rain. It could only be Butlins Giants of Rock! Although the Giants of Rock didn’t … Continue reading

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

Gig Review: QUIREBOYS – The Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh,16 February 2014

The Quireboys - photo by Simon Dunkerley

The Quireboys have to be one of the hardest working and most enduring bands on the UK rock scene. This year sees the band celebrate their 30th anniversary with the promise of a new album, some special birthday shows, and … Continue reading

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

Gig review: DREAM THEATER – Manchester O2 Apollo, 13 February 2014

Dream Theater - Manchester O2 Apollo, 13 February 2014

With the ‘Along For The Ride’ tour announced as a three-hour event, I couldn’t help wondering if the merch stall would be pushing Majesty symbol-branded thermos flasks, travel rugs and even smelling salts.  Having witnessed Dream Theater on previous tours, … Continue reading

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

Gig review: SAXON – Tivoli, Buckley, 11 February 2014

Saxon - Tivoli, Buckley, 11 February 2014

35 years on since their album debut and the mighty Saxon return to their roots.  The “Tiv” was a regular watering hole for bands in the eighties and it seems that life has come full circle.  A series of club … Continue reading

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

Gig Review: DEL AMITRI, Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, London, 7 February 2014

Del Amitri - 7 February 2014

12 years after splitting up, Del Amitri made a welcome return, reuniting for an extensive tour culminating in this sold out date before an appreciative Hammersmith crowd, albeit one with very few people who will see 40 again. Initially I … Continue reading

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

Gig Review: MOLLY HATCHET, O2 Islington Academy, 5 February 2014

Molly Hatchet - 4 February 2014

For those of us too young to remember the pre-plane crash Skynyrd, Jacksonville’s Molly Hatchet were among the standard bearers for southern rock during our formative musical years, with a turbocharged, triple guitar boogie that made our own homegrown bands … Continue reading

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

Gig review: SEPULTURA – O2 Islington Academy, London, 6 February 2014‏

SEPULTURA – O2 Islington Academy, London, 6 February 2014‏

Review by Yiannis (John) Stefanis There are many bands out there, claiming to play high velocity Thrash Metal, but only a handful can do so with the energy and conviction which characterise the legendary Brazilian quartet Sepultura. When Andreas Kisser … Continue reading

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

Gig review: The Great British Rock & Blues Festival, Skegness 24-27 January 2014

Jefferson Starship

Listen in to Pete Feenstra on Sunday 9 February at 19:00 for a Skegness Special More information The 18th Great British Rock & Blues Festival was a triumph of familiarity and enthusiasm over logistics. Many of the capacity crowd were … Continue reading

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

Gig review: URIAH HEEP – Tivoli, Buckley, 6 February 2014

Bernie Shaw, Uriah Heep - February 2014

Chatting at length to Bernie Shaw I suddenly realised that vocalists usually need to rest their voice before a gig.  He agreed.  But his real complaint was the woeful heating in the semi-legendary ‘Tiv’ and a lack of TLC for … Continue reading

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

Gig Review: TRIVIUM / KILLSWITCH ENGAGE – 02 Academy, Glasgow, 4 February 2014

Trivium - O2 Academy, Glasgow, 4 February 2014

This tour had originally been billed as Trivium with support but at the eleventh hour Killswitch Engage were added to the bill with ‘co-headliner’ status. Not sure what went on behind the scenes but suffice to say the late addition … Continue reading

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

Gig review: I AM I, Barfly, Camden, 23 January 2014

I AM I

Breaking a quiet January for gigs, the cramped surroundings of the Barfly was the London stop on a brief UK tour by I Am I, the new musical vehicle for former Dragonforce singer ZP Theart. As with many bills at … Continue reading

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

Gig review: DUCKS DELUXE – Half Moon, Putney, London, 22 December 2013

Ducks Deluxe

Let me make myself abundantly clear: matinee gigs are not, have never been, and never will be, one of my favourite pastimes. Especially at Christmas, after two days spent reviewing other shows (at night as per usual), with all the … Continue reading

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

Gig Review: FUN LOVIN’ CRIMINALS – Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton 21 January 2014

