Tag Archives: festival

News: RAMBLIN’ MAN FAIR announce first headliner for two day event (30 June/ 1 July 2018)

Gun - Giants of Rock, Minehead, January 2017

Ramblin’ Man Fair have announced their first headliner for the event taking place 30 June – 1 July.  British rock legends The Cult will play an exclusive festival set. Scottish rockers Gun (pictured) have been added to the main stage … Continue reading

Posted in Festivals & Large Events, NEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: ROCKINGHAM FESTIVAL- Nottingham Trent University Student Union, 20-22 October 2017

Loverboy -  ROCKINGHAM FESTIVAL, 20-22 October 2017

Though this was the third year of Rockingham Festival , the natural successor to the much loved Firefest in its autumnal Nottingham position, it really felt as if the Festival came of age. Having settled on a format that works … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, The Best of 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: HAIR METAL HEAVEN – Welly Club and City Hall, Hull, 25-27 August 2017

Sebastian Bach - HAIR METAL HEAVEN - Hull, 25-27 August 2017

If eyebrows were raised at Hull’s designation as European City of Culture 2017, the news that a major rock festival in Hair Metal Heaven was taking place there was an even more unexpected story. The Humberside port city may have … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: CROPREDY, Oxfordshire, 10-12 August 2017

Fairport Convention - Cropredy, 13-15 August 2015

Fairport Convention’s festival at Cropredy has been an annual fixture for almost four decades now but the big celebration this year was marking the fiftieth anniversary of the band’s formation. In the eight years since I have been going it … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, The Best of 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: BEAUTIFUL DAYS Festival – Devon, 18-20 August 2017

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: SUMMERFEST – Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, 28 June-9 July 2017

In a world of constant change in popular music, for a festival to celebrate its 50th year, as Milwaukee’s  Summerfest did this year, represents a lifetime. I’d been to the festival certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s biggest … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, The Best of 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: THE PRETTY THINGS & THE IMPERIAL CROWNS – Relache Festival, Bordeaux, SW France, 7 July 2017

Jimmie Wood – Relache Festival, Bordeaux, SW France, 7 July 2017

There’s a lot to be said for the art of performance. And tonight The Imperial Crowns front man Jimmie Wood works hard to preach the blues to a sun drenched crowd initially cowering on the edges of the festival square, … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, Festivals & Large Events, GIG REVIEWS, Photo Galleries, The Best of 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: DOWNLOAD, Donington Park, 11 June 2017 (Part 2)

Aerosmith - DOWNLOAD, Donington Park, 11 June 2017

Photo: Andy Nathan Sunday The phenomenal attendances at Download are a tribute to the enduring if underground popularity of the broad church we call metal and hard rock, even if the site seemed a touch smaller this year. From the … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: DOWNLOAD, Donington Park, 9-10 June 2017 (Part 1)

Tax The Heat - DOWNLOAD, Donington Park, 9-10 June 2017 (Part 1)

Friday My expectation for the first two days of Download was somewhat low in terms of the line-up, given my predeliction for the classic rock era.  However the stunning weather went some way to raising the spirits and Blackwater Conspiracy … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: STONE FREE FESTIVAL, London, 17 June 2017

Rainbow - STONE FREE FESTIVAL, London, 17 June 2017

For the second successive year the Stone Free festival took over the whole of the 02 complex for the day: targeted at a discerning classic rock audience not wishing to slum it in a muddy field, and drawing inspiration from … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: BEARDED THEORY – Catton Park, Derbyshire, 25 – 28 May 2017

BEARDED THEORY - Catton Park, Derbyshire - 25 - 28 May 2017

BEARDED THEORY – TEN YEARS OF MUSIC, MAGIC AND MISCHIEF… Once a year the grounds of Catton Park in Derbyshire are transformed into one of the happiest places on earth.  If this conjures images of a saccharine sweet world of … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: JUST SAY YES/ARFM MELODIC ROCK FUNDRAISER – The Spot, Derby, 28 January 2017

VEGA - Melodic Rock Fundraiser - The Spot, Derby, 28 January 2017

From initially modest ambitions,  the ‘Just Say Yes’ fundraiser is rapidly establishing itself as a must on the festival calendar for melodic rock fans, sandwiched between Autumn’s Firefest and latterly Rockingham, and Spring’s HRH. I hugely enjoyed my first festival … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

