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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: instrumental
Album review: GALACTIC EMPIRE – S/T
Rise Records [Release date 03.02.17] Galactic Empire caused a stir last year on YouTube with their version of the ‘Main Theme’ from ‘Star Wars’ – currently over 3m views and counting. Now they unleash a full album of their versions of … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, debut, Galactic Empire, George Lucas, instrumental, John Williams, metal, review, Rise Records, rock, Star Wars
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Gig review: STEVE ROTHERY BAND – Band On The Wall, Manchester, 12 January 2017
This hour special was broadcast in the first hour of David Randall’s weekly show ‘Assume The Position’ on Sunday 18 September at 22:00 GMT on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio. With an opening set provided by the Dave Foster Band … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 12 January 2017, Band On The Wall, Dave Foster, gig, guitar, guitarist, instrumental, interview, Manchester, Marillion, prog, progressive, review, Steve Rothery, Steve Rothery Band
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News: GORDON GILTRAP releases new album and radio interview (January 2017)
Gordon Giltrap may be best known for his 1978 hit single ‘Heartsong’ but his 50 year-plus career has positioned him as one of the most influential and progressive acoustic guitar players. Gordon was influenced by the sixties folk greats Bert … Continue reading
Album review: GORDON GILTRAP & PAUL WARD – The Last Of England
On Sunday 15 January 2017 at 18:00 GMT David Randall chatted to Gordon Giltrap on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, with tracks from the new album. Angel Air Records [Release date 20.01.17] Gordon Giltrap? Where do you start? This veteran … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview
Tagged acoustic, album, Gordon Giltrap, guitar, guitarist, instrumental, orchestral, Paul Ward, review, rock, The Last Of England
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Album review: PYMLICO – Meeting Point
Apollon Records [Release date 07.10.16] We’ve had an obsession with all things Scandinavian in recent years and the fourth album from Norwegian instrumentalists Pymlico contributes to this Nordic sense of intrigue. Wholly instrumental, prog/jazz fusion in approach, the band is … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, instrumental, jazz fusion, Jazz rock, Meeting Point, Norway, Norwegian, Pymlico, review, rock
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Album review: CURVED AIR – Rarities Series Volume 2 – Curved Space and Infinity
Curved Air Records [Release date 04.11.16] 2-CD Volume 2 of a continuing series bring together a “then and now” of one of our treasured prog/psych bands. The first disc accommodates 1990s recordings with Francis Monkman on guitar and which evolved … Continue reading
Album review: DANIELE LIVERANI – An Innocent Challenge
Lion Music [Release date 26.08.16] Danielle Liverani was last seen with the rather good guitar instrumental album ‘Fantasia’ and now he has come back with a piano concerto! Classical and rock music have always been linked, with many rock musicians … Continue reading
Interview: ERIK NORLANDER
Erik Norlander has just released his latest album, ‘Surreal’ and here he talks about the stories behind the music, along with Last In Line who he recently joined… Could you take us through the songs on your new album ‘Surreal’? … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions, Interviews/Rock Stars
Tagged Asia, Dio, Erik Norlander, instrumental, interview, John Payne, Lana Lane, Last In Line, prog, progressive, rock, Surreal
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Album review: APOCALYPTICA – Plays Metallica By Four Cellos (20th Anniversary Edition)
Odyssey Music Network [Release date 22.07.16] Metallica played by a string quartet? Keen-eared readers will know that this isn’t such a wayward proposition. Back in 1999 Hetfield’s Heroes recorded a live album with the San Francisco Symphony demonstrating the tunes … Continue reading
EP reviews: NIAMH CROWTHER, MIKE DEDIC
NIAMH CROWTHER www.niamhcrowther.com Niamh Crowther came to prominence aged 16, when she beat over 15,000 other young people to claim the prestigious Youth Music Awards in Ireland. She has received lots of airplay on Irish radio and has transferred this … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged EP, guitar, instrumental, Mike Dedic, Niamh Crowther, pop, reviews, rock, singer songwriter, the Black Bullets
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Album review: ADRIAN WEISS – Easy Game
CD Baby [Release date 06.07.14] Just in case you dozed off listening to too much AOR, or you’ve have been concussed by too much metal, you may have missed the emergence of a whole new school of prog-metal instrumentalists including … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Adrian Weiss, album, Christian Muenzner, Demian Heuke, Easy Game, Forces At Work, fusion, Gloryful, guitar, instrumental, Jason Becker, Jeff Beck, Joe Satriani, Lars Zehner, Manuel Korsakow, Marcel Willnat, metal, Paul Gilbert, prog, review, rock, Steve Vai, Thought Sphere, Tony McAlpine, Vinnie Moore, Yngwie Malmsteen
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Album review: FORBIDDEN PLANET – From Bedroom To Oblivion
CD Baby [Release date 11.10.15] Not to be confused with anything pertaining to science fiction, save for some obtuse voice-over snippets, Forbidden Planet is a Singapore based instrumental prog rock outfit with an open ended style that finds them truly … Continue reading