The Fun Lovin

The Fun Lovin’ Criminals shot to fame after the release of the single ‘Scooby Snacks’ from their 1996 album ‘Come Find Yourself’. This success established the band’s truly unique sound mixing hip hop and alternative rock along with a deep … Continue reading

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

Gig review: THE ZOMBIES, THE YARDBIRDS, THE ANIMALS and Friends – The Waterside, Aylesbury, 23 January 2014

Colin Blunstone - The Zombies

Something about the billing of this tour as a ‘celebration of 50 years of Rhythm and Blues with the artists that shaped a musical revolution’ gave off a slight whiff of cabaret. It was a feeling the gig seemed to … Continue reading

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

Gig review: THE BLACKOUT – King Tut’s, Glasgow, 23 January 2014

The Blackout - King Tut

This tour was billed as ‘The Final Party Tour – Take 2’ due to the fact that the first leg at the tail end of last year had to be cut short as frontman Gavin Butler had been taken ill. … Continue reading

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

Gig review: THE PRETTY THINGS – London, 100 Club, 21 December 2013

The brief was, I am led to believe, simple. “It’s a mod do,” promoter John Hellier had said to the band beforehand, “so keep it strictly Mod- all R’n’B, no psych.” Admittedly, that’s not how I’d have played it, but … Continue reading

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

Gig review: HOLY HOLY (feat. Woody Woodmansey) – The Lexington,Islington,20 December 2013

Q: When is a tribute band elevated to a status beyond a mere tribute band? A: When the drummer  (or indeed any former member) of the band you are paying tribute to joins your lineup, thus cementing the link between … Continue reading

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

Gig review: WILKO JOHNSON – The Forum, Tunbridge Wells, 24 January 2014

Wilko Johnson, The Forum, Tunbridge Wells, 24 January 2014

Originally only planned for two nights to celebrate the Forum’s 21st birthday, Wilko Johnson added a third night due to the other two shows being sold out so quickly. Roger Daltrey once sang that he hoped to die before he … Continue reading

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

Gig review: NOEL McCALLA/JIM MULLEN – Half Moon, Putney, 19 January 2014

When a vocalist begins his set by launching into a cover of Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine”, you could be forgiven for slight trepidation, or even thinking you’ve wandered into the wrong gig altogether. After all, covers gigs, such as … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Gig review: TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA – Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, London, 4 January 2014‏

The first time that I saw Trans-Siberian Orchestra live, it turned out to be one of the musical highlights of the year for me. The year was 2011, the venue exactly the same as tonight (note: then called The Hammersmith … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Gig reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Gig review: THERION – O2 Islington Academy, London, 20 December 2013‏

Arkona

Support Acts: Arkona Review & Photos by Yiannis (John) Stefanis It was around the end of November that an acquaintance of mine asked me to name my favorite gig of the year to which my response was “It’s too early … Continue reading

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

Rock Photography Galleries: October-December 2013 (Fleetwood Mac,Peter Gabriel,Zappa Plays Zappa)

Dweezil Zappa - Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, 15 November 2013

The Year in Pictures 2013 Photography by Steve Goudie and Iain Scott Zappa Plays Zappa Photo Gallery by Steve Goudie, 15 November 2013 Alice In Chains Photo Gallery by Iain Scott, 14 November 2013 Billy Joel Photo Gallery by Steve … Continue reading

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

Gig review: THE LEVELLERS – Liquid Rooms, Edinburgh,18 December 2013

The Levellers - Leamington Assembly, 28 June 2013

When it comes to The Levellers I’m afraid I would consider myself a lapsed fan. For many years I bought the albums and attended gigs whenever possible but my attention did drift for a long period through no fault of … Continue reading

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

Gig review: THE BOOMTOWN RATS – Roundhouse, London, 26 October 2013

The Boomtown Rats - Manchester, 1 November 2013

The amount of shows I’ve seen this year that I thought I never would is truly amazing: for every idol that dies, another seemingly resurrects themselves with unerring timing, as if suddenly aware that there may not be many such … Continue reading

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