News: First big UK rock festivals of 2017 – GREAT BRITISH ROCK & BLUES and GIANTS OF ROCK (January 2017)

STEVE HARLEY - Giants Of Rock, Minehead, Somerset, 29-31 January 2016

In his weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio on Sunday 8 January, David Randall previewed the Butlins Big Weekends: The Great British Rock & Blues Festival and Giants Of Rock Two major rock events get 2017 underway in … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, Festivals & Large Events, NEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: ROCKINGHAM FESTIVAL – Nottingham Trent University Students Union, 21-23 October 2016

ROCKINGHAM FESTIVAL, Nottingham, 21-23 October 2016

Last year, a new festival, Rockingham, took on the unenviable mantle of filling the void left by Firefest, which for a decade had delighted melodic rock fans by bringing a series of cult melodic rock acts, many reforming after years … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: NEWARK BLUES FESTIVAL – Newark Castle, 11 September 2016

NEWARK BLUES FESTIVAL – Newark Castle, 11 September 2016

In this two-hour special Pete Feenstra plays some of those acts appearing at the 2016 Newark Blues Festival and some of the award-winners.  First broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, 13 September 2016. It’s one of those days in … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL, 28-31 July 2016

Blazing Fiddles - Cambridge Folk Festival, 28-31 July 2016

Yet again CFF has come up with an intriguing and eclectic mix of artists that pulls from many eras and styles of folk and world music, included in this are enough big names to entice people.  This helped to yet … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: WEYFEST- Rural Life Centre, Tilford, Surrey, 19-21 August 2016

Weyfest celebrated its 10th anniversary at the Rural Life Centre, a rustic setting that suits its ambience as one of the more laid back of festivals. Situated on the Surrey/Hampshire borders in what was once known as the stockbroker belt, … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

News: WINTERSTORM – Troon rocks in November with FM, Ricky Warwick, Last In Line and more

Winterstorm - Troon, Scotland, November 2016

On Sunday 21 August, in his weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, David Randall previewed the Winterstorm event playing tracks by some of the artists appearing including Tygers of Pan Tang and FM.  (20:09) Troon’s only real rock … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, Festivals & Large Events, NEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: EDDIE & THE HOT RODS – Relache Festival, Bordeaux, 18 August 2016

EDDIE & THE HOT RODS – Relache Festival, Bordeaux 18 Aug 2016

They came, they saw, they waited for the sun to go down and then they finally conquered! Eddie & The Hot Rods didn’t so much tear Bordeaux apart, as gently give it a poke in the ribs to remind a … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Photo Galleries | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: MOONDANCE JAM – Walker, Minnesota, USA, 21-23 July 2016

CHICAGO - MOONDANCE JAM - 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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: STEELHOUSE FESTIVAL – Ebbw Vale, South Wales, 24 July 2016 (Day 2)

The Darkness - STEELHOUSE FESTIVAL - Ebbw Vale, South Wales, 24 July 2016

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

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: RAMBLIN’ MAN FAIR – Mote Park, Maidstone, 24 July 2016 (Day 2)

Thunder - RAMBLIN’ MAN FAIR - Mote Park, Maidstone, 24 July 2016

If the Day 2 line up was less immediately eye-catching and mouth-watering than Saturday, there was still so much to anticipate. I made straight for the Blues tent where a good crowd received Pat McManus enthusiastically. I’d been a fan … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: RAMBLIN’ MAN FAIR – Mote Park, Maidstone, 23 July 2016 (Day 1)

Whitesnake - RAMBLIN

This festival is now into its second year, having proved a hit in 2015 and was back with a bang this Summer, packing an eclectic bill of depth and quality across four stages and two days. Mote Park lies on … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: DOWNLOAD, Donington Park, 10-12 June 2016

DOWNLOAD, 10-12 June 2016

My last visit to Donington was back in 1988 when – as ‘Monsters Of Rock’ – it also featured Megadeth and headlined by Iron Maiden. I never really embraced the three day event and with not enough bands of interest … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: STONE FREE FESTIVAL Day 1 – 02 Arena, London, 18 June 2016

Alice Cooper - STONE FREE FESTIVAL DAY 1 - 02 Arena, London, 18 June 2016

Once upon a time, gigs took place indoors, or in football stadiums for the very largest acts, and festivals in a muddy field. While rock festival demographics have gradually got older, the havoc wreaked by the vagaries of the English … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment