Author Archives: andynathan

Gig review: GUN- The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 14 April 2023

GUN- The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 14 April 2023

Last year Gun’s revitalised career took a new twist when they revisited and reimagined songs from their past in acoustic fashion in ‘The Calton Songs’. The next step was to take the format on the road with an extensive tour. … Continue reading

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Album review: IAN HUNTER- Defiance Part 1

IAN HUNTER- Defiance Part 1

Sun Records (Release Date 21.04.23) Ian Hunter has taken into unchartered territory the concept of what rock n rollers are like when they reach a great age. Having celebrated his 80th birthday in 2019 with a Mott the Hoople 74 … Continue reading

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Gig review: ELTON JOHN- The 02 London, 9 April 2023

ELTON JOHN- The 02 London, 9 April 2023

When Elton John announced he was retiring from live shows with a “Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ tour, it was time to cross one of the very few remaining living artists off my bucket list. I hung the expense and bought … Continue reading

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Gig review: HARDWICKE CIRCUS- Cabbage Patch, Twickenham, 6 April 2023

HARDWICKE CIRCUS- Cabbage Patch, Twickenham, 6 April 2023

Hardwicke Circus, from the unlikely rock’ n’.roll hotbed of Carlisle are building a name for themselves. This is no overnight sensation as I actually saw an earlier line-up as long ago as 2017 supporting Southside Johnny (and am vaguely flattered … Continue reading

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Book review: On track….VAN HALEN- every album, every song by Morgan Brown

On track....VAN HALEN- every album, every song

Sonicbond Publishing (Release Date 24.02.23) The latest in the ever expanding ‘On Track’ series finds author Morgan Brown with the unenviable task of saying something fresh about Van Halen, given how much has already been written, especially after Eddie Van … Continue reading

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Gig review: TED POLEY – The Black Heart, London, 29 March 2023

TED POLEY- The Black Heart, London, 29 March 2023

The irrepressible, infectious figure of singer Ted Poley has been a welcome visitor to these shores regularly over the years, both with Danger Danger and also in a variety of other projects such as Bone Machine and Melodica.  However he … Continue reading

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Gig review: LAURENCE JONES, Boom Boom Club, Sutton – 10 March 2023

LAURENCE JONES, Boom Boom Club, Sutton- 10 March 2023

The 21st century has seen a huge number of young blues guitar prodigies emerge from the UK and then establish themselves to a greater or lesser degree- Joanne Shaw Taylor, Oli Brown, Virgil McMahon and Aynsley Lister to name but … Continue reading

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Gig review: KING KING – Electric Ballroom, London, 9 March 2023

KING KING- Electric Ballroom, London, 9 March 2023

King King are a reliably regular touring act and this spring tour comes exactly a year after the last. If there was a sense of curiosity last year about the new line up with Alan Nimmo joined by big brother … Continue reading

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Gig review: BRAVE RIVAL – Tropic at Ruislip, London, 5 March 2023

BRAVE RIVAL- Tropic at Ruislip, London, 5 March 2023

In an ever more crowded field of new acts, particularly in the world of blues rock, it is hard to sort out the exceptional talent from the merely good. As a shortcut through this minefield, I tend to rely on … Continue reading

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Gig review: BLACK STAR RIDERS – Shepherds Bush Empire, 26 February 2023

BLACK STAR RIDERS, Shepherds Bush Empire- 26 February 2023

Prior to the pandemic Black Star Riders were one of the hardest working acts, seemingly constantly on tour or playing festivals. So it was something of a surprise that this was their first tour since Lockdown, though there have been … Continue reading

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Gig review: MARTIN TURNER – Boom Boom Club, Sutton, 24 February 2023

MARTIN TURNER- Boom Boom Club, Sutton, 24 February 2023

For the last few years founder member Martin Turner has delighted his Wishbone Ash fans with a series of tours that have featured one of their classic albums in their entirety. As that particular list has progressed to the lower … Continue reading

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Gig review: STONE BROKEN – 100 Club, London, 23 February 2023

STONE BROKEN- 100 Club, London, 23 February 2023

After a fairly conventional tour schedule in 2022 (in which I caught their London show, rearranged for the Scala, and two festival appearances) Stone Broken decided on a new approach for a second leg of dates in support of most … Continue reading

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Gig review: KRIS BARRAS BAND – The Forum, Tunbridge Wells, 7 February 2023

