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Category Archives: Special Events
Gig review: ROCKINGHAM FESTIVAL – Nottingham Trent University Students Union, 19-21 October 2018

Now in its fourth year, anticipation had been steadily growing ever since the line up was announced in February for Rockingham, which accurately bills itself as ‘three days of the finest melodic hard rock from around the world’. Proof of … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
Tagged Age of Reflection, Ammunition, AOR, Bigfoot, Boulevard, Creye, Departed, festival, Find Me, gig, Glass Tiger, Mason Hill, Massive, melodic rock, Nelson, Pink Cream 69, Pretty Maids, review, Rockingham, Tokyo Motor Fist, Vixen, Warrant, White Widdow, Wildness
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Gig Review: CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL, 2-5 August 2018

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
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Gig review: HRH AOR – Pwllheli, Wales, Saturday 10 March 2018 (Day 3)

With Night Ranger polishing off Friday with such aplomb the omens were good for the Saturday, which on paper had a stronger line up. When arriving on site on Thursday I found out that The Quireboys were to stand in … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
Tagged 10 March 2018, AOR, Blood Red Saints, Dare, festival, gig, hard rock, HRH AOR, Joan ov Arc, melodic rock, Midnite City, Pwllheli, Quireboys, review, Skid Row, Wales
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Gig review: ROCKIN’ THE BLUES 2018 – The Garage, London, 17 March 2018

In this hour special first broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio in April 2018, Pete Feenstra chats to Eric Gales, Gary Hoey, Lance Lopez and Quinn Sullivan, with tracks from their respective current albums. The inaugural Rockin’ The Blues … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview, Special Events
Tagged Andy Cortez, Big Boy Bloater, Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, Eric Gales, Freddie King, Gary Hoey, gig, guitar, Howlin Wolf, interview, Jimi Hendrix, John Lee Hooker, John Mayer, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Lance Lopez, Quinn Sullivan, review, Rockin' The Blues
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Gig review: HRH AOR – Pwllheli, Wales, Friday 9 March 2018 (Day 2)

Having given up the opportunity of the Thursday after-show party, a leisurely start to Friday was rewarded with Scottish rockers The King Lot. They kicked off the main stage activity and, after a successful Pledge campaign for their second album, … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
Tagged 9 March 2018, Aaron Buchanan, AOR, Cruzh, Daylight Robbery, festival, gig, HRH AOR, melodic rock, Night Ranger, Pwllheli, review, The King Lot, THE RADIO SUN, Wales
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Gig review: GIANTS OF ROCK – Butlins, Minehead, 26-29 January 2018 (Day 3)

Day 3 – Sunday As the final day started we wouldn’t have been surprised to see Bobby Kimball sliding out of the curtains reminiscing about his appearance on Toto IV but … instead Chantel McGregor got the juices flowing with … Continue reading
Gig review: GIANTS OF ROCK – Butlins, Minehead, 26-29 January 2018 (Day 2)

Day 2 – Saturday John Verity opened up shop on a damp Saturday with a thoughtful blues rock set, not overplaying his own solo material (new album: Blue To My Soul) and treating us to some familiar standards including ‘Cocaine’ … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
Tagged 27 January 2018, blues, Bobby Kimball, Boston, Butlins, classic rock, festival, Fran Cosmo, Giants Of Rock, Hawkwind, John Verity, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, melodic rock, Minehead, progressive, Somerset, space rock, Toto, Uriah Heep
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Gig review: GIANTS OF ROCK – Butlins, Minehead, 26-29 January 2018 (Day 1)

News during the week that Wetherspoons had taken steak off their menu may not have been of great interest until we learn that Butlins also get their meat from the same source that is currently “under investigation”. The loss of … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
Tagged 26 January 2018, Butlins, classic rock, Curved Air, festival, FM, Giants Of Rock, Magnum, Martin Turner, melodic rock, Minehead, progressive, Somerset, Wishbone Ash
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Gig review: THE GREAT BRITISH ROCK & BLUES FESTIVAL, Skegness, 19-22 January 2018

