Author Archives: david.wilson

Gig review: BEARDED THEORY’S SPRING GATHERING – Catton Park, Derbyshire, 23 – 26 May 2019

Posted on June 3, 2019 by david.wilson

Life, Love and Unity. The Dreadzone motto of “Life, love and unity” has never been more perfectly exemplified than at Bearded Theory’s Spring Gathering. It’s a philosophy that seems to be embraced by the Beardy tribe. Fields full of friendly folk, a fantastic line up, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 2019, Bearded Theory, Catton Park, Dreadzone, Editors, festival, folk, Idlewild, Imperial Leisure, Little Steven, live, Pulled Apart By Horses, punk, Reef, Rev Hammer, rock, Suede, The Blinders, The Dreadnoughts, The Mahones, The Orb, The Slow Readers Club, Thw Wildhearts | Leave a comment

Gig review: THE WILDHEARTS – Liquid Rooms, Edinburgh, 4 May 2019

Posted on May 6, 2019 by david.wilson

In the spirit of those bastions of journalism The Sun and The Star I am going to start the review with a sensational headline ‘Wildhearts Mime On Stage Shocker!!’. Fake news I hear you cry, but no this really did … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 4th May 2019, Baz Mills, Caffiene Bomb, CJ Wildheart, Danny McCormack, Edinbugh, Full Nelson, gig, Ginger Wildheart, Liquid Rooms, live, Massive Wagons, Renaissance Men, review, rock, Status Quo, the Wildhearts, Towers Of London | Leave a comment

EP review: STORMCHASER – Breaking The Silence

Posted on April 17, 2019 by david.wilson

Self Release [Release date 04.05.19] Stormchaser are a local band for me, they have been playing live around Central Scotland for a few years and have built up a good following and a good reputation. The guys master in all things classic rock … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged Alva, Bad Co, Breaking The Silence, CD, classic rock, Doogie White, EP, Free, Journey, Michael Schenker, rock, Stormchaser | Leave a comment

Album review: THE WILDHEARTS – Renaissance Men

Posted on April 17, 2019 by david.wilson

Graphite Records [Release Date 03.05.19] The Wildhearts are back with a new album, their first full release in ten years, and boy is it worth the wait. What we have here are ten joyous slabs of perfect pop rock with more harmonies per chorus than most … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, CD, CJ Wildheart, Dislocated, Ginger Wildheart, Graphite records, pop, punk, rock, the Wildhearts | Leave a comment

Album review: THE TREATMENT – Power Crazy

Posted on April 8, 2019 by david.wilson

Frontiers Music [Release date 22.03.19] The Treatment have been the bridesmaid in rock for far too long. They have been the perennial support band with some major tours under their belts but they have never managed to make the breakthrough into the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged AC/DC, album CD, Buckcherry, Def Leppard, Frontier Records, Kiss, metal, Power Crazy, rock, Tagore Grey, The Treatment, Tom Rampton | Leave a comment

Album review: STATUS QUO – The Vinyl Singles Collection – 2000-2010

Posted on April 8, 2019 by david.wilson

UMC [Release date 26.04.19] This box set is the last release in a series of 5 charting all the single releases from Quo throughout their long career. As with the previous box sets each single is lovingly recreated in its … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 2000 - 2010, All Stand Up (Never Say Never), collection, Francis Rossi, Jam Side Down, live, Rick Parfitt, rock, singles, Status Quo, Vinyl | Leave a comment

Gig review: BIG COUNTRY – Town House, Hamilton, 30 March 2019

Posted on April 8, 2019 by david.wilson

Big Country have been racking up the miles in recent years as they are constantly on tour somewhere in the world. The fact that the guys can still fill halls across the UK and beyond is testament to the quality … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 30th March 2019, Big Country, Brue Watson Simon Haugh, Celtic, Fields Of Fire, gig, Hamilton, live, review, Rianne Downey, rock, Steeltown, Town House | Leave a comment

