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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
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Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD/Bluray) 2025
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Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD/Bluray) 2026
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Upcoming: UK & Ireland Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2025)
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Upcoming: UK & Ireland Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2026)
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Upcoming: Festivals UK & Europe (2026)
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Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2025)
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Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2026)
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Tag Archives: heavy rock
Gig review: RITCHIE BLACKMORE’S RAINBOW – Genting Arena, Birmingham, 25 June 2016
For us rock fans of a certain age – perhaps from early forties to sixty-ish – Ritchie Blackmore sits in the pantheon of rock royalty. As guitarist and songwriter in both Deep Purple and his own band Rainbow, he pushed … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Candice Night, classic rock, Deep Purple, gig, heavy rock, Jens Johansson, Rainbow, review, Ritchie Blackmore, Ronnie Romero
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Album review: BUDGIE – The MCA Albums 1973-1975
UMC [Release date 03.06.16] This straightforward, budget-priced, three album box set arguably misses out on Budgie’s “finest hour” or two hours if you count the band’s second album ‘Squawk’. One wonders if the first two albums will be reissued in … Continue reading
Album review: DIAMOND HEAD – s/t
Dissonance [Release date 22.04.16] As Brian Tatler says in a recent interview with GRTR! Rasmus Bom Anderson has given the band a kick up the arse. The Danish singer has co-written the material but also provides excellent vocals throughout. I … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Brian Tatler, Diamond Head, heavy metal, heavy rock, NWOBHM, review
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Gig review: HAMMERFEST – Pwllheli, Wales, 10-13 March 2016
Hammerfest is hard, it’s loud, and it’s brutal and yet again it threatens apocalyptic damage on the peaceful site in Pwllheli. Now in its 8th reign yet again it is being hosted under the HRH United umbrella along with HRH … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
Tagged 10-13 March 2016, Cradle Of Filth, Evile, Exodus, Extreme, festival, gig, Hammerfest, heavy rock, metal, Pwllheli, Quemists, review, Thrash, Turisas, Wales
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Album review: SPIRITUAL BEGGARS – Sunrise To Sundown
Century Media [Release date 18.03.16] With so many bands taking the 1970s as their inspiration, it has become a crowded marketplace. The worst case scenario is when the listener feels it is simply easier to go back to source. But, … Continue reading
News: BANG – U.S. 1970s Power Trio – European Tour incl. London date and Interview
Pete Feenstra chatted to Frank Gilcken, Frank Ferrara and Jake Leger for his Feature show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio. In this interview edit Pete finds out more about the band’s 40 year live hiatus… (4:12) More information (and … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Gigs and Tour News, INTERVIEWS, NEWS, Radio interview
Tagged April 2016, Bang!, Borderline, European tour, feature, heavy rock, interview, London, metal, radio
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Album review: HEAT OF DAMAGE – Open Fire
Self Release (Release date 01.10.15) Heat Of Damage hail from the Johnny Cash-endorsed Folsom in California, although not from the penitentiary as far as I know. The band have been together for a few years and this is their debut … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile)
Tagged album, California, Folsom, Heat Of Damage, heavy rock, Jarad Easter, Jeff Haugh, Machine Head, metal, Open Fire, review, Trivium
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Album review: SAXON – Eagles And Dragons (9-vinyl box set)
Demon Records [Release date 18.03.16] Nine albums, nearly twenty years in timespan, and another chance for recycling under the auspices of 180 gram vinyl. This means you don’t get bonus tracks, just the original albums in original sleeves and inners … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, Biff Byford, box set, Dogs Of War, Eagles And Dragons, Forever Free, heavy metal, heavy rock, Into The Labyrinth, Killing Ground, Lionheart, Metalhead, review, Saxon, Solid Ball Of Rock, The Inner Sanctum, Unleash The Beast, Vinyl
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Album review: SOTO – Divak
earMUSIC [Release date 01.04.16] Soto’s debut album ‘Inside The Vertigo’ came and went early last year, and judging by the critical reaction perhaps splitting some of the core JSS fanbase as it marked a return to the more hard-hitting metal … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Divak, heavy metal, heavy rock, Jeff Scott Soto, Journey, metal, review, Soto, Talisman, Tempestt, Yngwie Malmsteen
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EP review: EVILYN STRANGE – Evilution
Thirteen 772 Music [Release date 07.03.16] By their own admission, Mikael Johannesson and Phillip Strange have gone heavier for this five track EP ahead of a full-length album, the follow-up to 2013′s ‘Mourning Phoebe’. Whilst there is nothing inherently wrong … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged EP, Evilution, Evilyn Strange, heavy rock, review
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Gig review: HARD ROCK HELL IX – Hafan Y Mor, Pwllheli, Wales, 12-14 November 2015
Thursday When the line-up was announced for this year’s 9th chapter of the Hard Rock Hell journey there were the usual naysayers but to be fair it’s the same for every festival… However one thing that topped everything was the … Continue reading
Gig review: TRACER/The Vitals – Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton, 8 November 2015