I’ve enjoyed various Butlins music weekends over the years but 2018 will be the first where I’ve done two such weekends on the trot. My Butlins blow-out started off with the Rock & Blues weekend in Skegness – with just … Continue reading
Gig review: BEAUTIFUL DAYS Festival – Devon, 18-20 August 2017

Dance Before, During and After the Storm Between Friday 18th and Sunday 20th August 2017 the bizarre, the wonderful and the contradictions of the norm gathered in the grounds of Escot Park to embrace the eclectic bohemian eccentricity that is … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
Tagged 18-20 August, Alison Moyet, Beautiful Days Festival, Devon, Escot Park, festival, folk, gig, Hayseed Dixie, Levellers, New Model Army, Ottery St Mary, pop, review, rock, Sisters Of Mercy
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Gig review: CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL, 27-30 July 2017

Sometimes I think the term ‘Folk Festival’ puts some people off but if they look under the skin they might see something very special. A glancing look through this year’s programme of events showed a whole array of arts and … Continue reading
Gig review: RAMBLIN’ MAN FAIR – Day 3 – Mote Park, Maidstone, 30 July 2017

After the deluge on Saturday the forecast for the Sunday was looking a lot brighter and judging by the size of the crowd in the arena the sun had enticed a few extra bodies along for another top day of … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
Tagged 30 July 2017, blues, Devin Townsend Project, Focus, gig, Kent, Magnum, Maidstone, Mote Park, progressive, Ramblin' Man Fair, review, rock, Snakecharmer, Stone Broken, The Quireboys, UFO, Wishbone Ash, ZZ Top
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Gig review: HUE AND CRY Album Launch – PRS Building, King’s Cross, London, 3 August 2017

Kicking the night off in great humour, Pat Kane informs his attentive audience that tonight we are to be locked in a room 8 floors above the ground for a 20 minute jazz odyssey. Luckily this was a joke. Instead, … Continue reading
Posted in GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
Tagged 3 August 2017, album, funk, gig, Hue And Cry, King's Cross, launch, London, Pat Kane, Pocketful Of Stones, pop, PRS, review
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Gig review: STEELHOUSE FESTIVAL, Ebbw Vale, 28-29 July 2017 (Part One)

The annual pilgrimage climbing the mountain in the valleys of South Wales seems to have come around far quicker this year than any other, and the reliable Welsh weather played a major part in some issues regarding camping and parking. … Continue reading
Gig review: MOONDANCE JAM – Walker, Minnesota, USA, 21-23 July 2016

Considering the previous generation thought rock n roll was a passing fad, and given the pace of change in the industry, it is a substantial feat for any rock festival to reach a 25 year milestone. It is even more … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
Tagged 21-23 July 2016, Blues Traveler, Boston, Bush, Chevelle, Chicago, festival, Firehouse, Foghat, gig, Godsmack, Kix, LITTLE RIVER BAND, Loverboy, Minnesota, Moondance Jam, Queensryche, review, Sixx:AM, Thundherstruck, USA, Walker
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Gig review: STEELHOUSE FESTIVAL – Ebbw Vale, South Wales, 24 July 2016 (Day 2)

After the success of the previous day and coupled with great weather, arriving on site on the Sunday morning to damp and drizzly conditions soon brought us back down to earth with a bump. Sunday’s line up for myself was … Continue reading
Gig review: STEELHOUSE FESTIVAL – Ebbw Vale, South Wales, 23 July 2016 (Day 1)

As a founding fan from the very first event where a couple of hundred people showed, I have been fortunate to see Steelhouse grow year on year. Along with many others I heard the rumours almost every year that Thunder … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
Tagged 23 July 2016, Blues Pills, Ebbw Vale, gig, review, South Wales, Steelhouse Festival, Tax The Heat, THE ANSWER, Thunder, Vega, Von Hertzen Brothers
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Gig review: Festival D’ete De Quebec, 7-17 July 2016

If I was to ask you if you had ever heard of Festival D’ete De Quebec I am betting the answer would be NO … me neither so when I was handed the opportunity to experience this event I jumped … Continue reading








