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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
Latest Gig Reviews
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Gig review: SOUTH OF SALEM – Thekla, Bristol, 27 March 2025
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Gig review: JIZZY PEARL’S LOVE/HATE – The Underworld, Camden, March 13 2025
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Gig review: GRAHAM GOULDMAN – Cadogan Hall, London, 20 March 2025
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Gig review: THE DARKNESS – G Live, Guildford, 11 March 2025
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Gig review: FISH – O2 Academy, Glasgow, 9 March 2025
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Gig review: WILL WILDE- 100 Club, London, 4 March 2025
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Featured Album Reviews
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Album review: DIXIE DREGS – Dregs Of The Earth, Unsung Heroes, Industry Standard (reissue)
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Album review: SAXON – Solid Book Of Rock (Box set)
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Album review: ROBIN MCAULEY – Alive
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Album review: DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT – Transcendence
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Album review: KISS THE GUN – Nightmares
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Album review: ESP PROJECT – The Rising
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Features
Interviews
Single & EP Reviews
DVD Reviews
Book Reviews
News
Author Archives: GRTR! HQ
Album review: PALADIN – Paladin/Charge! (Remaster)
BGO Records www.bgo-records.com [Release date 13.10.23] I have to say that I’ve only known Paladin from digging through crates of vinyl at record fairs and noting the Roger Dean artwork. It all looked a bit prog. Now the band’s only … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, Charge!, classic rock, Paladin, prog, Progressive Rock, review
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Album review: JEFF AUG – Kiss Of The Liquid Moon
Heavy Progressive Records [Release date 01.02.24] You can’t help thinking – listening to this seventh solo album from acoustic guitarist Jeff Aug – “when is he going to break into ‘Classical Gas’?” Just like that classic acoustic piece, ‘Kiss Of … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged acoustic, guitar, intsrumental, Jeff Aug, Kiss Of The Liquid Moon
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Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2024)
Compiled by Jason Ritchie Please check with venue and/or relevant website(s) to confirm availability. Updated 16/12/2024 UK & Ireland Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2024) To search quickly within this page (“Find In Page”): Press Ctrl+F (on Windows PC, Chromebook, … Continue reading
Posted in Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, Upcoming (Tours & Releases)
Tagged 2024, AOR, dates, Europe, gigs, melodic rock, metal, pop, progressive, rock, ROW, Tour, USA
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Album review: MAE McKENNA – Reissues
BGO www.bgo-records.com [Release date 10.11.23] My first introduction to Mae McKenna was her 1991 album ‘Mirage And Reality’. Bob Harris on his overnight BBC Radio 1 show was a big fan and played the album regularly. I spotted it in … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, country pop, Elliot Randall, Everything That Touches Me, Mae McKenna, MOR, pop, reissue, review, Walk On Water
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News: The Best of 2023 – The Get Ready to ROCK! Reviewer Selections (December 2023)
2023 marked the 20th anniversary of Get Ready to ROCK! This may not have been a vintage year for album releases but many artists consolidated their position with touring and the odd reissue. In spite of the economic crisis it … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, NEWS, The Best of 2023
Tagged albums, Best of 2023, blues rock, breakthrough, classic rock, live acts, metal, progressive, reissues, singer songwriter
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Book review: On track … BOB DYLAN, HAWKWIND, YES, LOU REED, THE JAM (Sonicbond Publishing)
“For the fan a chance to revisit songs and albums and for newcomers a roadmap to hopefully enhance their listening habits. Of course in an age of renewed vinyl interest these books may be the perfect complement.” We catch up … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged blues rock, Bob Dylan, book, folk, Hawkwind, Humble Pie, Linda Ronstadt, Lou Reed, Progressive Rock, Ralph McTell, review, Sensational Alex Harvey Band, singer songwriter, Sonicbond, Suzanne Vega, The Byrds, The Jam, The Smashing Pumpkins, Yes
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Album review: MAGNUM – Here Comes The Rain
David Randall chatted to Bob Catley and Lee Morris playing tracks from the new album. First broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, 24 December 2023. SPV/Steamhammer [Release date 12.01.24] Magnum celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2022 when they finally … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview
Tagged album, Bob Catley, Here Comes The Rain, interview, Magnum, melodic rock, pomp, radio, review, Tony Clarkin
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Feature: The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness – MAGNUM (December 2023)
Photo: Darren Griffiths They nearly folded in 1983, played the arenas in the late 1980s, and nose-dived in 1995. But – fifty years on – Magnum remain magnificent Magnum have figured prominently in our coverage at GRTR! since 2003. This … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, FEATURES, GRTR!@20, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview, The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness
Tagged albums, band, Bob Catley, classic rock, gigs, interview, Magnum, melodic rock, pomp rock, radio, retrospective, review, Tony Clarkin
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News: Melodic pomp rockers MAGNUM enter The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness (December 2023)
Melodic pomp rockers Magnum are the latest inductees in “The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness” a year long promotion to celebrate 20 years of the popular rock website Get Ready to ROCK! The Midlands-based band have figured prominently in the website’s … Continue reading
Posted in 20th Anniversary 2003-2023, ALL POSTS, NEWS
Tagged Bob Catley, history, Magnum, melodic rock, news, pomp, radio, retrospective, Tony Clarkin
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Feature: The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness – SAXON (November 2023)
The wheels of steel keep turning for the heavy metal masters, and have turned ever more quickly for Saxon in the millennium Photo: Darren Griffiths In April 2007 there was a reality TV show when Harvey Goldsmith hosted an attempt … Continue reading
News: SAXON are the latest entrants in The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness (November 2023)
Heavy metallers Saxon 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. The band’s more recent ascendancy parallels the lifetime of the classic … Continue reading
Posted in 20th Anniversary 2003-2023, ALL POSTS, NEWS
Tagged Biff Byford, feature, Get Ready to ROCK!, heavy metal, heavy rock, news, November 2023, Saxon
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Album review: DISTRICT 97 – Stay For The Ending
Spirit Of Unicorn Music/Cherry Red [Release date 20.10.23] Now here’s something a little different. A prog metal band fronted by a female vocalist, an American Idol finalist to boot! I have been aware of District 97, not least when they … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, DISTRICT 97, fusion, Jazz rock, prog, progressive metal, review, Stay For The Ending
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Album review: UNIFONY – Unifony III
Volkoren [Release date 03.11.23] The great thing about GRTR! is our eclecticism over 20 years, very much reflecting the taste and preferences of our solid review team. We’re not bound by classic rock but the music has to move us. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, ambient, chill-out, Clannad, instrumental, Moya Brennan, review, Unifony, Unifony III
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Album review: STEVIE JONES AND THE WILDFIRES – Clarity In Dusk
Wildfire Sessions Productions www.steviejones.com [Release date 13.10.23] This album was born out of solitary walks late in the day in the local countryside during Lockdown. That locality includes Helpston in East Northants where the artist Stevie Jones is a regular … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged acoustic, album, alt folk, alt rock, Americana, Clarity In Dusk, review, rock, Stevie Jones And The Wildfires
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News: Albums of the Month (July – September 2023)
ALBANY DOWN Born In The Ashes (indie) Seven years is surely too long between releases, but whatever the reasons, this excellent album deserves to build some momentum and push Albany Down towards enduring and wide-spread success. **** Review by Dave Atkinson … Continue reading
Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS
Tagged albums, August 2023, blues rock, classic rock, hard rock, July 2023, melodic rock, Progressive Rock, review, September 2023
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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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