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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
Latest Gig Reviews
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Gig review: PAUL McCARTNEY- 02 Arena, London, 18 December 2024
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Gig review: BLACK EYED SONS- The Lexington, London, 16 December 2024
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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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Featured Album Reviews
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Album review: SIMON PHILLIPS – Protocol 4
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Album review: PJ FARLEY – Boutique Sound Frames
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DVD Review: ELVIS COSTELLO – Detour Live At Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
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Album review: WINGER – Seven
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Album review: IRON MAIDEN – Nights Of The Dead, Legacy Of The Beast: Live In Mexico City
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Album review: THE TREATMENT – Power Crazy
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Features
Interviews
Single & EP Reviews
DVD Reviews
Book Reviews
News
Author Archives: andynathan
Album review: IAN HUNTER AND THE RANT BAND – Fingers Crossed
[Release Date 16.09.16] The loss of so many of rock’s greats in 2016 reminds us that we should cherish those still left from the golden generation, particularly those who still have something to say. Ian Hunter falls into this category, … Continue reading
Album review: PALACE- Master of the Universe
Frontiers [Release Date 26.08.16] No relation (sadly) to the footballing pride of South London, Palace is the eponymous project of poodle-haired Swedish singer Michael. I remember his band Big Time showing promise when they supported Houston in London in 2014, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Master Of The Universe, melodic rock, Michael Palace, Palace, review
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Gig review: WEYFEST- Rural Life Centre, Tilford, Surrey, 19-21 August 2016
Weyfest celebrated its 10th anniversary at the Rural Life Centre, a rustic setting that suits its ambience as one of the more laid back of festivals. Situated on the Surrey/Hampshire borders in what was once known as the stockbroker belt, … Continue reading
Gig review: MOONDANCE JAM – Walker, Minnesota, USA, 21-23 July 2016
Considering the previous generation thought rock n roll was a passing fad, and given the pace of change in the industry, it is a substantial feat for any rock festival to reach a 25 year milestone. It is even more … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
Tagged 21-23 July 2016, Blues Traveler, Boston, Bush, Chevelle, Chicago, festival, Firehouse, Foghat, gig, Godsmack, Kix, LITTLE RIVER BAND, Loverboy, Minnesota, Moondance Jam, Queensryche, review, Sixx:AM, Thundherstruck, USA, Walker
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Gig review: NAZARETH – Under The Bridge, London, 17 July 2016
Gigs by Nazareth in the UK –certainly in London – used to be as rare as rocking horse dung with the veteran Scots finding the European and world markets more receptive to their enduring charms. However this nightclub, tucked away … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Carl Sentance, gig, hard rock, Jimmy Murrison, Lee Agnew, melodic rock, Nazareth, Paul Stead, Pete Agnew, review, the Darker My Horizon
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Album review: Q5 – New World Order
Frontiers [Release Date 08.07.16] Q5’s ‘Steel The Light’ was one of the cult classic metal albums of the eighties, blending an uncompromising approach with class vocals and massive hooks in distinctive fashion, lifting it above the myriad of average releases … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, hard rock, Jonathan Scott K, NWOBHM, Q5, review, Rick Pierce
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Gig review: 10cc – Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, 9 July 2016
Some of the great historic and cultural attractions in London are now opening their doors to a more contemporary entertainment form with a summer concert series. Following the likes of Hampton Court, Somerset House and Kew Gardens is now the … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 10CC, 9 July 2016, Cockney Rebel, gig, Graham Gouldman, Greenwich Music Time, Mick Wilson, Old Royal Naval College, Paul Burgess, pop, progressive, review, Rick Fenn, rock, Steve Harley, Steve Hayman
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Album review: FIRST SIGNAL- One Step Over The Line
Frontiers Records [Release Date 03.06.16] Even by the standards of the production line mentality that bedevils the melodic rock genre, First Signal’s second album may appear to risk a lack of cohesion. The one survivor from the team that created … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Daniel Flores, First Signal, Harem Scarem, Harry Hess, melodic rock, One Step Over The Line, review
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Gig review: RITCHIE BLACKMORE’S RAINBOW – Genting Arena, Birmingham, 25 June 2016
For us rock fans of a certain age – perhaps from early forties to sixty-ish – Ritchie Blackmore sits in the pantheon of rock royalty. As guitarist and songwriter in both Deep Purple and his own band Rainbow, he pushed … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Candice Night, classic rock, Deep Purple, gig, heavy rock, Jens Johansson, Rainbow, review, Ritchie Blackmore, Ronnie Romero
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Album review: PARIS- The World Outside
(Release Date 01.07.16) France is not best known as a hotbed of melodic rock, but singer/keyboardist Frederic Dechevanne and guitarist Sebastien Montet and their band named after the French capital represent one of the the best attempts yet from a … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, melodic rock, NEWMAN, Paris
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Gig review: STONE FREE FESTIVAL Day 2 – O2 Arena, London, 19 June 2016
While the first day of the debut Stone Free festival had an eclectic mix of bands, the second was far more coherent with the theme of progressive rock both in the main arena and the Indigo. Combined with an older … Continue reading
Gig review: STONE FREE FESTIVAL Day 1 – 02 Arena, London, 18 June 2016
Once upon a time, gigs took place indoors, or in football stadiums for the very largest acts, and festivals in a muddy field. While rock festival demographics have gradually got older, the havoc wreaked by the vagaries of the English … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Alice Cooper, Apocalyptica, Blackberry Smoke, blues rock, festival, gig, glam, Jackaman, Jared James Nichols, Michael Monroe, review, rock, southern rock, Stone Free, The Darkness, THERAPY?
