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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
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Album review: PARADOX – Heresy II, End Of A Legend
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Album review: SAVATAGE – Sirens and Dungeons Are Calling (remasters)
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Album review: INGLORIOUS- Heroine
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Album review: LEAVES EYES – The Last Viking, Midsummer Version
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Album review: BONNIE TYLER – The East West Years 1995-98 (3 CDs)
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Album review: IRON MAIDEN – Senjutsu
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Latest Gig Reviews
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Gig review: THE CINELLI BROTHERS- Cabbage Patch, Twickenham, 16 September 2021
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Gig review: LEAFHOUND- Cabbage Patch, Twickenham, 9 September 2021
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Gig review: STONEDEAD FESTIVAL – Showground, Newark – 28th August 2021
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Gig review: CONNOR SELBY BAND- Cabbage Patch, Twickenham, 26 August 2021
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Gig review: THE DARKER MY HORIZON & FRIENDS FESTIVAL, The Vic, Coalville, 20-22 August 2021
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Featured Album Reviews
Single & EP Reviews
DVD Reviews
Book Reviews
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Book review: WHO IS BLUES Vol.2 – The Interviews. Blues Encounters 2000 – 2020 by Vincent Abbate
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Book review: BOBBY RUSH with Herb Powell – I Ain’t Studdin Ya: My American Blues Story
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Book review: ERJA LYYTINEN – The Blues Queen by Mape Ollila
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Book review: On Track…TOM PETTY (Every album, every song) by Richard James
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News
Features
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Feature: Albums that time forgot…THE STORM (Gregg Rolie, Ross Valory, Steve Smith)
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Feature: Collectible Collections – FAMILY – Old Songs New Songs (The Definitive Box Set)
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Feature: Collectible Collections – CAMEL – Rainbow’s End An Anthology 1973-1985
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Feature: Collectible Collections – MANFRED MANN’S EARTH BAND – 40th Anniversary Box Set
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Feature: Albums that time forgot … NATIVE CAIN – The Primitive Soul
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Feature: Albums that time forgot…EUROPE – Secret Society
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Tag Archives: London
Gig review: JARED JAMES NICHOLS/COLLATERAL – Gibson Brands Studio, London, 24 February 2020
One of the most common gripes on social media when bands announce tours is ‘why aren’t they playing anywhere near me?’. With Jared James Nichols and Collateral going on a nine date nationwide spring tour excuses will be thinner than … Continue reading
Gig review: BERNIE MARSDEN/Deborah Bonham – Under the Bridge, London, 24 January 2020
You might say it was a case of ‘Blues is the colour’ as Under the Bridge, located beneath the East Stand at Chelsea FC, played host to one of London Blues Month’s highest-profile gigs. It lies squarely within the wealthiest … Continue reading
Gig review: SAVOY BROWN – 100 Club, London, 18 January 2020
The marketing for the now traditional January London Blues Month is a mocked up, retro-style handbill. Someone who can remember those days is Kim Simmonds. He may not have the high profile of other guitar contemporaries of the British blues … Continue reading
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Tagged 100 Club, 18 January 2020, blues rock, Garnet Grimm, gig, Keith Boyce, Kim Simmonds, London, London Blues Month, Pat DeSalvo, Savoy Brown
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Gig review: COLLATERAL – The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 10 January 2020
2020 promises to be a big year for Collateral, with their debut full-length album out in February to capitalise on the growing buzz around them. Indeed GRTR!’s writers voted the Kentish rockers the breakthrough act for 2020 in our end … Continue reading
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Tagged 10 January, Angelo Tristan, Collateral, gig, London, melodic rock, Raynes Park, The Cavern, Todd Winger
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Gig review: SWEET – Islington Assembly Hall, London, 18 December 2019
After many years as strangers in their home country, Sweet have become a fixture since their well-received support slot to Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow at 2017’s Stone Free Festival. This is the third year running they have played a London show … Continue reading
