Category Archives: GIG REVIEWS

Gig review: GRAHAM GOULDMAN – Cadogan Hall, London, 20 March 2025

GRAHAM GOULDMAN - The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, 7 March 2025

Graham Gouldman’s ‘Heart Full Of Songs’ is an inspirational evening built round his own remarkable song history and related stories. The show is fleshed out by glistening harmonies, salient hooks and a set list which interweaves the substance of his … Continue reading

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Gig review: THE DARKNESS – G Live, Guildford, 11 March 2025

THE DARKNESS – Regent Theatre, Ipswich, 6 March 2025

Say what you like about them- and many still do- the tale of The Darkness is a classic tale of redemption. The band that rose too fast to be the biggest thing in the pop let alone the rock world, … Continue reading

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Gig review: FISH – O2 Academy, Glasgow, 9 March 2025

FISH – O2 Academy, Glasgow, 9 March 2025

‘So here I am once more in the playground of the broken hearts…’ Fish and his music have been a constant in my life for the past 42 years. I first saw him onstage back on the 31st December 1983 … Continue reading

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Gig review: WILL WILDE- 100 Club, London, 4 March 2025

WILL WILDE- 100 Club, London, 4 March 2025

In the new wave of rising British blues stars, Will Wilde is something of an anomaly in that among all those guitar hot shots, his chosen instrument of speciality is the harmonica. He is clearly building a name for himself … Continue reading

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Gig review: URIAH HEEP – London Palladium, 26 February 2025

URIAH HEEP, London Palladium, 26 February 2025

All good things must come to an end, and even Uriah Heep’s long and distinguished career seemed to be winding down when they announced that their current tour would be their last and was being badged as ‘The Magician’s Farewell’. … Continue reading

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Gig review: THE VAPORS Album Launch – The Water Rats, London, 27 February 2025

THE VAPORS – Wasp In A Jar

The return of Guildford New Wave Power Popper’s The Vapors in 2016 after thirty-four years away from the scene was cause for celebration amongst the sharper observers on the scene. Best known for the iconic hit ‘Turning Japanese’ and their … Continue reading

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Gig review: MILKFEST- Indigo2, London, 23 February 2025

MILKFEST- Indigo2, London, 23 February 2025

Music shows its very best side when artists use their platform to do something for wider society. Organised by the Milk Men, Milkfest was intended as a celebration of the best of British blues but more importantly to raise funds … Continue reading

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Gig review: MIKE + THE MECHANICS – Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, 3 March 2025

MIKE + THE MECHANICS – Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, 3 March 2025

It’s amazing how the (living) years roll by. Mike + The Mechanics are now celebrating 40 years as an entity and show no signs of slowing down any time soon. Mike Rutherford, now shorn of the Genesis day job, has … Continue reading

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Gig review: FM- Chelmsford Social Club, Chelmsford, Essex, 21 February 2025

FM- Chelmsford Social Club, Chelmsford, Essex, 21 February 2025

FM’s busy touring schedule took on a fresh twist when they announced an acoustic tour for the first part of 2025. it was not a totally new venture for them, indeed in the early nineties they released a successful live … Continue reading

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Gig review: BETH HART – Hammersmith Apollo, 20 February 2025

Beth Hart London 20 Feb 2025 Photo by Manuela Langotsch (8)

An evening in the company of Beth Hart is always an immersive experience. Across her long career – and arguably never as popular in the UK as right now – this eclectic singer and musician never gives anything less than … Continue reading

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Gig review: SPIKE- Half Moon, Putney, London, 16 February 2025

SPIKE- Half Moon, Putney, London, 16 February 2025

The art of the raconteur, one who can tell stories about their life in an absorbing and amusing manner, is easy to attempt and difficult to carry off, as any of us who have had the misfortune to listen to … Continue reading

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Gig review: DAN BYRNE- Islington Academy 2, London, 9 February 2025

DAN BYRNE- Islington Academy 2, London, 9 February 2025

A few years ago, two of the younger generation of classic rock bands who promised to break through were Revival Black and Bigfoot. Sadly, despite releasing two albums and one respectively they called it a day when seemingly still having … Continue reading

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Gig review: BRAVE RIVAL – The Stables, Milton Keynes, 9 February 2025

BRAVE RIVAL – The Stables, Milton Keynes, 9 February 2025

The last twelve months have been nothing short of phenomenal for Brave Rival. They have taken the blues-rock world by storm, toured extensively and released their second album, ‘Fight or Flight’ to universal praise. Fronted by the twin vocals of … Continue reading

