Tag Archives: AOR

Gig review: STYX – London Palladium, 4 June 2019

Posted on June 10, 2019 by andynathan

It’s been eight long years since Styx last crossed the pond and on that occasion they opened a three way battle of the AOR behemoths with Foreigner and Journey, and for many observers stole the show. This belated return was … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged AOR, gig, James Young, Lawrence Gowan, melodic rock, pomp rock, review, Styx, Tommy Shaw | Leave a comment

Quick plays: ROYAL REPUBLIC, ROB MORATTI, FINE SOFT DAY, TRAGIK

Posted on June 10, 2019 by jason

ROYAL REPUBLIC Club Majesty Nuclear Blast [Release date 31.05.19] Royal Republic are on the up and up with their mix of rock, dance, disco, funk, rock n roll – heck they will put in any style of music into their … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts, Quick Plays | Tagged album, AOR, Club Majesty, dance, disco, Fine Soft Day, folk, melodic rock, Phil Vincent, Pink Floyd, pop rock, progressive, Quick Plays, review, Rob Moratti, rock, rock 'n' roll, Royal Republic, Saga, Survival Code, Tragik | Leave a comment

Gig review: SWEDISH AOR CONVENTION – Malmo, Sweden, 30 May-2 June 2019

Posted on June 9, 2019 by andynathan

Melodic rock and AOR is an unlikely addition to the list of things- ergonomic design, environmental awareness, and dark crime dramas- where Scandinavia leads the world. The scene is particularly strong in Sweden, home of many of my favourite bands … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Age of Reflection, Anette Olzon, AOR, Bad Habit, Care of Night, Coastland Ride, Creye, festival, gig, Hank Erix, melodic rock, Osukaru, Philip Lindstrand, Pretty Wild, Sapphire Eyes, Shape of the New Sun, State of Salazar, Swedish AOR convention | Leave a comment

Album review: MICHAEL THOMPSON BAND – Love & Beyond

Posted on May 28, 2019 by andynathan

Frontiers [Release Date 26.04.19] Michael Thompson is one of the most respected session guitarists in rock – alongside Steve Lukather and Bruce Gaitsch he is probably the go-to man, particularly for the so-called West Coast sound where soft rock and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged AOR, Guy Allison, Larry Antonino, Larry King, Mark Spiro, melodic rock, Michael Thompson, West Coast | Leave a comment

Album review: FORTUNE – II

Posted on May 28, 2019 by andynathan

Frontiers [Release Date 26.04.19] Fortune’s 1985 self-titled albums is one that always featured highly in the list of obscure but brilliant melodic/AOR classics. While singer Larry (LA) Greene and keyboard player Roger Scott Craig went on to another cult AOR … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged album, AOR, Fortune, Larry Greene, melodic rock, Mick Fortune, Richard Fortune | Leave a comment

Album review: ALLIANCE – Fire and Grace

Posted on May 14, 2019 by jason

Escape Music [Release date 24.05.19] Robert Berry (vocals, bass, keyboards), Boston guitarist Gary Pihl and drummer David Lauser (Sammy Hagar), are back with a new Alliance album – their first in ten years. Only missing from the previous albums is … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged 3, album, Alliance, AOR, Boston, Escape Music, hard rock, melodic rock, review, Robert Berry, rock, Sammy Hagar | Leave a comment

Album review: JIM PETERIK & WORLD STAGE – Winds of Change

Posted on May 6, 2019 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 10.04.19] The first World Stage came out way back in 2001, so it is well overdue a follow-up from Jim Peterik, although he has of course been playing live shows under the World Stage banner. The backing … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged .38 Special, album, AOR, classic rock, Danny Vaughn, Dennis De Young, Don Barnes, Jim Peterik, Kevin Cronin, Loverboy, melodic rock, REO Speedwagon, review, rock, Styx, Survivor, World Stage | Leave a comment

Gig review: AIRRACE – London Borderline, 19 April 2019

Posted on April 24, 2019 by andynathan

Airrace’s stop-start career seems to have been characterised by support slots, whether with Queen back in 1984, or since they reformed a decade ago, a periodic set of shows consisting mainly of high profile support slots to the likes of … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 19 April 2019, Adam Payne, Airrace, AOR, Borderline, Dhani Mansworth, gig, Laurie Mansworth, Linda Kelsey Foster, London, melodic rock, review, Rocky Newton | Leave a comment

Album review: FM – The Italian Job (CD/DVD)

Posted on April 24, 2019 by andynathan

Frontiers [Release Date 22.02.19] FM have delivered consistently excellent live performances since the second phase of the band effectively kicked off a decade ago with guitarist Jim Kirkpatrick’s arrival. However this era of their history has gone undocumented so far, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts, DVD REVIEWS | Tagged AOR, DVD, FM, Frontiers Rock Festival, Jem Davis, Jim Kirkpatrick, melodic rock, Merv Goldsworthy, Steve Overland | Leave a comment

Album review: FIND ME- Angels In Blue

Posted on April 19, 2019 by andynathan

Release Date 22.02.19 For those in the know, Find Me has been one of the best melodic rock projects in recent years. A partnership between producer and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Flores and Blanc Faces singer Robbie Le Blanc, a stunning performance … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged album, AOR, Daniel Flores, Find Me, melodic rock, review, Robbie Le Blanc, Survivor | Leave a comment

