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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
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Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD/Bluray) 2025
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Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD/Bluray) 2026
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Upcoming: UK & Ireland Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2025)
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Upcoming: UK & Ireland Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2026)
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Upcoming: Festivals UK & Europe (2026)
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Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2025)
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Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2026)
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Latest Album Reviews
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Album review : BRAZEN ABBOT – Live And Learn and Guilty As Sin (CD reissues)
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Album review : GRAHAM BONNET – Lost In Hollywood Again (Live)
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JIM PETERIK AND WORLD STAGE – River of Song – The Power Of Duets, Volume 1
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Album review: HENGE – Journey to Voltus B
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Album review : JIMI JAMISON – 1998 Live Hits
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Album review: DEWOLFF – Fuego!
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Latest Gig Reviews
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Gig review: STEVE OVERLAND AND JIM KIRKPATRICK- The Weir, Brentford, Middlesex, 9 December 2025
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Gig review: JOHN OTWAY – Face Bar, Reading, Thursday 11 December 2025
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Gig review: CURVED AIR – The Sub Rooms, Stroud, 20 November 2025
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Gig review: MARTIN BARRE & FRIENDS – Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, 18 November 2025
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GRTR! Greats
Featured Album Reviews
Features
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Single & EP Reviews
DVD Reviews
Book Reviews
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Author Archives: brianmc
Album review : BRAZEN ABBOT – Live And Learn and Guilty As Sin (CD reissues)
Frontiers [Release date : 12.12.25] Classically trained Bulgarian multi-instrumentalist, Nikolo Kotzev founded Brazen Abbot in 1995. He could play every stringed instrument known to rock’n’roll mankind, but needed a singer. Over these two reissues, released simultaneously, the cream of European … Continue reading
Album review : GRAHAM BONNET – Lost In Hollywood Again (Live)
Frontiers Music [Release date 12.12.25] Old Rock Stars never die, and judging by Lost In Hollywood Again, they never fade away either. A 77 year old Graham Bonnet is testament to that. Recorded in the legendary Whisky A Go Go, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Frontiers Music, Graham Bonnet, live, Lost In Hollywood, Rainbow, review, Schenker, Sunset Strip, Whisky A Go Go
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JIM PETERIK AND WORLD STAGE – River of Song – The Power Of Duets, Volume 1
Frontiers Music [Release date : 12.12.25] Guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, Jim Peterik led his own band, The Ides Of March, prior to forming Survivor in 1978. His subsequent history is well documented on Wiki. River of Song is his third … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
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Album review : JIMI JAMISON – 1998 Live Hits
Frontiers Music [Release date 12.12.25] A live Nashville gig in 1998 from the late Jimi Jamison, who died in 2014, aged 63. Survivor’s fifth album, Vital Signs (1984), the first with Jamison on board as the band’s vocalist, was a … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Jimi Jamison, Nashville, review, Survivor, Too Hot To Sleep, Vital Signs, When Seconds Count
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Album review : KEITH WEST – Cross That Bridge, The Anthology 1965-99 (2 CDs)
Strawberry Music [Release date 5.12.25] Like most musicians, Keith West’s life as a professional musician began inauspiciously. His career cycled through several bands in the early sixties, including most notably, Four Plus One and The In Crowd, before settling on … Continue reading
Album review : COUSINS & WILLOUGHBY – The Bridge
Witchwood Records [Release date 28.11.25] Brian Willoughby, a sought after session guitarist, worked with many musicians, most notably Dave Cousins and Mary Hopkins, ultimately joining Cousins in the Strawbs. The Bridge, a collaboration between Cousins and Willoughby, was recorded in … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Blue Weaver, Cousins, Mary Hopkins, review, Roberto Cacciapaglia, The Bridge, The Strawbs, Venice, Willoughby, Witchwood
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Album review : WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS – Covers of The Beatles 1967-70
Cherry Red [Release date [28.11.25] The Beatles are the gift to the music world that just keeps on giving. It’s a neat twist that the band who made their name initially by doing cover versions on stage in Germany in … Continue reading
Album review : LYNCH MOB – Dancing With The Devil
Frontiers [Release date 28.11.25] Now white haired and bearded, Septuagenarian Lynch had said a few years back that he would soon be retiring the Lynch Mob name, due to its racist connotations. And so, Dancing With The Devil, the second … Continue reading
Album review : STRYPER – The Greatest Gift Of All
Frontiers Music [Release date : 21.11.25] The Greatest Gift Of All is Stryper’s 16th studio album. The line up remains Michael Sweet, Robert Sweet, Oz Fox and Perry Richardson, solid for 8 years now. When we reviewed their last two … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Christmas, classic metal, festive, Frontiers Music, Gene Krupa, hard rock, Michael Sweet, review, Silent Night, Stryper
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Album review : TREAT – The Wild Card
