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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
Latest Gig Reviews
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Gig review: BRAVE RIVAL- Thames Side Brewery, Staines, 8 December 2024
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Gig review: STRAY- The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 7 December 2024
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Gig review: THE SHEEPDOGS, THE COMMONERS- Islington Assembly Hall, London, 5 December 2024
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Gig review: GUN – Barrowlands, Glasgow, 14 December 2024
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Gig review: THE DAMN TRUTH – The Grace, London, 26 November 2024
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Gig review: LAZARUS HEIGHTS – The Auditorium, Bassilac, SW France, 7 December 2024
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Featured Album Reviews
Features
Single & EP Reviews
DVD Reviews
Book Reviews
News
Author Archives: GRTR! HQ
Album review: THUNDER – The Thrill Of It All, Giving The Game Away, Shooting At The Sun (Reissues)
WIN These reissues! Click or tap here! BMG [Release date 20.10.23] As our retrospective feature in ‘The GRTR! Grotto’ series attests Thunder have firmly entrenched themselves with fans in the millennium, in spite of a couple of stop-starts. It’s fair … Continue reading
Feature: The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness – THUNDER (October 2023)
Lightning may have struck twice for Thunder but since their 2011 comeback they have produced some of their best work via albums and shows Photo: Darren Griffiths The millennium has marked the “second coming” of several bands who had differing … Continue reading
Album review: WINGER – Chapter One Atlantic Years 1988-1993
Atlantic/BMG [Release date: 17.11.23] It had to happen. The boxed Winger story from 1988 to 1993 and “the only remasters approved by Kip Winger.” As ever, it doesn’t help those who have already indulged in previous vinyl or CD although … Continue reading
Album review: CLIVE CARROLL – The Abbot – Clive Carroll plays the music of John Renbourn
www.clivecarroll.co.uk [Release date 02.10.23] I have a confession to make. In the early 1970s I was heavily into “early music” and for a time performed in a duo recreating the dance music of the medieval minstrels. That band’s demise was … Continue reading
Album review: SCREAMING EAGLES – High Class Rock ‘N’ Roll
FTF Records [Release date 06.10.23] Screaming Eagles hail from Northern Ireland and this is their sophomore album. The debut came out in 2013 which begs the question what have they been doing since? Notwithstanding the two year hiatus that is … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, heavy rock, High Class Rock 'N' Roll, review, Screaming Eagles
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News: THUNDER are the latest entrants in The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness (October 2023)
Classic rockers Thunder are the latest entrants to “The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness” a year long promotion to tie in with rock website Get Ready to ROCK!’s 20th anniversary. During Get Ready to ROCK!’s lifetime the band has been put … Continue reading
Posted in 20th Anniversary 2003-2023, ALL POSTS, NEWS
Tagged Ben Matthews, Chris Childs, classic rock, Danny Bowes, feature, Harry James, history, Luke Morley, news, retrospective, Thunder
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Album review: STEVE HACKETT – Foxtrot At Fifty + Hackett Highlights: Live In Brighton
David Randall chatted to Steve Hackett in September 2023 as part of the GRTR!@20 promotion when Steve was the September “Grotto of Greatness” inductee. This is an edited version of the radio show that will be broadcast in its entirety … Continue reading
Album review: RENAISSANCE – The Legacy Tour 2022
Symphonic Rock Recordings [Release date 15.08.23] Back in 2015 we saw Renaissance performing at a small venue in North-West England, The Citadel, which remains something of a mecca for prog bands. Since that time they have played several tours in … Continue reading
Album review: PARDON THE INTERRUPTION – Hot N’ Fresh
ptimusic.com [Release date 14.04.23] It would be easier, some months following release, to pass over this album and regret a missed review opportunity. But not here at GRTR! The truth is that this album may have provided a soundtrack at … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, funk, Hot N' Fresh, Pardon The Interruption, pop rock, review
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Feature: The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness – STEVE HACKETT (September 2023)
With the Genesis genie well and truly out of the bottle, Steve Hackett continues the legacy whilst topping up his own illustrious back catalogue. Prog-tastic! Photo: Simon Dunkerley The ascent of GRTR! since 2003 coincides with the rise and rise … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, FEATURES, GRTR!@20, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview, The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness
Tagged feature, Genesis, guitar, guitarist, interview, prog, Progressive Rock, radio, retrospective, Steve Hackett
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Album review: TRANCEND – Lilac
www.trancend.band [Release date 07.08.23] No matter what you might say, some good things did come out of Lockdown. And whilst you scratch your head let me give you one positive: Trancend. The musicians behind this album (the three Maurus brothers) … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, art rock, Lilac, prog, Progressive Rock, review, TrancEnd, trip hop
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Album review: HANFORD FLYOVER – Source
Fruits de Mer Records [Release date 11.10.23] We first came across Hanford Flyover on a sampler from the Fruits de Mer label who specialise in psych, prog and anything slightly leftfield. Much of the label output harks back to the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, electronica, folk, Hanford Flyover, prog, Progressive Rock, psych, psychedelic, review, Source
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News: STEVE HACKETT is the latest entrant in The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness (September 2023)
The latest entrant in the ongoing 20th anniversary promotion – “The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness” – is progmeister guitarist Steve Hackett. Hackett’s refashioning of classic Genesis seventies material coincides with the development of the website Get Ready to ROCK! (www.getreadytorock.com) … Continue reading
Posted in 20th Anniversary 2003-2023, ALL POSTS, NEWS
Tagged feature, Genesis, guitar, prog, Progressive Rock, retrospective, Steve Hackett
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Album review: AOR – Bewitched In L.A.
