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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: pop rock
Album review: SQUEEZE – The Knowledge
Love Records [Release date 13.10.17] ‘The Knowledge’ is Squeeze’s third album since they reunited back in 2007 and 2015′s ‘Cradle To The Grave’ received rave reviews, plus saw the band gain more exposure as the album formed the soundtrack to the TV series … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Chris Difford, Glen Tilbrook, pop, pop rock, review, rock, Squeeze, The Knowledge
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Book review: Some Fantastic Place by Chris Difford
W&N [Publication date 31.08.17] Chris Difford is the lyricist to Glen Tilbrook’s music and arranging in Squeeze, a band who have split up twice and now since reforming again in 2007 seem to be enjoying a purple patch both in terms … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged book, Chris Difford, Glen Tilbrook, memoir, pop, pop rock, review, Some Fantastic Place, Squeeze, W&N
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Album review: THE LEN PRICE 3 – Kentish Longtails
JLM Recordings [Release date 22.09.17] The Len Price 3 are now on this, their fifth album and not a band I have heard of previously, however if you like punk, pop rock and mod chances are you will need this … Continue reading
Album review: CHRIS JAGGER – All The Best
BMG [Release date 01.09.17] “OK class, hands up who’s familiar with the works of Chris Jagger?” “Michael Eavis put your hand down, and take 100 lines: ‘I will put more rock acts on at Glasto”’. Yes, Chris Jagger ‘ Mick’s … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, All The Best, Chris Jagger, compilation, David Gilmour, Mick Jagger, pop rock, review, Sam Brown
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Album review: BRYAN ADAMS – Wembley 1996 Live
Eagle Rock [Release date 30.06.17 ] Back in 1996 Bryan Adams was riding the crest of a wave, some might say a tsunami. The placement of ‘(Everything I Do) I Do It for You’ in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Bryan Adams, Melissa Etheridge, pop rock, review, rock, Wembley 1996 Live
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Album review: PICTUREHOUSE – How Do I Explain How This Came To Be?
Vinyl/digital release This album is not so much a best of more a collection of songs, some previously unreleased, that PictureHouse recorded between 1995 and 1998. There are twelve songs in all, with a couple drawn from the ‘Shine Box’ (1996) and ‘Karmarama’ … Continue reading
Album review: HUNTER & THE BEAR – Paper Heart
[Release date 12.05.17] Hunter & the Bear I first heard via Spotify, which may not be overly loved by some musicians, however it did its job as Hunter & the Bear were recommended as I liked Tax The Heat and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, anthems, Hunter & the Bear, Paper Heart, pop rock, review, rock
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EP reviews: WAITING FOR TITOR, BEYOND RECALL, MALLEN
MALLEN Jack Of Cards Mallen released their debut ‘Ignition’ back in 2015 and have toured with the likes of Motley Crue on their UK farewell dates, plus Toseland and Funeral For A Friend. This new song was produced by David … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged All Time Low, alt rock, Beyond Recall, Bring Me The Horizon, Depeche Mode, EP, hard rock, Jack Of Cards, Mallen, pop punk, pop rock, prog, reviews, rock, rock 'n' roll, Scuzz TV, Waiting For Titor
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Gig review: MIKE + THE MECHANICS – Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, 15 March 2017
With only two tracks from the album featured in the set, the Word Of Mouth Tour 2017 billing – to celebrate that album’s 25th anniversary last year, turned out to be something of a misnomer. But, let’s be honest, the … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 15 March 2017, Andrew Roachford, AOR, Bridgewater Hall, Genesis, gig, Manchester, Mike & the Mechanics, Mike And The Mechanics, Mike Rutherford, pop rock, review, rock, soft rock
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Quick plays: D’ERCOLE, JIM JIDHED, BEACHEADS
D’ERCOLE No Place Like Home This is the fourth album from melodic hard rock band D’Ercole and they have released it themselves having left Z Records. The album features Phil Vincent as the main songwriter and producer (does this man never … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged albums, Alien, AOR, AOR Heaven, Beacheads, D'Ercole, indie pop, Jim Jidhed, melodic, Phil Vincent, pop rock, Quick Play, reviews, rock
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Album review: ENUFF Z’NUFF – Clowns Lounge
Frontiers [Release date 02.12.16] Been awhile since any new material from Enuff Z’Nuff, 2010′s ‘Dissonance’ to be precise. This is not quite a new release, as the songs on here were first written back in 1988-89 by Chip Z’Nuff and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Chip Z'nuff, Clowns Lounge, Donnie Vie, Enuff Z'Nuff, Frontiers, melodic, pop, pop rock, review, rock
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Album review: GUS MONSANTO – Karma Cafe
[Release date 05.09.16] Brazilian Gus Monsanto may not be a household name in terms of wider rock recognition, but since at least 2004 his name has cropped up repeatedly on other people’s albums, mainly metal-related. He’s worked with French band … Continue reading
Gig review: CATS IN SPACE, SPACE ELEVATOR – Harlequin Theatre, Redhill, 29 September 2016
