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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
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Gig review: ROMEO’S DAUGHTER- The Garage, London, 28 March 2025
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Gig review: SOUTH OF SALEM – Thekla, Bristol, 27 March 2025
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Gig review: JIZZY PEARL’S LOVE/HATE – The Underworld, Camden, March 13 2025
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Gig review: GRAHAM GOULDMAN – Cadogan Hall, London, 20 March 2025
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Gig review: THE DARKNESS – G Live, Guildford, 11 March 2025
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Gig review: FISH – O2 Academy, Glasgow, 9 March 2025
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Category Archives: GIG REVIEWS
Gig review: CATS IN SPACE – The Wilde Theatre, Bracknell, 16 October 2024
First time in the Wilde Theatre, part of the South Hill Park complex that includes a small cinema and cellar bar (where on my first visit to South Hill Park enjoyed a gig by folk duo Ninebarrow). Despite being all … Continue reading
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Tagged 70's rock, Bracknell, Cats In Space, classic rock, gig, piano, pop rock, review, rock, the Wilde Theatre, Time Machine, Wednesday 16 October 2024, Willie Dowling
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Gig review: SAMANTHA FISH – Koko, London, 6 October 2024
The splendid Koko was brimming full for the return of Samantha Fish to these shores with her own band, following last year’s shows with Jesse Dayton. And great to see the crowd that welcomed The Zac Schulze Gang’s support slot … Continue reading
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Tagged 6 October 2024, band, blues, gig, guitarist, Koko, review, rock, Samantha Fish, Zac Schulze
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Gig review: APOCALYPTICA – SWG3, Glasgow, 3 October 2024
Many years ago I attended a guitar masterclass with the legendary singer/songwriter Gordon Giltrap. It was just one man with an acoustic guitar, but the sound and sheer ferocity of riffage he managed to extract from his poor, tortured acoustic … Continue reading
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Tagged 3rd Oct 2024, Apocalyptica, cello, Eicca Toppinen, gig, Glasgow, James Hetfield, live, Master Of Puppets, Metallica, One, Perttu Kivilaakso, Plays Metallica Vol 2, Rob Trujillo, Sad But True, SWG 3
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Gig review: MARTIN TURNER – 100 Club, London, 3 October 2024
2024 has seen Wishbone Ash founder member Martin Turner tour a set based around the Live Dates Volume Two album: perhaps less heralded than its predecessor, this 1980 release shows the ‘Mark 2’ phase of the band at their finest … Continue reading
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Tagged 100 Club, Danny Willson, gig, Live Dates Volume Two, Martin Turner, Misha Nikolic, Sonny Flint, Wishbone Ash
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Gig review: VINCENT FLATTS FINAL DRIVE – Slim Jim’s Liquor Store, Islington, London 4 October 2024
Tonight is the sort of gig that restates the true staples of rock and roll, namely the holy trinity of a great band, a welcoming venue and receptive audience. Birmingham’s Vincent Flatts Final Drive is the kind kick ass band … Continue reading
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Tagged 4 October 2024, AC/DC, Americana, Bernard Allison, Bertie, boogie, Captain Beefheart, funk, Gary Harper, live, London, review, Rich Shelton, rock, Russ Cook, Slim Jim's Liquor Store, Starfighters, Steve Burton, The Georgia Satellites, Vincent Flatts Final Drive
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Gig review: BLUE NATION- The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 27 September 2024
Blue Nation are a band making a growing name for themselves. They’ve actually been around quite some while, but about 18 months ago I’d been impressed enough by their support slot with Laurence Jones to buy a CD, so the … Continue reading
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Tagged Blue Nation, blues rock, gig, Luke Weston, Neil Murdoch, Nick Sharman, The Cavern
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Gig review: DIESEL PARK WEST – The Sound Lounge, Sutton, Surrey 28 September 2024
Pete Feenstra chattied to John Butler for his show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio playing tracks from the current album. First broadcast 24 November 2024 While it’s true to say that any band’s commercial success or durability is often … Continue reading
Posted in GIG REVIEWS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview
Tagged Bob Dylan, Bono, Darryl Hopper, Dave Bryant, Diesel Park West, interview, John Lennon, Jon C Butler, Let It Melt, live, Paul Sexton, radio, review, Rich Barton, Roger McGuin, Shakespeare Alabama, Te Byrds, The Rolling Stones, U2