The Aussie rockers have hit the UK for their headline tour straight off the back of a European support slot with Apocalyptica and are ready to promote and play tracks from their new album ‘Water For Thirsty Dogs’. Despite the … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 8 November 2015, gig, heavy rock, review, Slade Rooms, The Vitals, Tracer, Wolverhampton
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Gig review: Y&T – The Tivoli, Buckley, N. Wales – 8 November 2015
The old Ferrero Rocher TV ads used to have the line “Why, Ambassador, you spoil us” – and this could certainly apply to the mighty Y&T playing at our little Tivoli venue in Buckley. The ‘Tiv’ as it’s colloquially known … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 8 November 2015, Buckley, Dave Meniketti, gig, hard rock, heavy rock, LAWLESS, review, Tivoli, Y&T
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Album review: THE LIZARDS – Reptilicus Maximus
Hyperspace Records [Release date 01.09.15] The Lizards may leave us waiting far too long between albums but when they do appear they are invariably worthy of attention. We reviewed their last “proper” 2006 release ‘Against All Odds’ noting that it … Continue reading
Gig review: STEELHOUSE FESTIVAL Day 2 – Ebbw Vale, South Wales, 26 July 2015
Photo: Simon Dunkerley What a difference twelve hours can make, from beautiful blue skies to masses of mud, the lovely Welsh rain has made an appearance but, no matter, the show goes on. Skam had the unenviable task of starting … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
Tagged 26 July 2015, Colour Of Noise, Danny Vaughn, Day 2, Dee Snider, Doro, Ebbw Vale, FM, gig, heavy rock, melodic rock, metal, review, South Wales, Steelhouse Festival, Twisted Sister, Tyketto
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Gig review: VARDIS & DIAMOND HEAD – Bush Hall, Shepherds Bush, London, 18 July 2015
It’s been thirteen years since I started working for Get Ready to ROCK! and, during that time, I have had the pleasure of reviewing many London shows – yet, I have to admit that I didn’t know that the Bush … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Gig reviews
Tagged 18 July 2015, Bush Hall, Diamond Head, gig, heavy rock, London, NWOBHM, review, Vardis
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News: SOS Festival, Radcliffe, near Manchester, 17-19 July 2015 (Metal and Rock)
This preview of the SOS Festival was broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio on Sunday 12 July as part of ‘Assume The Position’ presented by David Randall (21:20) The 8th SOS Festival takes place 17-19 July at Radcliffe Civic … Continue reading
Posted in Festivals & Large Events, NEWS
Tagged 17-19 July 2015, Blaze Bayley, Furyon, heavy rock, Manchester, metal, Radcliffe Civic, rock, Skarlett Riot, SOS Festival, The Amorettes, Triaxis
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Album review: LUCIFER’S FRIEND – Awakening (featuring John Lawton)
This is an extract from a John Lawton Special, broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio in November 2012. (6:13) More information Lucifers Records [Release date 13.04.15] 2-CD When I interviewed John Lawton in 2012 I was fascinated with his … Continue reading
Gig review: VARDIS – Queens Hall, Nuneaton, 17 May 2015
2014 saw the first live dates from the reformed Vardis since way back in the 80’s and with five great gigs under their belt they seemed to be on a roll with new material and album releases planned. However after … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 17 May 2015, gig, heavy rock, Nuneaton, Queens Hall, review, Vardis
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Gig review: LORDI – Manchester Club Academy, 26 March 2015
When I heard that the mighty Lordi were to play Manchester Academy I was expecting it to be in room 1 or 2 due to their extravagant stage show of theatrical props and pyrotechnics and not in the Club Academy … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 26 March 2015, Club Academy, gig, heavy rock, Lordi, Manchester, metal, power metal, review
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Album review: UFO – A Conspiracy Of Stars
SPV [Release date 23.02.15] UFO are another of our “heritage” bands who for the past few years have toured consistently and released new albums. In short, they are still relevant. And, arguably, ‘A Conspiracy Of Stars’ is their best offering … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged A Conspiracy Of Stars, album, hard rock, heavy rock, Paul Raymond, Phil Mogg, review, UFO, Vinnie Moore
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Album review: URIAH HEEP- Live at Koko (CD/DVD)
Frontiers Records [Release date 20.02.15] Uriah Heep’s long career has been punctuated by regular live albums – 1973’s ‘Live’ with original singer David Byron, the Live In Moscow opus which opened up what was to become their longest-running line up … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Bernie Shaw, classic rock, Davey Rimmer, gig, heavy rock, Koko, live album, Mick Box, Phil Lanzon, review, Russell Gilbrook, Uriah Heep
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Album review: DEVIL’S TRAIN – II
earMUSIC [Release date 02.02.15] I reviewed the Devil’s Train debut album in 2012 and was very impressed describing it as “a wonderful gut-churning, ball-grabbing, riff-fest”. All credit, then, that this is more than just a one-off project for ex-members of … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Devil's Train, Evergrey, heavy rock, II, Mystic Prophecy, review, Stratovarius
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Album review: WITCH MOUNTAIN – Mobile Of Angels
Svart Records – Out Now. Female-fronted vintage-sounding bands have been on the rise for quite some time now so you would certainly be excused to think that Witch Mountain may just be another outfit eager to jump into this specific … Continue reading
Gig review: VARDIS – Hard Rock Hell, Pwllheli, 15 November 2014
Band reformations always form differences of opinions but the few thousand people watching Vardis on the main stage at Hard Rock Hell delivered their overwhelmingly positive verdict. After being apart for almost 30 years, drummer Gary Pearson, after a lot … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
Tagged 15 November 2014, gig, Hard Rock Hell, heavy rock, NWOBHM, Pwllheli, review, Vardis
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