Gig review: GREAT BRITISH ROCK & BLUES FESTIVAL – Butlins, Skegness, 18 – 20 January 2019

Posted on January 29, 2019 by david.wilson

Butlins in Skegness opened its doors to the holidaying masses back in 1936 and since then it has been serving up summertime fun and thrills as Billy Butlin intended. But during the cold winter months the site is mostly deserted, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Tagged 18 to 20 January 2019, AC/DC. Sugarray Rayford, Billy Bremners Rockfiles, blues, Bon UK, Born Hunter, Burnt Out Wreck, Butlins, Dare, Darren Wharton, Dave Edmunds, Felix Rabin, FM, Gary Moat, Geordie, Graham Oliver, Great British Rock And Blues Festival, House Of The Rising Sun, Jack Broadbet, Jethro Tull, JFK Blue, Jim Kirkpatrick, John Verity, Kingdom Of Madness, Magnum, Mark Stanway, Mark Wright, Martin Barre, Mike Ross, Mike Vernon, NINE BELOW ZERO, Oliver Dawson Saxon, Rhinos revenge, RHR, Robert J. Hunter, rock, SKAM!, Skegness, Stan The Band, Status Quo, Steve Dawson, Steve Overland, The Animals And Friends, Thin Lizzy | Leave a comment

Gig review: URIAH HEEP – Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London, 14 December 2018

Posted on December 30, 2018 by david.wilson

Classic Rock doesn’t get much more classic than this, with Uriah Heep promoting their latest opus Living The Dream and this London show, given the amount of friends and family present, a bit like a homecoming. With two support bands, the doors opened at … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 14th December 2018, Bernie Shaw, Dante Gizzi, gig, Gun, Jools Gizzi, live, Living The Dream, London, Mick Box, Phil Lanzon, prog, rock, Shepherds Bush Empre, Uriah Heep, Von Hertzen Brothers | Leave a comment

Gig review: DEF LEPPARD – Wembley Arena, London, 8 December 2018

Posted on December 30, 2018 by david.wilson

In the Def Leppard career chronicles, 1987’s ‘Hysteria’ will always loom large. Although its predecessor ‘Pyromania’ was a 10 million selling phenomenon in the USA and opened a lot of doors for similar bands, ‘Hysteria’ was on a different scale level altogether. Four years in the crafting, the album fused a hard rock image with the crafted sensibilities … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 18th December 2018, Cheap Trick, Def Leppard, gig, Hysteria, Joe Elliott, live, London, Phil Collin, Rick Allen, Rick Neilson, Rick Savage, Robin Zander, Wembley Arena | Leave a comment

Album review: MASSIVE WAGONS – Full Nelson

Posted on December 19, 2018 by david.wilson

Earache Records [Release date 10.08.18] Massive Wagons must be one of the hardest working bands in the UK. Over the last few years they have toured incessantly up and down the country and have gradually built a huge following which is … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Baz Mills, CD, Earache Records, Full Nelson, Massive Wagons, review, Rick Parfitt, rock, Slade, Status Quo, Under No Illusion | Leave a comment

Album review: ALCATRAZZ – Live In Japan

Posted on December 19, 2018 by david.wilson

Frontiers Records [Release date 28.09.18] This live album captures Alcatrazz on their 1984 Japanese tour at the Nankano Sun Plaza in Tokyo. This is the recently discovered full version of the show which has been remastered and features a set … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 1984, album, Alcatrazz, CD, Complete, Graham Bonnet, Live In Japan, metal, Rainbow, review, rock, Tokyo, Yngwie J Malmsteen | Leave a comment

Album review: GINGER WILDHEART – G.A.S.S Mark 2

Posted on November 19, 2018 by david.wilson

Round Records [ Release Date 20.09.18] The approach with every Ginger Wildheart album is ‘expect the unexpected’. Ginger is not one for sticking to a particular genre or style on his albums and this release is no different, only Devin Townsend can touch Ginger in the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Devin Townsend, G.A.S.S mark 2, Ginger Wildheart, metal, review, rock, Round Records, Solo, the Wildhearts, Year Of The Fanclub | Leave a comment