Album review: CANNONBALLZ – 8Ballz2Many

Posted on April 9, 2019 by jason

MelodicRock Records [Release date 10.05.19] Andrew McNeice and his MelodicRock Records label have released some top quality AOR releases in recent years including Don Barnes and the excellent comeback album from Boulevard, now you can add to this Cannonballz. Who … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged 8Ballz2Many, album, AOR, Cannonballz, Jazz rock, melodic, melodic rock, MelodicRock Records, review, Robbie LaBlanc, Toto | Leave a comment

Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD) April 2019 – June 2019

Posted on April 7, 2019 by GRTR! HQ

Compiled by Jason Ritchie April 5th ANIMAL DRIVE ‘Back To The Roots’ (covers EP) Frontiers BAD NEWS ’32nd Anniversary Box Set’ BRANT BJORK ‘Jacoozzi’ Heavy Psych Sounds Records DAVID BOWIE ‘Spying Through The Keyhole’ (box set) Datura4 ‘Blessed is the … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, NEWS, Upcoming (Tours & Releases) | Tagged 2019, album, AOR, April, Bluray, CD, DVD, heavy rock, June, May, melodic rock, metal, New releases, progressive, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: BATTLE BEAST – No More Hollywood Endings

Posted on April 4, 2019 by jason

Nuclear Blast [Release date 22.03.19] Battle Beast are back with their second album since founding member, guitarist and chief songwriter Anton Kabanen left in 2016 to form Beast In Black (who released their latest album earlier this year on the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged album, AOR, Battle Beast, melodic, melodic metal, No More Hollywood Endings, Nuclear Blast, pop metal, power metal, review | Leave a comment

Gig review: THE RADIO SUN – Water Rats, London,19 March 2019

Posted on March 27, 2019 by andynathan

Melbourne-based melodic rockers The Radio Sun have over the past four years become regulars at the HRH AOR Festival in North Wales, winning friends both for their music and their sociable nature, entering into the spirit of the occasion. Though … Continue reading →

Posted in GIG REVIEWS | Tagged AOR, gig, Jason Old, melodic rock, review, Steve Janevski, THE RADIO SUN | Leave a comment

Album review: JOURNEY – Live In Japan 2017: Escape + Frontiers

Posted on March 18, 2019 by jason

Eagle Vision/Universal [Release date 29.03.19] In 2017 Journey played the Budokan arena in Japan for a special show where they played two of their classic albums – 1981′s ‘Escape’ and 1983′s ‘Frontiers’ – in their entirety and recorded the show, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts, DVD REVIEWS | Tagged album, AOR, Arnel Pineda, classic album, classic rock, DVD, Escape, Frontiers, Journey, melodic rock, Neal Schon, review | Leave a comment

Gig review: DAVE BICKLER/Chrome Molly – Highbury Garage, London, 11 March 2019

Posted on March 15, 2019 by andynathan

Sadly Survivor never made it to UK shores, the sad death of Jimi Jamison scuppering a scheduled show in 2014. However original singer Dave Bickler, who by that stage was back and sharing vocal duties, did play Rockingham Festival 18 … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged AOR, Chrome Molly, Dave Bickler, gig, Glenn Quinn, Jim Kirkpatrick, John Footitt, Nic Wastell, review, Steve Hawkins, Survivor | Leave a comment

Album review: TRISHULA – Scared To Breathe

Posted on March 5, 2019 by jason

AOR Heaven [Release date 29.03.19] Neil Fraser (Ten, Rage Of Angels, Tony Mills) is the brains behind Trishula, where he handles guitars, bass and keyboards. He is joined by vocalist Jason Morgan and drummer Joao Colac, both of whom Neil … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged album, AOR, AOR Heaven, guitarist, hard rock, Magnum, melodic rock, Neil Fraser, Rage Of Angels, review, rock, Scared To Breathe, TEN, Trishula | Leave a comment

Gig review: FM/DARE – Sub 89, Reading, 1 March 2019

Posted on March 3, 2019 by jason

FM and Dare were back in the UK for a couple more co-headliner shows following an eventful trip to Spain where FM had their equipment and merchandise stolen and in the FM set vocalist Steve Overland made it clear how … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged AOR, classic rock, Dare, Darren Wharton, FM, gig, Indiscreet, melodic, melodic rock, Pete Jupp, reading, review, Steve Overland, Sub 89 | Leave a comment

Album review: TOBY HITCHCOCK – Reckoning

Posted on February 28, 2019 by andynathan

Frontiers [Release Date 25.01.19] Best known as the man who brings Jim Peterik’s songs to life in Pride of Lions, this is Toby Hitchcock’s second solo album. His first way back in 2013 was written by the prolific Erik Martensson … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged album, AOR, melodic rock, Pride of Lions, review, Toby Hitchcock | Leave a comment

Album review: PETER H. NILSSON – Little American Dream

Posted on February 18, 2019 by jason

AOR Heaven [Release date 29.03.19] Swedish guitar player Peter H. Nilsson has been in the music business for many years in different bands in and extensive touring in his native Sweden. He hooked-up with singer Chris Biano (a Nashville based … Continue reading →