Author Archives: andynathan

Gig review: MIDNITE CITY – The Lounge, Archway, London, 8 November 2019

Posted on November 14, 2019 by andynathan

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 →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 8 November 2019, AOR, Archway, gig, London, lounge, melodic rock, Midnite City, Miles Meakin, Pete Newdeck, Rob Wylde, Shawn Charvette | Leave a comment

Gig review: BRIAN DOWNEY’S ALIVE AND DANGEROUS – Underworld, Camden, London, 7 November 2019

Posted on November 13, 2019 by andynathan

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 →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | 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 | Leave a comment

Gig review: MASON HILL/Keylock/Cormac Neeson – The Black Heart, Camden, London, 5 November 2019

Posted on November 10, 2019 by andynathan

While classic rock may no longer sit in the mainstream, the contemporary scene has continuously been improving and is now arguably at its healthiest for many years, helped by sympathetic radio stations and websites (or both in GRTR!’s case!) This … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Aaron Keylock, classic rock, Cormac Neeson, gig, James Bird, Jonnie Hodson, Keylock, Mason Hill, Scott Taylor, THE ANSWER | Leave a comment

Gig review: SARI SCHORR – Water Rats, London, 4 November 2019

Posted on November 9, 2019 by andynathan

2019 has been something of a breakthrough year for powerful blues rocker Sari Schorr. The New Yorker began the year with a prestigious Blues Week slot at the 100 Club then as a very well matched support for King King. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Ash Wilson, blues rock, gig, Jon Amor, Sari Schorr, Stevie Watts | Leave a comment

Gig review: GOODBYE JUNE – Colours, Hoxton, London, 29 October 2019

Posted on November 3, 2019 by andynathan

There seems to be a never ending series of hirsute young bands, influenced by their parents’ record collections, coming out of the USA, and the southern states in particular. One such is Goodbye June who first appeared on my radar … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged blues rock, gig, Goodbye June, Landon Milbourn, Tom Leighton, Tyler Baker, Wolf Jaw | Leave a comment

Gig review: INGLORIOUS – 02 Academy, Oxford, 28 October 2019

Posted on November 3, 2019 by andynathan

After their much publicised line up changes 2019 has been a year of inglorious putting in the hard yards to regain career momentum. A February tour and well-received festival appearances were followed by this second tour of the year, covering … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Dan Stevens, Danny Delacruz, gig, hard rock, Inglorious, Nathan James, Phil Beaver, review, Ride to Nowhere | Leave a comment

Gig review: FOCUS/Chantel McGregor – Under the Bridge, London, 25 October 2019

Posted on November 3, 2019 by andynathan

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 →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 25 October 2019, blues rock, Chantel McGregor, classic rock, Focus, gig, London, Menno Gootjes, Pierre van der Linden, prog, Progressive Rock, review, Thijs van Leer, Under the Bridge | Leave a comment

Gig review: KISSIN’ DYNAMITE – Camden Underworld, London, 18 October 2019

Posted on October 22, 2019 by andynathan

Kissin’ Dynamite have over a decade’s worth of albums to their name, but the young Germans have managed to pass me by until I became aware their last album ‘Ecstasy’ was receiving rave reviews. Yet this sole UK date of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Anna Brunner, gig, Hannes Braun, hard rock, Kissin’ Dynamite, melodic rock, review | Leave a comment

Gig review: UNPLUGGED AND UNSCRIPTED: AN EVENING WITH DANNY AND LUKE (Thunder) – Alban Arena, St Albans, 9 October 2019

Posted on October 15, 2019 by andynathan

UNPLUGGED AND UNSCRIPTED: AN EVENING WITH DANNY AND LUKE- Alban Arena, St Albans, 9 October 2019

It’s been a busy year already for Thunder with their ‘Please Remain Seated’ tour and the launch of a career spanning greatest hits album, not to mention a recent club show at the Garage in London, recently reviewed on this … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 9 October 2019, acoustic, Alban Arena, Danny Bowes, gig, Harry James, Luke Morley, Mick Wall, review, St Albans, Thunder, unplugged, unscripted | Leave a comment

Album review: THE DEFIANTS – Zokusho

Posted on October 14, 2019 by andynathan

Frontiers Records [Release Date 13.09.19] Boasting three quarters of the Paul Laine-fronted Danger Danger line up that plugged on through melodic rock’s wilderness years, the Defiants debut was one of the best albums of 2016, but I can’t remember making … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Bruno Ravel, Danger Danger, melodic rock, Paul Laine, Rob Marcello, The Defiants | Leave a comment

Gig review: MARTIN TURNER – Under the Bridge, London, 27 September 2019

Posted on October 5, 2019 by andynathan

Martin Turner’s latest tour revisiting his Wishbone Ash catalogue one step at a time, took him to Under the Bridge, home of his beloved Chelsea FC, with their 1971 sophomore album ‘Pilgrimage’ following in the footsteps of ‘There’s The Rub’, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Danny Willson, gig, Martin Turner, Misha Nikolic, Pilgrimage, Tim Brown, Wishbone Ash | Leave a comment

Gig review: THUNDER – The Garage, London, 26 September 2019

Posted on October 3, 2019 by andynathan

Thunder gigs come in all shapes and sizes, from the crowd pleasing festival appearances, to their semi-legendary Christmas shows, to the recent ‘Please Remain Seated’ semi-unplugged tour. Since their latest reformation for a third spell they have even played arena … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Ben Matthews, blues rock, Danny Bowes, gig, Luke Morley, melodic rock, Thunder | Leave a comment