Album review: STATUS QUO – Vinyl Singles Collection (1990 – 1999)

Posted on November 19, 2018 by david.wilson

UMC/Mercury [Release date 30.11.18] This is the foutth vinyl singles collection release from the Quo back catalogue each covering a different decade with all 7 inch singles lovingly recreated and packaged as a collector’s box set. When thinking of Status Quo’s output throughout their career perhaps the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 1990 - 1999, album, Anniversary Waltz, Beach Boys, blues, Dave Edmunds, Francis Rossi, review, Rick Parfitt, rock, Rock Til You Drop, Singles Collection, Status Quo, Steeleye Span | Leave a comment

Gig review: SAXON – Barrowlands, Glasgow,18 October 2018

Posted on October 22, 2018 by david.wilson

Saxon, as Biff reminded us during tonight’s show, are rapidly approaching their 40th anniversary. With this in mind the band would be forgiven if they decided to slow down a bit and started taking things a bit easier. However, on tonight’s … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 18th October 2018, Barrowlands, Biff Byford, Denim And Leather, FM, gig, Glasgow, heavy metal, Iron Maiden, Jim Kirkpatrick, live, Nigal Glockler, review, rock, Saxon, Steve Overland, Toby Jepson, Wayward Sons, Wheels Of Steel | Leave a comment

Gig review: GLENN HUGHES – Electric Ballroom, London, 15 October 2018

Posted on October 17, 2018 by david.wilson

For many years, high on my diminishing bucket list was a reformation of Mark 3 Deep Purple, from the years when the contrasting vocal talents of David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes revitalised the band, throwing fresh soul, blues and funk … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged blues, David Coverdale, Deep Purple, gig, Glenn Hughes, Joe Bonnamassa, Jon Lord, Laurence Jones, live, review, rock, Smoke On The Wate, Stormbringer, Tommy Bolan | Leave a comment

Gig review: (Ricky) WARWICK (Damon) JOHNSON – Audio, Glasgow, 12 October 2018

Posted on October 14, 2018 by david.wilson

Ricky Warwick - Audio, Glasgow, 12 October 2018

Audio isn’t the biggest venue in the world but on this particular Friday night had you been passing you would have been given to think that it was TARDIS like and contained thousands such was the volume of the crowd. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 12 October 2018, acoustic attack, audio, Black Star Riders, Damon Johnson, Gill Montgomery, Glasgow, Gun, Jools Gizzi, live, Ricky Warwick, Sam Woods, The Almighty, The Amorettes, Thin Lizzy, Wayward Sons | Leave a comment

Gig review: EUROPE – Royal Albert Hall, London, 23 September 2018

Posted on September 25, 2018 by david.wilson

EUROPE - Royal Albert Hall, London, 23 Sept 2018

While Britain’s future in Europe is shrouded in uncertainty, the eponymous Swedish rockers by contrast have a very close relationship with the UK. By my reckoning this was the tenth year in a row I had seen them on these … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 23 September 2018, Alan Nimmo, blues, Europe, gig, Joey Tempest, John Norum, King King, London, review, rock, Royal Albert Hall, The Final Countdown | Leave a comment

Album review: STATUS QUO – Deluxe Editions – 1+9+8+2, Back To Back, In The Army Now, Ain’t Complaining

Posted on September 22, 2018 by david.wilson

earMUSIC [release date 17.08.18] These albums are the next in line to get the Deluxe Edition reissue treatment which covers the band’s output during the 1980’s. This was a period which saw band members come and go, the ‘End Of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 1982, 80s, Ain't Complaining, Alan Lancaster, album, Back to Back, blues, End Of The Road, Francis Rossi, In The Army Now, Margurita Time, Ol Rag Blues, review, Rick Parfitt, rock, Status Quo, The Wanderer, Wembley. Live Aid | Leave a comment

