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Latest Album Reviews
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Album review : MICHAEL SWEET – The Masterplan
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Album review: SELWYN BIRCHWOOD – Electric Swamp Funkin’ Blues
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Album review: HANNAH JAMES & TOBY KUHN – Where All Our Names Belong
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Album review : JON ANDERSON – Survival And Other Stories / Earth Mother Earth (2 CDs / remasters)
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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: HEART, JASON BONHAM’S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE – 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
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Ann Wilson, Canada, gig, Heart, Jason Bonham, Led Zeppelin, Molston Canadian Amphitheatre, Nancy Wilson, review, Toronto
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Gig review: MOONDANCE JAM – Walker,Minnesota,USA,18-20 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
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Bachman & Turner, Blue Oyster Cult, Cheap Trick, classic rock, festival, gig, Halestorm, Head East, Minnesota, Moondance Jam, Motley Crue, Myles Kennedy, review, rock, Slash, Steve Priest, Sweet, Theory of a Deadman
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Gig review: 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
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 28 June 2013, folk, gig, Leamington Assembly, review, rock, The Levellers
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Gig review: HEAVEN’S 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
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 12 July 2013, Buffalo Summer, gig, Heavens Basement, Manchester, review, rock, Skarlett Riot, Sound Control
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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
Gig review: 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
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 17 July 2013, Birmingham, Carlos Santana, gig, LG Arena, review, Santana, Sentient Tour
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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
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 12 July 2013, Del Amitri, Elvis Costello, festival, Hyde Park, Justin Currie, Kinks, London, Ray Davies
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Gig review: ANDY FRASER – Boom Boom Club, Sutton, 6 July 2013

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
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Andy Fraser, bass, Boom Boom Club, Chris Spedding, Free, guitar, John Mayer, Malcolm Bruce, review, rock, Sutton Utd FC, Tobi
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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
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
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
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
Tagged 2 July 2013, Asheville, Don Preston, Frank Zappa, gig, jazz, Napoleon Murphy Brock, NC, review, rock, The Grandmothers of Invention, The Grey Eagle
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Gig review: 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
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 22 June 2013, Bonnie Raitt, gig, guitar, guitarist, Liverpool Empire, R&B, review, rhythm & blues
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Gig review: BLACKMORE’S NIGHT – Wolverhampton Grand, 1 July 2013

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
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 1 July 2013, Blackmore's Night, Candice Night, Deep Purple, folk, gig, mediaeval, review, Ritchie Blackmore, rock, Wolverhampton Grand
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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
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 29 June 2013, Clive Edwards, Danny Peyronel, gig, Laurence Archer, London, Merton Manor Club, review, rock, Rocky Newton, X-UFO
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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
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 21 June 2013, blues, gig, guitar, guitarist, London, Marcus Bonfanti, review, rock, Saint Jude, The Borderline
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Gig review: 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
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 24 June 2013, Blind Faith, gig, Manchester, review, rock, Salford, Spencer Davis Group, Steve Winwood, The Lowry, Traffic
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Gig Review : STATUS QUO – Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk, 23 June 2013

This gig was part of a weekend billed as ‘Rockin’ The Stadium’ which saw the home ground of the mighty Falkirk FC being taken over for a musical extravaganza. Days one and two were of little interest and didn’t exactly … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 10CC, Falkirk, Falkirk Stadium, Francis Rossi, gig, Graham Gouldman, live, review, Rick Parfitt, rock, Rockin' The Stadium, Status Quo
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Gig review: TRACER, The Plug, Sheffield, 8 June 2013

As normal with gigs at The Plug they are preceded with an afternoon session at Nelsons Rock bar which also usually hosts any aftershow meet and greets that are happening. This works very well as the bar is just round … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 8 June 2013, Cage The Gods, gig, review, rock, Sheffield, The Plug, Tracer
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Gig review: THE MOODY BLUES, London O2 Arena, 21 June 2013

First time seeing a rock concert at the O2 (my previous trip was to see my daughter performing as part of the massed choirs in Voice In A Million) and it’s an impressive venue, with a sound better than Wembley … Continue reading