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Gig review: NICK LOWE AND LOS STRAITJACKETS- London Palladium, 24 September 2024
Nick Lowe is one of rock’s most distinguished statesmen, with a history that includes his time in Brinsley Schwarz, seen as the original pub rockers, then a mainstay of the new wave as producer, songwriter and performer. Indeed there is … Continue reading
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Tagged Andy Fairweather Low, gig, Los Straitjackets, New Wave, NICK LOWE, Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets, pub rock
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Gig review:TYKETTO – Islington Academy, London, 12 September 2024
Last year Tyketto were out on a triple co-headliner with Dare and FM which culminated here at Islington Academy. This year, on the heels of a couple of outdoor festival shows, they took top billing on another three band bill, … Continue reading
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Tagged Dan Byrne, Danny Vaughn, Ged Rylands, gig, Harry Scott Elliott, Little Caesar, melodic rock, Ron Young, Tyketto
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Gig review: LAZARUS HEIGHTS & Ken Barrett & Friends – Le Bistrot Gourmand, Bars, SW France, 7 Sept 2024
Every gig has a context, and this one is billed as triple anniversary show plus an album launch. There was also an ambitious plan for an outdoor gig under the stars, which was scuppered at the last minute by a … Continue reading
Gig review: JOHNNY HATES JAZZ – Waterside, Sale, 7 September 2024
David Randall chatted to Clark Datchler for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio following an earlier interview tracing his early career with Johnny Hates Jazz. He discusses the band, his solo career, and the 2024 tour dates. First broadcast 14 April … Continue reading
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Tagged 7 September 2024, Clark Datchler, gig, Johnny Hates Jazz, pop, pop rock, review, Sale, Waterside
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Gig review: STONEDEAD FESTIVAL – Newark Showground – 23,24 August 2024
Since the first Stonedead (or Stonedeaf as it was back then) the festival has gone from strength to strength driven by word of mouth and a very active Facebook group. Each year has sold out that bit sooner than the … Continue reading
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Tagged 24th August, Biff Byford, blues, Bonafide, Chris Sumby, Doro, Ecilipse, festival, KK Downing, KK's Priest, Krusher, Lemmy, live, metal, Motorhead, Newark Showground, Paul Di'Anno, rock, Saxon, Scarlet Rebels, Spike, Stonedead, Tailgunner, The Bites, The Hot One Two, The Quireboys, Warlock
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Gig review: CASSIDY PARIS – The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 7 August 2024
Australian singer Cassidy Paris is almost a veteran at 21, having recorded her first EP at 16, and chalked up a fair few air miles since including to the UK. She’s played at various festivals and support slots but summer … Continue reading
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Tagged 7 August 2024, Alex Rogowski, Cassidy Paris, gig, London, melodic rock, Raynes Park, review, Steve Janevski, The Cavern, Tom Rogowski
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Gig review- H.E.A.T, TYKETTO, DARE – Chepstow Castle, 17 August 2024
The Great British outdoors now caters to the infinite demand for outdoor summer gigs in a variety of settings: farms and country parks, stately homes and now concerts in the grounds of historic castles seem to be the latest concept, … Continue reading
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Tagged AOR, Castell Roc, Chris Childs, Danny Vaughn, Dare, Darren Wharton, Dave Dalone, Don Crash, gig, H.E.A.T., Harry Scott Elliott, Jimmy Jay, Jona Tee, Kenny Leckremo, Marc Roberts, melodic rock, Tyketto, Vinny Burns
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Gig review: FIREVOLT FESTIVAL – Whitebottom Farm, Stockport, 9-11 August 2024
I will freely tell anyone who will listen that Firevolt has, within a very short space of time, become my favourite festival in the UK. The festival is in beautiful surroundings, on a farm at the end of a delightful … Continue reading
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Tagged Crashdiet, Darren Wharton, Dead Man's Whiskey, Doomsday Outlaw, festival, Firevolt, Florence Black, gig, Gun, Jayler, Karma Effect, Kira Mac, Laurence Jones, Loz Campbell, Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons, Ransom, Renegade, Revenant, South Of Salem, Stone Broken, The Hot One Two, The Last Internationale, The Treatment, Thieves Of Liberty, Trucker Diablo, Unknown Refuge, Vandenberg, Vintage Caravan, We Three Kings, White Tyger, Xander and the Peace Pirates
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Gig review: MAID OF STONE FESTIVAL – Mote Park, Maidstone, Kent, 20 July 2024