Album review: DOCKER’S GUILD – The Heisenberg Diaries Book A: Sounds of Future Past
Lion Music www.lionmusic.com [Release date 21.01.16, digital only] This is the second album from the Docker’s Guild, the brainchild of Douglas R. Docker. This album is part of a series of 4 transitional albums placed between the 5 main “seasons” … Continue reading
Album review: ANDY SUMMERS – Metal Dog
Andy Summers Music/Cargo Records [Release date 15.01.16] A new solo album from Andy Summers? He of the heavily arpeggiated, chorused but always ear-friendly guitaring? He’s released a string of solo albums since ‘XYZ’ in 1987 and his last release was … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, ambient, Andy Summers, fusion, guitar, guitarist, instrumental, Metal Dog, Police, review, rock
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Album review: ANDREAS VOCKRODT – Adventures In Foggyland
7music (Membran) [Release date 13.03.15] From his opening shred on ‘21 is Only Half The Truth’, through several shifting rhythm patterns, an ever present melodic undertow and the gnawing riff conclusion of ‘Transition To Reality’, its obvious that German guitarist … Continue reading
Quick plays: THE GRISWOLDS, MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY, THE UGLY GUYS, LOTTA LENE
THE GRISWOLDS – Be Impressive Wind Up Records www.wearethegriswolds.com [Release date 25.05.15] Australian four piece the Griswolds (named after the family in National Lampoon’s Family Vacation) are one for those who like a little bit of synth led indie pop. … Continue reading
Album review: NEAL SCHON – Vortex
This is an exclusive edit from an interview with Neal Schon using non-broadcast material. An extended version will be broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio in a special edition of ‘Assume The Position’ presented by David Randall on Sunday … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, audio, guitar, guitarist, instrumental, interview, jazz fusion, Jazz rock, Journey, Neal Schon, review, rock, Santana, Solo, Vortex, world
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Album review: SWUNG – Vol.1 & 2 (feat. members of FOCUS)
In And Out Of Focus Records [Release date 03.11.14] ‘Swung’ was evidently conceived and recorded during downtime from the “day job” – for Bobby Jacobs and Pierre van der Linden this means the current incarnation of Focus. Although that band … Continue reading
Album review: SIMON PHILLIPS – Protocol II
Inakustik [Release date 13.10.14] It’s been fourteen years since the release of ‘Vantage Point’, Simon Phillips’ last solo album. This is understandable given that for most of that period he’s been tied up drumming for Toto. But of course in … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Andy Timmons, Danger Danger, drummer, drums, Ernest Tibbs, instrumental, jazz fusion, Protocol II, review, rock, Simon Phillips, Steve Lukather, Steve Weingart, Toto
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Quick plays: GRAND DESIGN, 220 VOLT, JUDE GWYNAIRE
GRAND DESIGN – Thrill Of The Night AOR Heaven [Release date 29.09.14] Grand Design are back with their 80’s influenced hard rock, or as I like to think Def Leppard with a helium infused vocalist! Vocalist Pelle Saether has a … Continue reading
Quick plays: GASOLINE STARS, DUST BOWL JOKIES, THOMAS ZWIJSEN, DR.JOHN
GASOLINE STARS – Good Looks, Bad Behaviour Self Release Good Looks, Bad Behaviour is the debut full length album from Gasoline Stars who formed in 2012 in Sweden. Gasoline Stars are a fivesome although they have split with the drummer … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Bad Behaviour, blues, Cockaigne Vaudeville, Coldplay, Crucified Barbara, Dr John, Dust Bowl Jokies, Empire Of The Damned, epic rock, Falling Red, Gasoline Stars, Good Looks, guitar instrumental, Guns 'N' Roses, hair metal, In-Flight Safety, instrumental, jazz, metal, Motley Crue, Nylonized, review, rock, Ske-Dat-De-Dat…Spirit of Satch, sleaze rock, Sweden, Thomas Zwijsen
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Album review: PETER FRAMPTON – Hummingbird In A Box
Red/Sony [Released 07.07.14] There are not many artists who pursue a new musical direction deep into their career let alone on their 15th studio album. But Peter Frampton is no ordinary artist. He’s never stood still since his days with … Continue reading
Interview: CHRIS PICTON (August 2014)
Multi-instrumentalist Chris Picton first came to the attention of GRTR! as a member of prog rock band Quecia. Now Chris has a new digital album out called ‘Journey of Broken Dreams‘ and we caught up with him for an update plus … Continue reading
Album review: JOHN LUTTRELL – The Dream Exchange
www.johnluttrell.com [Release date 15.05.14] In the mid-late 1980s there was a fad for what was termed ‘new age’ music which produced ambient albums in their abundance and presaged the “chill-out” genre a decade later. Some nasty critics likened the genre … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, ambient, guitar, guitarist, instrumental, John Luttrell, new age, review, The Dream Exchange
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Album review: BRIAN MAILLARD – Reincarnation
www.brianmaillard.com [Release date: 01.02.14] Brian Mailliard is an accomplished guitarist who came to wider attention with the band Solid Vision and perhaps more widely with the ill-fated if rather good Dominici albums (2005-7) fronted by original Dream Theater vocalist Charlie … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Brian Maillard, Dominici, Dream Theater, fusion, guitar, guitarist, instrumental, Reincarnation, review, rock, Solid Vision, Swiss
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