Gig review: STRAY – Boom Boom Club, Sutton, 20 September 2019

Posted on September 25, 2019 by andynathan

For every guitar great that sprang to prominence in rock’s golden age- a Blackmore, a Page, a Schenker – there were other guitar heroes who given the breaks should have become equal household names on musical terms alone, one of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 20 September 2019, blues, Blues Devils, blues rock, Boom Boom Club, DEL BROMHAM, gig, hard rock, Karl Randall, Pete Dyer, review, Simon Rinaldo, Stray, Sutton | Leave a comment

Gig review: DON FELDER – Bush Hall, London, 19 September 2019

Posted on September 24, 2019 by andynathan

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 →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 19 September 2019, American rock'n'roll, Bush Hall, classic rock, country rock, David Myhre, Don Felder, Eagles, gig, London, review, Timothy Drury | Leave a comment

Gig review: BONNIE TYLER/Cats In Space – London Palladium, 18 September 2019

Posted on September 23, 2019 by andynathan

I wonder if the rock world underestimates Bonnie Tyler. Allied to the fact she has been more of a singles than an albums artist, and an interpreter of other people’s songs rather than her own, the overblown power ballads and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Andy Stewart, Between The Earth And The Stars, Bonnie Tyler, Cats In Space, Dean Howard, Ed Poole, gig, Greg Hart, John Young, London Palladium, Mark Pascall, Matt Prior, review | Leave a comment

Album review: UNRULY CHILD – Big Blue World

Posted on September 18, 2019 by andynathan

Frontiers [Release date 09.08.19] The reunion of Unruly Child’s classic line up with original singer Marcie Free, which began with 2010’s excellent ‘Worlds Collide’, has stood the test of time with its fourth album since then. Two years ago, try … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Bruce Gowdy, Guy Allison, Marcie Free, melodic rock, review, Unruly Child | Leave a comment

Gig review: DAN BAIRD AND HOMEMADE SIN, JASON AND THE SCORCHERS, KENTUCKY HEADHUNTERS – Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 6 September 2019

Posted on September 15, 2019 by andynathan

Package tours are an increasingly common feature of the gig scene, but it’s rare for one with three bands to have equal billing for each. The fact that Dan Baird and Homemade Sin, Jason and the Scorchers and the Kentucky … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged blues rock, country rock, Dan Baird, gig, Homemade Sin, Jason and the Scorchers, Jason Ringenberg, Mauro Magellan, review, southern rock, Warner E Hodges | Leave a comment

Gig review: DEF LEPPARD – Zappo’s Theater, Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas, USA, 14 August 2019

Posted on August 28, 2019 by andynathan

Las Vegas used to be the place where musicians were put out to pasture- the white suited Elvis and other stars to be filed under ‘oldies’. My partner grew up in the area and apparently in the eighties the big … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Def Leppard, gig, Joe Elliott, Las Vegas, Phil Collen, residency, review, Rick Allen, Rick Savage, Vivian Campbell | Leave a comment

Gig review: PETER FRAMPTON – Red Rocks Amphitheater, Colorado, USA, 31 July 2019

Posted on August 20, 2019 by andynathan

2019 has been a year of the farewells of many of the legends of classic rock. Already this year, I’ve seen UFO, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Kiss perform for (presumably) the final time in the UK and do their legacy proud. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 31 July 2019, Adam Lester, classic rock, Colorado, gig, Jason Bonham, Peter Frampton, Red Rocks Amphitheater, review, Rob Arthur | Leave a comment

Album review: PISTON-s/t

Posted on July 27, 2019 by andynathan

Release date 13.09.19 Midlands rockers Piston have been going since 2012 but having gone under the radar till now, their first album finally arrives in a year where they seem to be touring extensively and belatedly attracting attention. Opener ‘Dynamite’ … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, classic rock, interview, New Breed of classic rock, Piston, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: H.E.A.T. – Live at Sweden Rock Festival

Posted on July 16, 2019 by andynathan

Release Date 26.07.19 It’s not that long since H.E.A.T. released a live album recorded at London’s own Highbury Garage, but this release serves two purposes. One is to showcase the standard bearers of the younger breed of melodic rockers on … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Erik Gronwall, H.E.A.T., live album, melodic rock, Sweden Rock Festival | Leave a comment

Gig review: ZZ TOP, Jimmy Barnes – SSE Arena, Wembley, London, 12 July 2019

Posted on July 16, 2019 by andynathan

ZZ TOP, Jimmy Barnes- SSE Arena, Wembley, 12 July 2019

Here’s one for the music section of Guinness World Records – which band has had the longest continuous existence with the same line up? When I put this puzzle to friends ahead of this sole UK date marking ZZ Top’s … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, gig, Jimmy Barnes, review, southern rock, ZZ Top | Leave a comment

Album review: FIRST SIGNAL- Line of Fire

Posted on July 14, 2019 by andynathan

Release Date 17.05.19 First Signal was conceived some years back as a vehicle to reunite Harem Scarem singer Harry Hess with the pure melodic rock style that arguably began and ended with the Canadians’ debut album, before they diversified into … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Daniel Flores, First Signal, Harem Scarem, Harry Hess, melodic rock, Michael Palace, Stan Meissner | Leave a comment

Gig review: RICHARD MARX – British Summer Time, Hyde Park, London, 7 July 2019

Posted on July 9, 2019 by andynathan

It’s been eight years by my reckoning since Richard Marx last played the UK, and he ended this famine in unusual circumstances, added to the bill of the British Summer Time show headlined by Barbra Streisand just a couple of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged AOR, British Summer Time, gig, Hyde Park, review, Richard Marx, singer songwriter | Leave a comment

Gig review: BUCKET AND CO / COLLATERAL – Half Moon, Putney, London, 4 July 2019

Posted on July 9, 2019 by andynathan

After a June spent primarily at festivals and stadium shows, it was time to reconnect with what live gig going is really about by visiting the Half Moon, one of the few remaining pub venues in London that has continually … Continue reading →