Category Archives: GIG REVIEWS

Gig review: ROCK THE PARK – London, Ontario, Canada, 26-27 July 2013

My hometown London has been rocking various parks all summer, from the Stones and Bon Jovi at Hyde Park to Springsteen at the Olympic Park. But to our colonial cousins ‘across the pond’ , London is a mid sized city … Continue reading

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Gig Review: IAMI – Classic Grand, Glasgow, 4 August 2013

Tonight’s gig was part of a tour package rolling around the country entitled ‘The Headbangers Balls Tour’. The tour was organised by the band Reign Of Fury to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust, a cause close to the … Continue reading

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Gig review: ANVIL – The Garage, London, 30 July 2013

Support Acts: Asomvel, Skreamer. Last time I visited The Garage was five days ago for Kscope’s celebratory gig, headlined by the mighty Anathema. I had firmly resolved to stay away from that place until the weather had cooled down as … Continue reading

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Gig review: REO SPEEDWAGON – Empire Rockfest, Belleville, Canada, 25 July 2013

A couple of hours East of Ontario, Belleville is a modestly sized city of only around 50,000, but for three days it was the AOR capital of the world. Somehow the organisers, the local Empire Theatre, had lined up Journey … Continue reading

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Gig review: STEELHOUSE FESTIVAL – Ebbw Vale, 27 July 2013

Steelhouse Festival, 27 July 2013

High up in the hills, at Hafod-Y-Dafal farm in South Wales, the third annual Steelhouse Festival is now an established Rock and Metal weekender. Tickets were modestly priced at £65 all weekend or £40 a day, including adult and family … Continue reading

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Gig review: HEART, JASON BONHAM’S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE – Toronto, Canada, 23 July 2013

Heart,Toronto, Canada, 23 July 2013

Molston Canadian Amphitheatre While Heart came to the attention of the majority of UK fans for their big power ballads and soft focus videos in the eighties, the band prefer to see themselves in their earlier guise in which, with … Continue reading

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Gig review: MOONDANCE JAM – Walker,Minnesota,USA,18-20 July 2013

Moondance Jam, USA, July 2013

Few festival experiences can match the vibe of Moondance Jam. Set among the beautiful woods and lakes of Northern Minnesota, somehow the tiny town of Walker plays host to one of the Mid West’s premier rock festivals and draws crowds … Continue reading

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Gig review: THE LEVELLERS – Leamington Assembly, 28 June 2013

The Levellers - Leamington Assembly, 28 June 2013

I have been covering shows at The Leamington Assembly for over 4 years and this was by far the wildest night I have witnessed, the music and the crowd did not drop pace for a second after show time on … Continue reading

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Gig review: Cambridge Folk Festival, 25-28 July 2013

Cherry Hinton Hall, Cambridge Friday 26th July It almost comes as a surprise reaching the festival site as it is right on the outskirts of Cambridge’s sprawling suburbs and the festival is in a lovely, green setting. It must be … Continue reading

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Gig review: HEAVEN’S BASEMENT – Sound Control, Manchester, 12 July 2013

Heavens Basement - Sound Control, Manchester, 12 July 2013

This must be the hottest ticket in town tonight as not only is it a sellout but it is also a scorcher in the venue, but even so the it’s over half full and the doors have only been open … Continue reading

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Gig review: 5 Years Of Kscope – The Garage, London, 25 July 2013 featuring Anathema

Leafblade

Main Act: Anathema Support Acts: North Atlantic Oscillation, Mothlite & Leafblade Another gig, another evening drenched in sweat. I moaned about the poor ventilation at the Garage in Highbury and Islington when I was there ten days ago for Wintersun’s … Continue reading

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Gig Review: THE INTERNATIONAL SWINGERS – The Lexington, London, 19 July 2013

First a word about the venue, because on one of the steamiest New Orleans-like nights of this British heatwave, the upstairs gig had ceiling fans and a cool, chilled out lounge-bar atmosphere. It also had clear, uninterrupted sightlines, padded seating … Continue reading

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Gig review: WINTERSUN – The Garage, London, 16 July 2013