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Tagged 18 December, Andy Scott, gig, glam rock, Islington Assembly Hall, Lee Small, London, Paul Manzi, review, Steve Mann, Sweet
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Gig review: RAIDING THE ROCK VAULT – Subterania, London, 5 December 2019
Proof of the enduring appeal of classic rock is the success over seven years of residencies in Las Vegas of the ‘Raiding the Rock Vault’ show. The concept is deceptively simple, with live playing from a band of seasoned musicians, … Continue reading
Gig review: GRAND SLAM/Bad Touch – Camden Underworld, London, 22 November 2019
One of the great sadnesses of my formative music years was the failure of Philip Lynott’s post- Thin Lizzy outfit to get as far as a record deal- despite their reputation as a live act, including as support to Status … Continue reading
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Tagged 22 November 2019, Bad Touch, Benjy Reid, Camden Underworld, Dave Boyce, gig, Grand Slam, Laurence Archer, London, Mike Dyer, Philip Lynott
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Gig review: BUCK & EVANS – 100 Club, London, 19 November 2019
When I saw them at the prestigious 100 Club only six months ago, Buck and Evans were still previewing songs from an album that, like Billy Bunter’s postal order or an election manifesto promise, was constantly about to be delivered- … Continue reading
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Tagged 100 Club, 19 November 2019, blues rock, Bob Richards, Buck & Evans, Chris Buck, Dominic Hill, gig, London, Sally Ann Evans, Sweet Crisis
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Gig review: MIDNITE CITY – The Lounge, Archway, London, 8 November 2019
The list of successful UK melodic rock acts is a frustratingly short one, but Midnite City must be going about things the right way. After releasing a pair of excellent albums in short succession they recently enjoyed the prestige of … Continue reading
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Tagged 8 November 2019, AOR, Archway, gig, London, lounge, melodic rock, Midnite City, Miles Meakin, Pete Newdeck, Rob Wylde, Shawn Charvette
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Gig review: BRIAN DOWNEY’S ALIVE AND DANGEROUS – Underworld, Camden, London, 7 November 2019
While Phil Lynott was the public face and voice of Thin Lizzy and the twin lead guitars their identifiable sound, the contribution of drummer Brian Downey throughout the band’s original existence should never be underestimated. He was even tempted back … Continue reading
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Tagged 7 November 2019, Alive and Dangerous, Brian Downey, Brian Grace, Camden, gig, hard rock, London, Matt Wilson, Phil Edgar, Rebecca Downes, review, Steve Birkett, Thin Lizzy, Underworld
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News: CANCER ON THE ROCKS – charity gig at Bush Hall, London features Romeo’s Daughter, Piston and others (23/24 November 2019)
Cancer On The Rocks, a two day festival in aid of Macmillan and The Royal Marsden Hospital, takes place for the first time this year in London at Bush Hall, 23/24 November. The brainchild of Skyfire Records’ Rick Palin, … Continue reading
Gig review: FOCUS/Chantel McGregor – Under the Bridge, London, 25 October 2019
This show in one of London’s more enjoyably upscale venues was an opportunity for me to kill two birds with one stone, as well as bringing together two contrasting acts in an interesting pairing. Chantel McGregor has been a rising … Continue reading
Gig review: DON FELDER – Bush Hall, London, 19 September 2019
While a familiar face across the pond in the past decade – I saw him no less than three times at the Moondance Jam festival – Don Felder has to my knowledge not set foot in the UK since the … Continue reading
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Tagged 19 September 2019, American rock'n'roll, Bush Hall, classic rock, country rock, David Myhre, Don Felder, Eagles, gig, London, review, Timothy Drury
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Gig review: MY LIFE STORY – The Lexington, London, 24 July
In this intimate little venue with its low stage, the My Life Story (MLS) fans are in their element, so close to the master! It’s a hideously hot night, and Jake is sporting a suit. 19 years on its not … Continue reading
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Tagged Britpop, gig, Jake Shillingford, Lexington, live music, London, My Life Story, pop, quirky pop, review
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News: MICHAEL ARMSTRONG showcases superior pop rock – The Water Rats, London, Tuesday 2 July 2019
David Randall previewed the London show and ‘Periscope’ on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio on Sunday 23 June. (4:06) After a 2-year hiatus and following the release of his highly-acclaimed second album #LookingForTheWorld, Michael Armstrong returns to the stage and … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS
Tagged 2 July 2019, classic rock, gig, London, Michael Armstrong, pop rock, singer, songwriter, The Water Rats
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Gig review: AIRRACE – London Borderline, 19 April 2019