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Gig review: H.E.A.T- Islington Assembly Hall, London, 31 January 2025

H.E.A.T- Islington Assembly Hall, London, 31 January 2025

Photo: Les Linyard Nights like this do not come often enough in the UK for us lovers of melodic rock, with a touring triple bill of a newer generation of acts creating a fresh take on those sounds of the … Continue reading

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Gig review: BROTHERS OSBORNE- Hammersmith Apollo, London, 30 January 2025

BROTHERS OSBORNE- Hammersmith Apollo, London, 30 January 2025

The lines between the once separate worlds of rock and country continue to blur. Blackberry Smoke have for some years traded on their ‘too rock for country, too country for rock’ tagline and the same is true of Brothers Osborne. … Continue reading

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Gig review: MEDICINE HEAD- Cabbage Patch, Twickenham, 23 January 2025

MEDICINE HEAD- Cabbage Patch, Twickenham, 23 January 2025

Medicine Head may have had their moment in the (rising) sun with a number of unlikely hits in the early seventies, but singer John Fiddler is one of rock’s underappreciated names, respected enough to have been recruited by former Motts … Continue reading

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Gig review: MAGNUM – The O2 Forum, Kentish Town, London, 21 January 2025

Gig review: MAGNUM – The O2 Forum, Kentish Town, London, 21 January 2025

It is just over a year since the sad passing of Tony Clarkin, Magnum’s songwriter, guitarist and inspiration. And now the rest of the band have reformed to celebrate his glorious words and music. Titled ‘A Passage Through Time’ this … Continue reading

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Gig review: BAND OF FRIENDS – 229 Club, London, 12 January 2025

BAND OF FRIENDS- 229 Club, London, 12 January 2025

In the 30 years since his untimely death, the stock of the late Rory Gallagher continues to rise. Last year there was a new documentary shown on the BBC and hardly a week goes by without some form of tribute, … Continue reading

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Gig review: PAUL McCARTNEY- 02 Arena, London, 18 December 2024

PAUL MCCARTNEY- 02 Arena, London, 18 December 2024

Whatever your musical preferences (and the Beatles were in no way one of mine growing up), an objective analysis of the most significant figures in 20th century popular music would have Paul McCartney right up at the top, possibly only … Continue reading

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Gig review: BLACK EYED SONS- The Lexington, London, 16 December 2024

BLACK EYED SONS- The Lexington, London, 16 December 2024

This debut gig by the Black Eyed Sons marked the start of something new, after one of the more ill-fated episodes in rock history. When the other members of the Quireboys dismissed Spike, whatever the ins and outs, without the … Continue reading

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Gig review: BRAVE RIVAL – Thames Side Brewery, Staines, 8 December 2024

BRAVE RIVAL- Thames Side Brewery, Staines, 8 December 2024

The choice of several of this website’s writers, me included, as act of the year, I’ve seen Brave Rival many times over the past two years. Of all the venues, my favourite was the Thames Side Brewery, not too far … Continue reading

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Gig review: STRAY – The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 7 December 2024

STRAY- The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 7 December 2024

My sixth and final trip of the year to the Cavern which has been keeping the flag flying for live music ‘Sarf of the River’ was, fittingly, for a true rock legend.  Stray founding member and guitarist Del Bromham has … Continue reading

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Gig review: THE SHEEPDOGS, THE COMMONERS – Islington Assembly Hall, London, 5 December 2024

THE SHEEPDOGS, THE COMMONERS- Islington Assembly Hall, London, 5 December 2024

By coincidence, for the second week running, Islington Assembly Hall played host to a pair of bands playing music inspired by the sounds of the American south, yet based thousands of miles apart.  On the heels of Robert Jon and … Continue reading

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Gig review: GUN – Barrowlands, Glasgow, 14 December 2024

GUN – Barrowlands, Glasgow, 14 December 2024

Over the years many bands have embarked on a pre-Christmas tour around the nation. Status Quo and Motorhead are two that spring to mind, and going further back in time, the Sensational Alex Harvey Band’s Xmas shows in the Glasgow … Continue reading

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Gig review: THE DAMN TRUTH – The Grace, London, 26 November 2024

THE DAMN TRUTH – The Grace, London, 26 November 2024

I saw The Damn Truth last Summer at the Islington Academy and was impressed. Eighteen months later, the Montreal rockers were back in town, playing to a sold out The Grace, and put in an even better show. The band … Continue reading

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