Frontiers Music [Release date : 21.11.25] Wild Card is Swedish melodic rock band, Treat’s 10th studio album since the debut in 1985. They’ve enjoyed the same line up since reforming 20 years ago. There’s not a moment here that isn’t … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Brother Firetribe, Classic Melodic Rock, Frontiers Music, Poodles, review, Treat, WET, Wild Card
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Album review : URIAH HEEP – The Shadow And The Wind: 1973-74 (5 CD Boxset)
Cherry Red [Release date 28.11.25] CD1: Live 1973 CD2: US Radio Show plus Radio shows, Mixes for radio, Love Machine Rock’n’Roll Medley CD3 : Sweet Freedom +5 bonus (1973) CD4: Wonderworld +6 bonus (1974) CD5 : Live At Shepperton Another … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 1974, Cherry Red, classic rock, Donald Guarisco, Malcolm Dome, review, Sweet Freedom, Uriah Heep, Wonderworld
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Album review : THE BLUES BROTHERS – The Lost Recordings (blue vinyl)
Z2Comics [Release date : 21.11.25] “From The Vaults Of John Belushi Comes 13 Unreleased Live Performances of THE BLUES BROTHERS” An apocryphal tale you might think, but apparently the tapes referenced were found by his late wife, Judy Belushi, in … Continue reading
Album review : CASSIDY PARIS – Bittersweet
Frontiers Music [Release date : 21.11.25] Bittersweet is Australian songbird, Cassidy Paris’s second long player on the Frontiers Music label, a follow up to the debut, New Sensation. Paris was “discovered” in her youth, and subsequently mentored, by Paul (Danger … Continue reading
Album review : SPIRIT – Sea Dream (4CD Expanded and Remastered boxset)
Cherry Red [Release date : 28.11.25] Californian band, Spirit, blossomed in the fertile fields of psychedelic rock. They came together in 1967, the year of “The Summer Of Love”, a year later they released their self titled debut. Its febrile … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged expanded, live, posthumous, Randy California, remastered, review, rock, Sea Dream, Spirit, studio
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Album review : CHEAP TRICK – All Washed Up
BMG [Release date 14.11.25] Cheap Trick’s best since Rockford. Some people thought it was all over, thus the tongue-in-cheek title. It’s no exaggeration to call this 40 minute album’s worth of expertly crafted songs a heavy hitting tour de force. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged All Washed Up, Cheap Trick, Daxx, melodic rock, review, Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander, Tom Petersen
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Album review : TOKYO BLADE – Beware The Blade – Classic, Rare and Unreleased, 4 CD Boxset
Cherry Red [Release date : 21.11.25] A 4CD boxset of the best of Tokyo Blade’s 14 albums (and more). It’s not called a “Best Of”, but that’s what it is. CD1 : selections from Midnight Rendezvous (1984) and Night Of … Continue reading
Album review : HELL IN THE CLUB – The Joker In The Pack
Frontiers Music [Release date 7.11.25] The Hell In The Club line up comprised originally of ex-members of better named bands, like Elvenking (Dave Moras), Secret Sphere (Andrea Buratto) and Wrathchild (Andrea Piccardi). Of course the HITC band name is old … Continue reading
Album review : RONNIE ROMERO – Backbone
Frontiers Music [Release date 24.10.25] Over the last ten years, stints with pre-eminent rock artists like Schenker and Vandenberg, plus spells with Rainbow and Sunstorm have tended to overshadow Ronnie Romero’s solo stuff. When he released Raised on Radio (2022) … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Backbone, Frontiers Music, Jose Rubio, Rainbow, review, Ronnie Romero, Schenker, Sunstorm, Vandenberg
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Album review : DEFECTO – Echoes Of Isolation
Frontiers Music [Release date 31.10.25] Strongly encouraged by famed producer, Flemming (Rainbow/ Metallica/ Pretty Maids/ Blind Guardian) Rasmussen, Danish singer/ guitarist/ songwriter, Nicklas Sonne put Defecto together in 2011. Echoes of Isolation is their fourth studio album, and the band … Continue reading
Album review : SHIRAZ LANE – In Vertigo
Frontiers Music [Release date 24.10.25] Finnish rock band Shiraz Lane have been a going concern for ten years now. In Vertigo is their 6th album, with a smattering of EPs released in between. It’s described by the label as “an … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Alexander Kronlund, HEAT, In Vertigo, Max Martin, Per Aldaheim, Reckless Love, review, Santa Cruz, Shiraz Lane
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Album review : LEAH MARTIN-BROWN – Love & Other Crimes
Frontiers Music [Release date 24.10.25] Australian born, but now resident in Europe via the USA, amazingly gifted singer Leah Martin-Brown releases her debut album on Frontiers Music this month. She’s got a lot going for her before we hear a … Continue reading
Album review : WEST, BRUCE & LAING – Out In The Fields – The albums 1972-74
Esoteric [Release date : 31.10.25] Three searing samples of the red hot rock’n’roll that emanated from supergroup, West, Bruce & Laing. No surprise really. Their genesis lies in the live improvisations of Jack Bruce’s previous band, Cream, and the hard … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Corky Laing, Cream, Jack Bruce, Leslie West, Mountain, Out In The Fields, review, seventies, West Bruce & Laing
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Album review : WRATHCHILD AMERICA – Climbing the Walls / 3-D (2 CD remasters w/bonus tracks)
Cherry Red [Release date : 24.10.25] Back in 1984, founding member, vocalist and bass man, Brad Divens gave up a career in the straight world to “make it” with his Thrash Metal band, Wrathchild America. It was a high risk … Continue reading
Album review : ATOMIC ROOSTER – Circle The Sun
Cherry Red/Esoteric [Release date 10.10.25] 40 years between albums is pushing it a bit. But for Atomic Rooster, that’s where we are. The band’s last album, Headline News, was their seventh, released in 1983. Two generations ago, give or take. … Continue reading
Singles review : TREAT – ’1985′ and ‘Adam and Evil’
Frontiers Music [Release date : 26.09.25] Arena Rock experts and more, Treat recently released ‘Adam and Evil’ and ‘1985’ as teaser trailers for their forthcoming long player, The Wild Card, due out in November. The band’s high-sheen recording craft is … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged arena rock, Frontiers, melodic rock, review, singles, Treat, Wild Card
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