Category Archives: GIG REVIEWS

Gig review: LEVELLERS, Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London, 13 November 2014

Levellers - Shepherd

Levellers are currently on their Greatest Hits tour and played to a packed crowd at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire. There were two support acts, first up a female singer performing under the name of She Makes War. It was an … Continue reading

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Gig review: MOTORHEAD – Manchester Apollo, 4 November 2014

Motorhead - Manchester Apollo, 4 November 2014

“We are Motorhead and we play Rock and F***n’ Roll”- a line I have heard so many times thunder from the PA over the years but none more welcome than tonight. The current tour has been postponed and cancelled twice … Continue reading

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Gig review: LIVE, Koko, London, 5 November 2014

Pennsylvania alt-rock giants Live made an emphatic return to London on Wednesday night to perform their first overseas show with new singer Chris Shinn. The picturesque Koko in Camden provided the backdrop to fans curious to see whether Shinn (previously … Continue reading

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Gig review: THE BLACKOUT – King Tut’s, Glasgow, 5 November 2014

THE BLACKOUT – King Tut’s, Glasgow, 5 November 2014

I last saw The Blackout in action at this venue back at the start of the year. Since then the band have been through a lot of trials and tribulations ending with the band splitting from their record company and … Continue reading

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Gig review: ASIA, Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 2 November 2014

ASIA, Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 2 November 2014

For a so-called supergroup Asia have shown remarkable longevity, but their profile is now much lower than it was in the heady days when their 1982 debut went multi-platinum, judging by a disappointing turnout at their first headline London show … Continue reading

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Gig review: PAUL RODGERS – Royal Albert Hall, London, 3 November 2014

PAUL RODGERS – Royal Albert Hall, London, 3 November 2014

Paul Rodgers returned to the UK as a fully fledged soul man for a special one off show to put the Royal back into the Royal Albert Hall. His perfectly preserved voice soared above his 9 piece Memphis band, which … Continue reading

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Gig review: STEVE HACKETT – The Lowry, Salford, 2 November 2014

Steve Hackett - The Lowry, Salford, 2 November 2014

Steve Hackett chats about the Genesis Revisited and Extended tours (11:16).  This is an edit from an extended interview that was first broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, 5 October 2014 The interview is replayed on Christmas Day 2014, … Continue reading

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Gig review: ESCAPE THE FATE – Electric Ballroom, Camden, 30 October 2014

Thursday the 30thof October 2014; the Camden nightlife is buzzing, the air outside is cold and I am dragging my reluctant 46 year old father to see hardcore rock band Escape The Fate. It’s been a good long while since … Continue reading

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Gig review: FIREFEST – Nottingham Rock City, 24-26 October 2014 (Day 3)

Axxis - Firefest, Nottingham Rock City, 26 October 2014

DAY 3 -  DANGER DANGER, AUTOGRAPH, CONEY HATCH, BROTHER FIRETRIBE, TOUCH, GUILD OF AGES, AXXIS The final day of ‘the final fling’ began with a slightly left field choice of veteran German rockers Axxis, and yet they blew the cobwebs … Continue reading

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Gig review: FIREFEST – Nottingham Rock City, 24-26 October 2014 (Day 2)

Rage Of Angels -  Firefest - Nottingham Rock City, 25 October 2014

DAY 2 – FIREHOUSE, BLACK N BLUE, PRETTY MAIDS, BABYLON AD, BOULEVARD, FROM THE FIRE, RAGE OF ANGELS Day 2 also began with home grown talent in Rage Of Angels, formed by Ged Rylands who was playing guitar rather than … Continue reading

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Gig review: FIREFEST – Nottingham Rock City, 24-26 October 2014 (Day 1)

Pretty Maids - Firefest, Nottingham Rock City, 25 October 2014

GRTR!’s resident Melodic Rock/AOR expert Andy Nathan has been covering Firefest for us right from the start.  Andy’s informed report and Simon Dunkerley’s inspired photos celebrate ‘The Final Fling’ as the festival bows out in style… The announcement last year … Continue reading

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Gig review: BLUES FEST 2014 – Royal Albert Hall, London, 28 October 2014

Georgie Fame - Blues Fest 2014, Royal Albert Hall, London, 28 October 2014

An afternoon session at the Albert Hall for the 2014 Blues Fest was a pleasant surprise, as the old building opened its doors to some of smaller rooms to house a wide array of exciting blues talent. Perhaps it was … Continue reading

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Gig review: BLACK STONE CHERRY – The Hydro, Glasgow, 26 October 2014