Album review: STATUS QUO – Down Down & Dignified At The Royal Albert Hall and Down Down & Dirty At Wacken

Posted on September 22, 2018 by david.wilson

Status Quo - Down Down & Dirty At Wacken

earMUSIC [release date 17.08.18] These two albums have been released in tandem to demonstrate the two different sides of Quo and to prove that live they are still a must see. The Albert Hall show captures the band in full … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS | Tagged 2017, album CD, Aquostic, blues. Albert Hall, EarMusic, Francis Rossi, Germany, live, Mullet, Rick Parfitt, rock, Status Quo, Wacken Open Air | Leave a comment

Gig review: DEVON ALLMAN – Islington Assembly Hall, London, 4 September 2018

Posted on September 6, 2018 by david.wilson

DEVON ALLMAN BAND - Islington Assembly Hall, London - 4 September 2018

The legacy of the Allman Brothers Band unfortunately now needs to be secured by other means with the pioneering southern rockers having called it a day in 2014 and further members, including Gregg Allman having sadly passed away since. Fortunately … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Allman Brothers, blues, country, Devon Allman, Dickey Betts, Duane Betts, gig, Gregg Allman, Islinton Academy, London, Old Grey Whistle Tes, review, rock | Leave a comment

Gig review – STONEDEAF FESTIVAL – Newark Showground, 25 August 2018

Posted on August 31, 2018 by david.wilson

This festival had my attention from the first announcement. A group of enthusiasts lamenting the demise of the old one day Monsters Of Rock festivals wanted to resurrect the format for those sick of the multi day, multi stage festivals. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 25th August 2018, Andy Copping, Anvil. Massive Wagons, Blaze Bayley, Chrome Molly, Dave Sabo, Dragonforce, Fallen Mafia, festival, Graham Bonnet, Krusher, Lemmy, metal, Monsters Of Rock, Motley Brew, MSG, Newark Showground, Quireboys, Rainbow, rock, Skid Row, Spike, Stonedeaf, Wolfsbane, ZP Theart | Leave a comment

Gig Review: CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL, 2-5 August 2018

Posted on August 13, 2018 by david.wilson

I must begin with a confession; this was my first time attending Cambridge Folk Festival and I only recognised a handful of the acts scheduled to play. I know, I’m a folking heathen. Especially when you consider that the festival … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Tagged 2-5 August 2018, blues, Cambridge Folk Festival, Eric Bibb, First Aid Kit, folk, folk rock, gig, Janis Ian, John Prine, Peatbog Faeries, review | Leave a comment

Gig review: STEELHOUSE FESTIVAL DAY 3 – 29 July 2018

Posted on August 6, 2018 by david.wilson

Black Star Riders - STEELHOUSE FESTIVAL DAY 3 - 29 July 2018

There was a tentative start to Sunday as the dreadful weather continued with what can only be described as monsoon rains decided to throw in some 40mph gusts for good measure. The organisers opened the arena early so those in … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 29 July 2018, Barry Mills, Black Star Riders, day 3, Ebbw Vale, gig, Ginger Wildheart, Mason Hill, Massive Wagons, metal, review, Ricky Warwick, rock, South Wales, Steelhouse Festival, The Dead Dasies, The Dust Coda, The Quireboys, the Wildhearts, Thin Lizzy, Those Damn Crows | Leave a comment

Gig review: STEELHOUSE FESTIVAL DAY 2 – 28 July 2018

Posted on August 5, 2018 by david.wilson

Aaron Buchanan - STEELHOUSE FESTIVAL DAY 2 - 28 July 2018

When the weather is already a little inclement, you’re tempting fate slightly when the first band of the day play their tracks “Hurricane” and “Thunder Child”, but that’s exactly what The Bad Flowers did. If the rain hadn’t woke everybody … Continue reading →