Bewitched In L.A. Perris Records [Release date 08.09.23] The advent of AI in music is the subject of much discussion. Listening to this latest offering from melodic rock plagiarist Frederic Slama you could be forgiven for thinking that everything – … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Bewitched In L.A., Frederic Slama, melodic rock, Paul Sabu, review, Tommy Denander
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Album review: RUFFYUNZ – Ruffyunz III
Hyperspace Records [Release date 11.08.23] It’s safe to say that the third album offering from Ruffyunz takes up where II left off. The major change is Carmine Appice replacing Bobby Rondinelli’s drums and, at least on the cover, taking centre … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Billy 'Spaceman' Patterson, Bumblefoot, Carmine Appice, Dave Meniketti, Derek Sherinian, Ed Terry, hard rock, III, Jim McCarty, Pat Thrall, Pat Travers, Randy Platt, review, Ruffyunz, Tony Franklin, Tracy G, Vinnie Moore
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Album review: BOB HOLZ – Holz-Stathis Collaborative
MVD Audio [Release date 08.09.23] This album, by veteran drummer Bob Holz, takes me back to the mid-late 1970s when there was a profusion of fusion. In the form of Return To Forever, Mahavishnu Orchestra and less prominent bands like … Continue reading
Album review: KARNEY – Creatures In The Garden
www.karney.org [Release date 18.08.23] Who is Karney? Well she obviously feels the need to protect her intellectual property as her name is trade marked. Say hello to Anna Karney® who at various times has been a games music composer, a … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged acoustic, album, Creatures In The Garden, Karney, review, rock, singer, songwriter
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EP review: /SIN’DOGS/ – Renascence EP
www.facebook.com/Sindogs [Release date 01.08.23] When I was compiling my “Best of” two decades in terms of ‘Live Acts’ for GRTR!@20 it would have been very tempting to include Zal Cleminson and /sin’dogs/ appearance at the 2019 ‘Giants Of Rock’. My … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Alex Harvey, classic rock, EP, hard rock, Renascence, review, Sin’Dogs, Zal Cleminson
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Album review: ROBBIE CUMMING – Choons Vol.1 & 2
Absolute [Release date 12.05.23] I’ve often wondered about a canal boat holiday, traversing the criss-cross network hopefully in the sunshine, away from congested roads, and with regular stops for refreshment. And, maybe, if I took the plunge as it were … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Canal Boat Diaries, Choons Vol.1 & 2, instrumental, review, Robbie Cumming, TV
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Feature: The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness – CATS IN SPACE (August 2023)
Pop rock revivalists whose rise and rise has been almost purr-fect… damn that pandemic… Cats in Space are a unique proposition among the new generation of classic rock bands that have emerged in recent years (writes Andy Nathan). Acts that … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, FEATURES, GRTR!@20, The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness
Tagged August 2023, Cats In Space, classic rock, feature, Grotto, pop rock, retrospective
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Gig review: THE WHO, O2 Arena, London, 12 July 2023
On the verge of their sixth decade as a band and The Who really have nothing to prove but still don’t care about what they’re being told by others. This is The Who and they’ll do exactly as they want. … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 12 July 2023, classic rock, gig, London, O2 Arena, orchestra, Pete Townshend, review, Roger Daltrey, THE WHO
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Gig review: THE WHO – Badminton Estate, Gloucestershire, 16 July 2023
So how refined that The Who, along with the Heart of England Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Keith Levenson, are playing at the renowned Badminton Estate, to promote a new live album, in an open-air concert arena with a capacity of … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 16 July 2023, Badminton Estate, classic rock, gig, Gloucestershire, orchestra, Pete Townshend, review, Roger Daltrey, THE WHO
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News: CATS IN SPACE are the latest entrants in The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness (August 2023)
Rock website Get Ready to ROCK!’s 20th anniversary celebration continues with the latest entrants in “The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness”. Pop rockers Cats In Space will be honoured in August ahead of UK tour dates in September. Jason Ritchie, News … Continue reading
Posted in 20th Anniversary 2003-2023, ALL POSTS, NEWS
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Album review: THE MAGPIE ARC – Glamour In The Grey
Collective Perspective [Release date 07.07.23] Now here’s a listen. I didn’t quite know what to expect from this band. From the name, it could be an alt-rock band couldn’t it? From the opening track ‘All I Planted’ it is immediately … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
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News: Albums of the Month (April – June 2023)
WINGER Seven (Frontiers) Winger are a great group of musicians and they write great songs. And ‘Seven’ matches up to their very best work. ***** Review by David Randall HOUSE OF SHAKIRA XIT (Frontiers) No question, XIT is a perfect pop … Continue reading
Posted in Albums of the Month, Albums of the Year...to date, NEWS
Tagged albums, April 2023, classic rock, hard rock, heavy rock, instrumental, June 2023, May 2023, melodic rock, pop rock, review
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