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Gig review: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND – Wembley Stadium, 5 June 2016
If ’Born To Run’ established his legend, it was the broad sweep of his ambitious double album ‘The River’ way back in 1980 that propelled Bruce Springsteen into the mainstream, at least here in the UK where as a teenager … Continue reading
Gig review: BERNIE MARSDEN – The Horn, St Albans, 8 June 2016
The back room of a Hertfordshire pub, which is also one of the South-East’s longest running music venues, was the unlikely setting for a one off date with guitarist Bernie Marsden, shaking off his jetlag from a trip to the … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 8 June 2016, Bernie Marsden, blues, blues rock, FM, gig, Jim Kirkpatrick, review, St Albans, The Horn, Whitesnake
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Album review: SUNSTORM- Edge Of Tomorrow
Frontiers [Release date 03.06.10] Sunstorm have never been a band as such, but the name given to a Frontiers Records studio project which is now four albums strong over a decade, the one common link being Joe Lynn Turner’s evergreen … Continue reading
Album review: TED POLEY- Beyond The Fade
Frontiers [Release date 13.05.16] A matter of weeks after some erstwhile bandmates produced one of the albums of the year with the Defiants, Danger Danger singer Ted Poley responds with his own latest solo album. A solo album is usually … Continue reading
Gig review: LEAFHOUND – The Eel Pie Club, Twickenham, 19 May 2016
One of the great cult bands, Leafhound are still very much a going concern, but tour frustratingly infrequently. This show was on singer Pete French’s stamping ground, though the younger generation who have picked up on Leafhound as an influence … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 19 May 2016, blues rock, Eel Pie Club, gig, hard rock, Jim Rowland, Leafhound, Luke Rayner, Pete French, Peter Herbert, review, Twickenham
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Album review: VEGA – Who We Are
Frontiers [Release Date 13.05.16] Standard bearers for a new breed of melodic rock that marries the big hooks of the genre’s heyday with more contemporary arrangements and production, Vega have stood the test of time, this being their fourth album … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, The Best Of 2016
Tagged album, Harry Hess, James Martin, melodic rock, Nick Workman, review, Tom Martin, Vega, Who We Are
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Album review: SUNSTRIKE- Ready To Strike
AOR Heaven [Release Date 20.05.16] It seems to be par for the course for Scandinavian musicians from a heavier background to create new side projects to indulge their love of more commercial melodic rock. Following in the footsteps of the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Astral Doors, hard rock, melodic rock, Ready To Strike, review, Sunstrike
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Album review: PJ FARLEY – Boutique Sound Frames
Melodic Rock Records [Release Date 20.05.16] Hot on the heels of Trixter’s acclaimed ‘Human Era’ album which was one of 2015’s unexpected treats, bassist PJ Farley has released his debut album, although judging from an album cover in which his … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, alternative rock, melodic rock, PJ Farley, review, Steve Brown, Trixter
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Gig review: BRYAN ADAMS – Bournemouth International Centre, 29 April 2016
After a few years either commemorating landmark albums or playing acoustic shows, Bryan Adams was back on a more conventional tour of his adopted home country in support of last year’s ‘Get Up’ album, which was a return to form … Continue reading
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Tagged 29 April 2016, AOR, Bournemouth International Centre, Bryan Adams, Gary Breit, gig, Keith Scott, melodic rock, Micky Curry, review, rock
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Gig review: JEFF LYNNE’S ELO – 02 Arena, London, 20 April 2016
For most of the past 30 years the notion that the Electric Light Orchestra would be selling out a 14 date UK arena tour would have seemed preposterous. Always derided by critics and seen as uncool, since their creative juices … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Electric Light Orchestra, ELO, gig, Jeff Lynne, Mike Stevens, pop rock, review, Richard Tandy, soft rock
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Album review: TREAT- Ghost Of Graceland
Frontiers Records [Release date 15.04.16] One of the pioneers, alongside the more famous Europe, of the definitive Scandinavian sound, Treat’s 2010 return ‘Coup de Grace’ features prominently in many lists of the best melodic rock albums of the last decade. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Ghost of Graceland, melodic rock, review, Robert Ernlund, Scandinavia, Sweden, Treat
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Album review: THE DEFIANTS – The Defiants
Frontiers Records [Release Date 15.04.16] The Paul Laine era of Danger Danger, where the Canadian singer kept the flag flying during the wilderness years before the charismatic Ted Poley returned, is often unfairly neglected, not least in the band’s own … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Bruno Ravel, Danger Danger, Defiants, Frontiers Records, melodic rock, Paul Laine, review, Rob Marcello
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Gig review: TOSELAND, Borderline, London – 22 March 2016
With the release of a second album ‘Cradle The Rage’, former motorcycle world champion James Toseland has surely laid to rest any suggestions his musical career might be a gimmick, certainly on the evidence of what seemed to be a … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 22 March 2016, Borderline, Colour Of Noise, gig, hard rock, James Toseland, Little Angels, London, review, rock, Toseland
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