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Tag Archives: festival
Gig review: HRH AOR – Pwllheli, Wales, Thursday 8 March 2018 (Day 1)

In March 2016, Joe Lynn Turner chatted to Get Ready to ROCK! Radio for an extensive career overview, in three parts. Parts 2 and 3 are available via Mixcloud The annual four hour jaunt to one of my favourite festivals … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview
Tagged AOR, Dante Fox, Eclipse, festival, gig, HRH AOR, Joe Lynn Turner, melodic rock, NEWMAN, Pwllheli, review, Thursday 8 March 2018, 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
News: RAMBLIN’ MAN FAIR announce first headliner for two day event (30 June/ 1 July 2018)

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 1 July 2018, 30 June 2018, blues rock, classic rock, festival, Fish, Gov't Mule, Gun, Kent, line-up, Maidstone, Mote Park, news, Progressive Rock, Ramblin' Man Fair, Steve Earle, The Cult
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Gig review: ROCKINGHAM FESTIVAL- Nottingham Trent University Student Union, 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 Airrace, AOR, Bailey, Blanc Faces, Brother Firetribe, Cruzh, Dare, Dave Bickler, festival, Fortune, gig, Great White, Harem Scarem, John Parr, Kix, Loverboy, Maverick, melodic rock, Moritz, review, Rockingham, The Amorettes, Vega, Vince Neil
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Gig review: CROPREDY, Oxfordshire, 10-12 August 2017

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
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: 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 AOR, Bad Boy, Blackberry Smoke, Bob Dylan, Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton, Dennis De Young, festival, Foghat, gig, Greta Van Fleet, Huey Lewis and the News, Jason Isbell, John Waite, July 2017, June 2017, melodic rock, Milwaukee, Paul Simon, Peter Frampton, progressive, REO Speedwagon, review, rock, Sheryl Crow, Shinedown, Soul Asylum, Summerfest, Tesla, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Toto, Wisconsin
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Gig review: THE PRETTY THINGS & THE IMPERIAL CROWNS – 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 Billy Champagne Sullivan, blues, Bo Diddley, Bordeaux, David Lynch, Dick Taylor, festival, France, Frank Holland, funk, gig, gospel, Jimmie Wood, Jimmy Reed, JJ Holiday, John Popper, Jon Avilla, Phil May, psychedelia, R&B, Rachel C.Wood, Relache Festival, review, rock, S.F. Sorrow, The Electric Banana, The Imperial Crowns, The Pretty Things
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Gig review: 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 17 June 2017, album, Arthur Brown, Blue Oyster Cult, festival, glam, Gun, heavy rock, London, O2 Indigo, review, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, rock, Stone Free Festival, Sweet, THE ANSWER
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Gig review: 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 Alabama 3, Bearded Theory, Beardy Keef, Blackballed, Catton Park, Derbyshire, Don Letts, Dreadzone, Ferocious Dog, festival, gig, Goldblade, Madness, may 2017, New Model Army, pop, punk, review, rock, Seasick Steve, Selector, Seth Lakeman, Skunk Anansie
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Gig review: JUST SAY YES/ARFM 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 AOR, Blood Red Saints, COP UK, Dante Fox, Dirty White Boyz, festival, FM, gig, JSY, Just Say Yes, melodic rock, review, Romeo's Daughter, Steve Overland, Vega
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News: First big UK rock festivals of 2017 – GREAT BRITISH ROCK & BLUES and GIANTS OF ROCK (January 2017)

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
Gig review: ROCKINGHAM FESTIVAL – Nottingham Trent University Students Union, 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 Alessandro del Vecchio Band, Angels Or Kings, AOR, Art Nation, Blood Red Saints, Crazy Lixx, festival, Fortune, From The Fire, gig, Jean Beauvoir, Kevin Chalfant, Lee Aaron, Lionheart, Martina Edoff, melodic rock, Robby Valentine, Rockingham, Steelheart, Stone Broken, The Defiants, The Poodles, Trixter, Valentine
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Gig review: 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 Alex McKown, blues, Blues Devils, British Blues Awards, DEL BROMHAM, Dudley Ross, festival, Frank Zappa, Free, Gary Grainger, Hamilton Loomis, Humble Pie, Ian Siegal, Jack J. Hutchinson, Jimi Hendrix, JOE COCKER, katie Bradley, King King, Lawrence Jones, Lewis Hamilton, Newark Blues Festival, Nick Hamilton, Ray Charles, Rebecca Downes, review, Robin Trower, rock, Simon Rinaldo, Tom Brundage, Traffic
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Gig review: 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 28-31 July 2016, Americana, Cambridge Folk Festival, Christy Moore, Eliza Carthy, festival, folk, gig, Imelda May, Kate Rusby, review, rock, roots
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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
News: WINTERSTORM – Troon rocks in November with FM, Ricky Warwick, Last In Line and more

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 25-26 November 2016, AOER, Ayrshire, event, festival, FM, gig, hard rock, Inglorious, Last In Line, melodic rock, NWOBHM, Ricky Warwick, Toseland, Troon, Tygers Of Pan Tang, Vega, Winterstorm
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