Over its five years Ramblin’ Man Festival in Kent established itself as one of the festivals of choice for us middle-aged rockers with a relaxed atmosphere and selection of bands from variety of classic rock genres, both old and new. … Continue reading
Gig review: MALMO MELODIC – Plan B, Malmo, Sweden, 27-29 July 2024
Scandinavia, and Sweden in particular, is the undisputed epicentre of the melodic rock community with a seemingly endless stream of bands emerging. There have been festivals in Malmo pre-pandemic (Melodic Rock Fest and the Swedish AOR Convention) so when last … Continue reading
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Tagged 7th Crystal, Alicate, AOR, Boys From Heaven, Care of Night, Chez Kane, Dare, Darren Wharton, festival, Gaeleri, gig, Grand, Houston, JD Miller, melodic rock, Nubian Rose, Perfect Plan, Pretty Maids, Remedy, Romeo's Daughter, Ronnie Atkins, Roulette, Streetlight, Transatlantic Radio, Wildness
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Gig review: THE COMMONERS – Arlington Arts Centre, 25 July 2024
Back at the lovely Arlington Arts Centre for a night of blues based rock. A decent sized crowd, which had me pondering that the artists on stage are looking younger each time, yet the audience is definitely getting older… Shout … Continue reading
Gig review: AC/DC – Wembley Stadium, London, 3 July 2024
Over recent years, AC/DC seem to have transcended our own world of rock’n’ roll to have a wider cultural resonance. Fans range from Prince William who allegedly works out to Thunderstruck’ to Ally McCoist whose wide-eyed ‘is that AC/DC?’ enthusiasm … Continue reading
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Tagged AC/DC, Angus Young, Brian Johnson, Chris Chaney, gig, Matt Laug, Pretty Reckless, PWRUP, Stevie Young, Taylor Momsen
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Gig review: TOWER OF FIRE FESTIVAL – Rebellion, Manchester, 29 June 2024
Although the UK live scene is thriving, thanks largely to the efforts of the New Wave of Classic Rock movement, those of us with a specific interest in the melodic rock and AOR scene, weaned on the glory years of … Continue reading
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Tagged AOR, Atack, festival, Gabrielle de Val, gig, melodic rock, Nitrate, Remedy, Saracen, Tower Of Fire, White Skies
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Gig review: SHANIA TWAIN- British Summer Time, Hyde Park, 7 July 2024
Shania Twain being reviewed by a website devoted to rock music? Hear me out for a moment. Her multimillion selling ‘Come On Over’ album changed the relationship between the previously insular world of country and the wider rock and pop … Continue reading
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Tagged British Summer Time, country, country rock, gig, Hyde Park, Shania Twain, The Corrs
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Gig review: SCORPIONS – Wembley Arena, London, 8 June 2024
As one of my all time favourite bands, and one whose commercial breakthrough came earlier in this country than most, it has been a disappointment that we have not seen more of the Scorpions in recent years. Presumably on the … Continue reading
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Tagged Extreme, Gary Cherone, gig, Klaus Meine, Love at First Sting, Mathias Jabs, Mikkey Dee, Nuno Bettencourt, Rudolf Schenker, Scorpions
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Gig review: TOBY JEPSON- 02 Academy 2, Islington, 9 June 2024
The format of a spoken word tour, interspersed with a few songs, is growing in popularity, but not everyone has the right skill set to carry it off. Toby Jepson is one such with his cunningly titled ‘My Life in … Continue reading
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Tagged acoustic, Dave Kemp, gig, Little Angels, Matt Mitchell, Toby Jepson, Wayward Sons
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Gig review: RICHARD MARX – Royal Albert Hall, London, 22 May 2024
Richard Marx only plays the finest London venues when he comes over to the UK. Building on some memorable acoustic shows at the Union Chapel in Autumn 2022, he announced a fuller UK tour which culminated in this show at … Continue reading
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Tagged AOR, gig, J. Blynn, John Oates, melodic rock, Nathan East, Richard Marx, singer songwriter
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Gig review: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND – Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland, 19 May 2024
Less than 13 months after his pair of Hyde Park shows and fortunately recovered from an ulcer complaint that led to autumn gigs in the USA being cancelled, Bruce Springsteen was back on a longer European tour with the E … Continue reading
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Tagged Bruce Springsteen, Croke Park, Dublin, E Street Band, gig, Jake Clemons, Max Weinberg, Nils Lofgren
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