Support Acts: Bloodshot Dawn & Savage Messiah There is something truly ironic about a Finnish band visiting London on the hottest day of the year and performing at a venue that feels worse than a sauna, or the very lungs … Continue reading

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Gig review: SANTANA – LG Arena, Birmingham, 17 July 2013

Santana - LG Arena, Birmingham, 17 July 2013

There can be fewer pleasing combinations than the music of Santana on the hottest day of the year during an unexpected heatwave. With the rhythm section pumped up to the max, the always spiritual Carlos Santana would have us believe … Continue reading

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Gig Review: RAY DAVIES, ELVIS COSTELLO, JUSTIN CURRIE – Hyde Park,12 July 2013

Old hippies of a certain vintage reminisce fondly about the days of free festivals, which has been unthinkable to my generation,  once the corporate world cottoned on to the fact there was money to be made out of live rock … Continue reading

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Gig review: ANDY FRASER – Boom Boom Club, Sutton, 6 July 2013

Andy Fraser

The return of Andy Fraser was as unexpected as some of the material he played tonight. Yes, he glanced back over his shoulder at some of the best of Free, while guitarist Chris Spedding weighed in with his hit ‘Motorbiking’ … Continue reading

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Gig review: GOV’T MULE – Under The Bridge, London, 4 July 2013

Although their reputation as primary jam band is well merited, Gov’t Mule is much more than that. Their improvisational core takes them across genres and into constantly evolving new areas that gives shows like this its cutting edge. At the … Continue reading

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Gig review: HARD ROCK CALLING (Bruce Springsteen, Black Crowes et al) – Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, 30 June 2013

The international world saw two sides of British life last summer. On the good side, we made a stunning success of hosting the Olympics. But a few weeks before, across town at Hyde Park came the farcical jobsworthery of pulling … Continue reading

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Gig review: THE GRANDMOTHERS OF INVENTION, Asheville,NC,2 July 2013

Whether you’re family/friends or just a person that reads my write-up’s with any regularity, you’re likely already aware of my undying love and affection for almost all things Frank Zappa. With minimal research (if you’re bored enough to do it … Continue reading

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Gig review: BONNIE RAITT, Liverpool Empire, 22 June 2013

Bonnie Raitt, Liverpool Empire, 22 June 2013

Bonnie Raitt brought some sunshine of her own to a grey and rainy Saturday night at Liverpool’s old Empire Theatre.  Armed with her famous worn Stratocaster Bonnie played songs from her new ‘Slipstream’ album plus all the old classics and … Continue reading

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Gig review: BLACKMORE’S NIGHT – Wolverhampton Grand, 1 July 2013

Blackmore

Ritchie Blackmore -  a name synonymous with rock guitar since the late 60′s has played with some of the biggest bands and co-written some of the most well known rock tracks of all time. Since 1997 he has being writing … Continue reading

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Gig review: X-UFO – Merton Manor Club, 29 June 2013

When is a tribute band not a tribute band? Well, X-UFO make no pretence to be a rival to Phil Mogg’s evergreen UFO, but the collective pedigree of the members exceeds many bands who trade under a  name with only … Continue reading

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Gig review: IAN ANDERSON – Royal Albert Hall, London, 30 June 2013

Ian Anderson

It’s 45 years since Ian Anderson first trod the boards at the Albert Hall with Jethro Tull at a charity show. And now with the apparent departure (temporarily or otherwise) of long time guitarist Martin Barre, he’s shed the Tull … Continue reading

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Gig Review: MARCUS BONFANTI – Borderline, London, 21 June 2013

Marcus Bonfanti seems to have come of age with his powerful third album ‘Shake The Walls’. Clearly I was not the only one to notice. There was a really good crowd in at the Borderline. And when Bonfanti peered out … Continue reading

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Gig review: STEVE WINWOOD, The Lowry, Salford, 24 June 2013

STEVE WINWOOD, The Lowry, Salford, 24 June 2013

If Steve Winwood’s only banter tonight included playful reference to both the ‘vintage’ crowd and the vintage music,  we didn’t need to worry.  The sheer historical potency – and nostalgia – was what the vintage crowd expected and what Winwood … Continue reading

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