Quite apart from the similarity in names, the pairing of Cats In Space and Space Elevator was a perfect match. Both are new acts, albeit with seasoned musicians who have been on the scene a while, trying to do something … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Andy Stewart, Cats In Space, David Young, Dean Howard, gig, Greg Hart, Jeff Brown, Paul Manzi, pop rock, review, seventies, soft rock, SPACE ELEVATOR, the Duchess, We Will Rock You
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Quick plays: MARION, HANA PIRANHA
MARION This World And Body/The Program (reissues) Edsel [Release date 16.09.16] Marion were formed in Macclesfield in 1993 by then students Jamie Harding and Phil Cunningham, who had previously been in various bands together. The band’s first album, 1996’s This … Continue reading
Quick plays: THE NEW 52, MIKE HURST, ORFILA
THE NEW 52 Let Me Sleep www.thenew52music.com [Release date 16.09.16] The New 52 is the brainchild of Darragh Cullen, and he is joined by drummer Sean O’Connor, guitarist Connor McLoughlin and bassist Mikey Deasy for live shows – on the … Continue reading
Quick plays: BREAD OVER BOMBS, GONE DEAD TRAIN, THE MIRROR TRAP
BREAD OVER BOMBS www.breadoverbombs.org Interesting backstory to this band from Los Angeles in that they put the profits of the band’s music into providing food for food banks. They have to date provided over 10,000 meals for people via the … Continue reading
Quick plays: PAPERNUT CAMBRIDGE, SULFUR CITY, KING MUD
PAPERNUT CAMBRIDGE Love The Things Your Lover Loves An album full of trippy, bubblegum pop – these types of bands were ubiquitous in the ‘70s, think early Small Faces with Steve Mariott-type, easy-on-the-ears ditties (though not his pipes) but you … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Barismanco, blues, King Mud, Papernut Cambridge, pop rock, Quick Play, reviews, rock, Sulfur City, the Blues Against Youth
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Gig review: JEFF LYNNE’S ELO – 02 Arena, London, 20 April 2016
For most of the past 30 years the notion that the Electric Light Orchestra would be selling out a 14 date UK arena tour would have seemed preposterous. Always derided by critics and seen as uncool, since their creative juices … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Electric Light Orchestra, ELO, gig, Jeff Lynne, Mike Stevens, pop rock, review, Richard Tandy, soft rock
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Album review: THE DOWLING POOLE – One Hyde Park
369 Music www.thedowlingpoole.com [Released 08.04.16] The Dowling Poole’s 2014 debut album ‘Bleak Strategies’ easily made my year end top 10, so this new album has a lot to live up to. Based around the duo of Willie Dowling (Jackdaw4/the Grip/the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 10CC, album, Beatles, Jon Poole, One Hyde Park, pop, pop rock, power pop, review, THE DOWLING POOLE, Willie Dowling, XTC
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Quick plays: DAVID LOCKE, DERIAN CROSS, TESS OF THE CIRCLE
DAVID LOCKE Transitions [Release date 05.15] www.davidlocke.co.uk David Locke is another guitar journeymen but the difference between his production values and the Derian Cross album (see below) are palpable. A lot of time and effort has evidently gone into making … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged Amplify, Dave Locke, Derian Cross, fusion, guitar, guitarist, One, pop rock, rock, Tess Of the Circle, Transitions
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Album review: JEFF LYNNE’S ELO – Alone In The Universe
Colombia/Sony [Release date 13.11.15] To say I was looking forward to this is an understatement! It has been fourteen years since the last album under the ELO name, 2001′s ‘Zoom’ and there was the album of cover versions of long … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Alone In The Universe, classic rock, ELO, Jeff Lynne, Jeff Lynne's ELO, pop, pop rock, review
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News: DOWNES BRAIDE ASSOCIATION, Edgar Winter interview features – Sunday 25 October 2015
Pop rock duo Geoff Downes and Chris Braide release their second album as Downes Braide Association (DBA) on 6 November. Downes is best known as the keyboard maestro with bands like Asia and Yes whilst Chris Braide has written for … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, NEWS
Tagged 25 October 2015, Asia, blues, blues rock, Chris Braide, DBA, Downes Braide Association, Edgar Winter, Geoff Downes, interview, pop, pop rock, progressive, radio, Yes
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Quick plays: TOM MORIARTY, WE GHOSTS, SOLEY MOURNING
TOM MORIARTY The Road Driftwood Records [Release date 03.08.15] London-based singer songwriter Tom Moriarty released his debut album Fire In The Doll’s House (2012) to critical acclaim garnering Radio 2 play listing and 4 star reviews from the mainstream press. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Decade, pop rock, review, singer, songwriter, The Road, Tom Moriarty, We Ghosts
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Album review: NELSON – Peace Out
Frontiers Records [Release Date 15.05.15] I was beginning to wonder if Nelson’s excellent comeback album Lightning Strikes Twice was also to be their swansong as a recording entity, but nearly five years on the immaculately coiffed twins are back with … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Gunnar Nelson, Matthew Nelson, melodic rock, Nelson, pop rock, power pop, review
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Album review: Access All Areas – HATFIELD AND THE NORTH, SAD CAFE, RICK WAKEMAN
Edsel [Release date 30.03.15] ‘Access All Areas’ is a new series from Edsel culled from the 1980 ‘Rockstage’ and 1990s ‘Bedrock’ Central TV series. Although many of these live sets have appeared previously, it takes Edsel to produce the definitive … Continue reading