Black Stone Cherry – The Hydro, Glasgow, 26 October 2014

It was curiosity that led me to this gig as so far Black Stone Cherry are a band who have left me underwhelmed. I have only seen them live once before and that was a small acoustic session a couple … Continue reading

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Gig review: SOiL – The Garage, Glasgow, 23 October 2014

SOiL - The Garage, Glasgow, 23 October 2014

Some things are sent to try you!  Take tonight, I was going along to this gig mostly on the strength of opening act Wolfborne’s latest album, ‘In The Beginning’, which I reviewed recently and found to be excellent. Knowing that … Continue reading

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Gig review: BLACKBERRY SMOKE – Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 19 October 2014

BLACKBERRY SMOKE - Shepherds Bush Empire, London,19 October 2014

Fellow GRTR! scribe Nikk Gunns posed a fascinating discussion question online recently – ‘if there were no new music from this point onwards, could you live with the music we have already had’? Judging from the mixed response he received, … Continue reading

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Gig review: STATUS QUO – Roundhouse, London, 22 October 2014

STATUS QUO -  Roundhouse, London, 22 October 2014

The ‘unplugged ‘ tradition is now a firmly established rock n roll industry norm for bands to find an alternative way to revitalise- and of course promote – their body of work. It’s horses for courses however, and one of … Continue reading

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Gig review: ALESTORM – The Arches, Glasgow, 19 October 2014

ALESTORM – The Arches, Glasgow, 19 October 2014

There was many a bemused look from passers-by as a motley crew of cut-throats and blaggards gathered outside The Arches in anticipation of a night of piratical fun. In fact the last time a group of pirates this size was … Continue reading

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Gig review: MELODIC ROCK FEST 4, H.O.M.E.Bar, Arlington Heights,Chicago, USA, 3-5 October 2014

The Radio Sun - Melodic Rock Fest 4, Chicago, October 2014

After the success of the third Melodic Rock Fest last September, the attempt to bring to the Americans the cult melodic rock bands that are seen at Firefest and other places, melodicrock.com supremo Andrew McNeice swiftly moved forward with plans … Continue reading

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Gig review: MR. BIG – Koko, Camden, London, 17 October 2014

MR. BIG - Koko, Camden, London, 17 October 2014

Mr Big’s European tour to capitalise on their back-to-form new album ‘Stories We Could Tell’ squeezed in just a solitary UK show, their first in three years. It was unsurprising that the opulent surroundings of Koko were sold out, perhaps … Continue reading

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Gig review: HOUSTON, The Barfly, Camden, London, 16 October 2014

HOUSTON, The Barfly, Camden, London, 16 October 2014

When an AOR revival suddenly became flavour of the month late in 2010, the debut album by Swedes Houston was seen as the standard bearer of the new revolution. Even if live performances were a mixed bag, the quality of … Continue reading

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Gig review: STEVE CROPPER with ANIMALS & FRIENDS – Live Rooms, Chester, 18 October 2014

Steve Cropper - Chester Live Rooms, 18 October 2014

Interview with Steve Cropper, chatting about his career (18 October 2014) I last saw The Animals and Steve Cropper back in 2011.  Sadly the setlist hasn’t changed much since then, inevitably built around the “hits” and some Colonel fans may … Continue reading

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Gig review: JUSTIN FURSTENFELD – Islington Academy Hall, 17 October 2014

Justin Fustenfeld is the main man of US band Blue October, a band I only discovered last year after reviewing their excellent ‘Sway’ album. Tonight it was just Justin and his acoustic guitar, as he played the second of three … Continue reading

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Gig review: DAUGHTRY, The Roundhouse, Camden, London, 12 October 2014

Daughtry - London Roundhouse, 12 October 2014

Chris Daughtry spoke to Get Ready to ROCK! Radio from deepest Virginia in August 2014.  In this edit he chats about American Idol and his album releases. (6:07) Six months on from a pair of shows at Shepherds Bush Empire, … Continue reading

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Gig review: MESSENGER – The Borderline, London, 15 October 2014

MESSENGER – The Borderline, London, 15 October 2014

Review by Yiannis (John) Stefanis Photos by Yiannis (John) Stefanis In the short period since they first came together as a band back in 2012, Psychedelic/Progressive Rock troupe Messenger have really made their presence felt in the music world. Having … Continue reading

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Gig review: TOSELAND – 100 Club, London, 8 October 2014

Toseland - 100 Club, London, 8 October 2014

You could construct a whole musical Room 101 of top class sportsmen who unwisely thought their talents would translate to the music business – from Hoddle and Waddle to Pat Cash and John McEnroe. However former World Superbikes champion James … Continue reading

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