KRIS BARRAS BAND- The Forum, Tunbridge Wells, 7 February 2023

If there were a prize for the hardest working band in rock, the Kris Barras Band must be in contention. This second full length tour in 10 months takes in a remarkable 25 dates and despite these difficult times has … Continue reading

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Gig review: BLACK STONE CHERRY AND THE DARKNESS – Wembley Arena, London, 4 February 2023

BLACK STONE CHERRY AND THE DARKNESS- Wembley Arena, London, 4 February 2023

When this joint headline arena tour was announced, my first thoughts were that Black Stone Cherry and The Darkness were not natural bedfellows- the earnest blue collar southern rockers from Kentucky and the eccentric English band from East Anglia who … Continue reading

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Gig review: DIRTY HONEY – The Garage, London, 24 January 2023

DIRTY HONEY- The Garage, London, 24 January 2023

Many American bands are choosing to skip Europe and the UK with the rising cost of touring. And the cost of living crisis and the sheer volume of gigs as the industry tries to make up for the time lost … Continue reading

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Album review; URIAH HEEP – Chaos and Colour

URIAH HEEP- Chaos and Colour

Silver Lining Music [Release Date 27.01.23] Uriah Heep spent last year belatedly celebrating their 50th anniversary with some special live shows that showed their distinguished legacy to its finest. But they have also had a contemporary new lease of life. … Continue reading

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Album review: BLACK STAR RIDERS- Wrong Side of Paradise

BLACK STAR RIDERS- Wrong Side of Paradise

Earache Records (Release date 20.01.23) Black Star Riders first album in over three years marks a turning point in the life of the band. It is the first recorded without Scott Gorham, leaving only singer Ricky Warwick from the original … Continue reading

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Gig review: THE DEAD DAISIES – 02 Forum, London, 6 December 2022

THE DEAD DAISIES- 02 Forum, London, 6 December 2022

The constantly revolving lineups of travelling supergroup The Dead Daisies, the plaything of rhythm guitarist and businessman David Lowy, seem to have reached some belated stability, fronted by the equally mercurial Glenn Hughes. They were back in London to promote … Continue reading

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Gig review: THE NEW ROSES – Camden Underworld, London, 1 December 2022

THE NEW ROSES- Camden Underworld, London, 1 December 2022

It’s been a case of making up for lost time for German rockers The New Roses.  I’d been highly impressed by their headline London show at this same venue in late 2018 and the following year’s ‘Nothing But Wild’ was … Continue reading

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Gig review: DANNY VAUGHN – The Grace, London, 4 December 2022

DANNY VAUGHN- The Grace, London, 4 December 2022

Danny Vaughn was one of those troubadours who made lockdown life more bearable for rock fans with his ‘Vaughnsday’ on line acoustic performances from his living room.  The pandemic had interrupted his usual busy schedule, whether solo, with Tyketto or … Continue reading

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Album review: JESS HAYES BAND- On My Own

JESS HAYES BAND- On My Own

Independent (Release Date 2021) Jess Hayes has a distinguished musical pedigree as the daughter of Val Cowell and Richard Hayes of long-running blues rockers Bad Influence, and has been making a name with her own band on the South and … Continue reading

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Album review: PERFECT PLAN- Brace for Impact

PERFECT PLAN- Brace for Impact

Frontiers Records (release date 14.10.22) Of the multitude of Scandinavian melodic rock bands to emerge in recent years, Perfect Plan have been one of the best. Indeed their second album ‘Time for a Miracle’ was my album of 2020. The … Continue reading

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Gig review: SQUEEZE- Hammersmith Apollo, London, 19 November 2022

SQUEEZE- Hammersmith Apollo, London, 19 November 2022

Squeeze’s hit making days may be long behind them but the band have a remarkable longevity: as Chris Difford mentioned from the stage, he and Glenn Tilbrook have now been writing together for 50 years. However rather than being reduced … Continue reading

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Gig review: PETER FRAMPTON – Royal Albert Hall, London, 8 November 2022

PETER FRAMPTON- Royal Albert Hall, London, 8 November 2022

In 2019 Peter Frampton broke the sad news that he had a progressive muscle weakening disorder and embarked on a farewell tour, which I was lucky enough to catch that summer at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. Dates for his … Continue reading

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Gig review: KINGDOM OF MADNESS- 100 Club, London, 28 October 2022

KINGDOM OF MADNESS- 100 Club, London, 28 October 2022

When Mark Stanway abruptly quit Magnum midway through a tour late in 2016, a significant trinity was broken up, as he had been the longest serving band member after Bob Catley and Tony Clarkin, his keys playing a big part … Continue reading

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