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
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Tagged 19 April 2019, Adam Payne, Airrace, AOR, Borderline, Dhani Mansworth, gig, Laurie Mansworth, Linda Kelsey Foster, London, melodic rock, review, Rocky Newton
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News: CAMDEN ROCKS – over 400 acts over two days (1-2 June 2019)
In this festival preview, tracks from Skarlett Riot, The Virginmarys and Dig Lazarus. First broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, 7 April 2019 (13:01) Camden Rocks Festival have finalised their line-up for this year’s event (1-2 June). Amongst the … Continue reading
Gig review: KING KING – Koko, London, 7 February 2019
King King’s steady rise to prominence over the past decade has now taken on a new chapter with the band signed to a stateside management agency. However there are always casualties in the process of change and in this case, … Continue reading
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Tagged 7 February 2019, Alan Nimmo, Ash Wilson, blues rock, classic rock, gig, Jonny Dyke, King King, Koko, Lindsay Coulson, London, review, Sari Schorr
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Gig review: URIAH HEEP – Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London, 14 December 2018
Classic Rock doesn’t get much more classic than this, with Uriah Heep promoting their latest opus Living The Dream and this London show, given the amount of friends and family present, a bit like a homecoming. With two support bands, the doors opened at … Continue reading
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Tagged 14th December 2018, Bernie Shaw, Dante Gizzi, gig, Gun, Jools Gizzi, live, Living The Dream, London, Mick Box, Phil Lanzon, prog, rock, Shepherds Bush Empre, Uriah Heep, Von Hertzen Brothers
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Gig review: DEF LEPPARD – Wembley Arena, London, 8 December 2018
In the Def Leppard career chronicles, 1987’s ‘Hysteria’ will always loom large. Although its predecessor ‘Pyromania’ was a 10 million selling phenomenon in the USA and opened a lot of doors for similar bands, ‘Hysteria’ was on a different scale level altogether. Four years in the crafting, the album fused a hard rock image with the crafted sensibilities … Continue reading
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Tagged 18th December 2018, Cheap Trick, Def Leppard, gig, Hysteria, Joe Elliott, live, London, Phil Collin, Rick Allen, Rick Neilson, Rick Savage, Robin Zander, Wembley Arena
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Gig review: THE NEW ROSES – Camden Underworld, London, 29 November 2018
The New Roses are making up for lost time to launch a concerted push on the UK. Big in their native Germany, for some reason it has taken three albums and an EP, culminating in last year’s ‘One More For … Continue reading
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Tagged 29 November 2018, Camden Underworld, gig, hard rock, London, One More From the Road, review, The Brink, the New Roses, Timmy Rough
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Gig review: TERRY BROCK – Hope and Anchor, Islington, London, 22 November 2018
One of melodic rock’s great voices, Terry Brock is best known for lifting Strangeways’ ‘Native Sons’ and ‘Walk In The Fire’ albums to classic status. There is however much more to the Georgia native’s career, whether as an in-demand backing … Continue reading
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Tagged 22 November 2018, Anna Portaluppi, AOR, gig, Hope And Anchor, Islington, London, melodic rock, NEWMAN, review, Shaun Bessant, Steve Newman, Strangeways, Terry Brock
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Gig review: CHRISSIE HYNDE – Adding The Blue Exhibition, After Nyne Gallery, London, 6 Nov 2018
You could be forgiven for taking a wearisome sigh on discovering that The Pretenders leader Chrissie Hynde is the latest in stream of rock stars who have taken up the paintbrush and canvas in the autumn of their career. However, … Continue reading
Gig review: PUNKY MEADOWS AND FRANK DIMINO (Angel) – Camden Underworld, London, 13 October 2018
Back in the late seventies, when news travelled a lot slower than in today’s globalised world, the average British rock fan was mainly reared on home grown bands with the odd colonial interloper like AC/DC and Rush. American hard rock … Continue reading
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Tagged 13 October 2018, Angel, Camden Underworld, Frank Dimino, gig, Heavy Pettin', London, melodic rock, Punky Meadows, review
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Gig review: KEE MARCELLO – Camden Underworld, London, 12 October 2018
Thirty years ago Europe proved The Final Countdown was no flash in the pan by recording their follow up album Out Of This World. Having played its predecessor to death, I was initially underwhelmed, but over the years it has … Continue reading
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Tagged 12 October 2018, Camden Underworld, Europe, gig, Kee Marcello, London, melodic rock, Out Of This World, P-O Nilsson, review
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