Following a couple of years hiatus due to the Covid pandemic, Amplified festival returned last week end, running over three days with two shows in London and one in Manchester, featuring some of the best UK alternative independent acts to date. If you’ve missed this opportunity, Amplified promises to come back again next year, so […]
Breaking Bands Festival, Stoke Prior SCC, Bromsgrove – pre-opening day.
After a 2 year hiatus, Breaking Bands festival returned to Stoke Prior Sports & Country Club for a long bank holiday weekend of new and high energy Rock and Metal. They brought us 55 bands across 3 stages over 5 days in North Worcestershire. Organiser Jay has created an event to showcase up and coming […]
The Struts | Cardinal Black Review, O2 Ritz Manchester, 19th July 2022
Cardinal black stormed the stage with intense energy and welcoming vibes merged in. The Welsh born band originally formed in 2020, riding a wave of hype, with vocalist Tom Hollister, guitarist Chris Buck and drummer Adam Roberts. Working with the likes of Steve Winwood at Wincraft Studios and Guns N’ Roses manager Alan Niven. With […]
Walter Trout with Mollie Marriott at the 1865, Southampton: June 22 2022.
It is probably the hottest day so far this June, seven o’clock in the evening and it’s still 30 degrees, so it’s fair to say I’m not overly looking forward to being in a room with six or seven hundred people. The 1865 is Southampton’s newest venue; once a working man’s club/dance hall, it has […]
PiL | Brix Smith – 02 Ritz Manchester – 6th June 2022
PiL played Manchester’s 02 Ritz with Brix Smith’s new band as support. Review and photos by Lauren Allard. It’s 6th June 2022 and I’m at the 02 Ritz in Manchester watching John Lydon, a legend in the UK Punk Rock scene take the stage. As someone who is way past the generation who grew up […]
Alice Cooper & The Cult w/Creeper – Resorts World Arena, Birmingham – May 30 2022.
This was touted, by some, to be a co-headline tour between Alice Cooper and The Cult, but, in reality, few people were in any doubt whatsoever as to who was the headline band! It’s been seven years since I last saw Alice Cooper and, back then, the band were touring on the undercard to Mötley […]
Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2022 Highlights
The Jazz festival returned to Cheltenham’s Montpellier Gardens after having no events in 2020 or 2021 with a bright array of performers straddling, but not confined to, the jazz genre. The public were treated to everything from the R&B/soul of Lola Young (she was the voice behind last year’s John Lewis Christmas advert) to the […]
Burning Witches & Nervosa Double Header – w/ Recall the Remains, the Robin 2
It’s a Wednesday night, Easter is on its way and Bilston was about to be torn a new one as Thrash and Death Metal enthusiasts descended on the Robin 2 to hear the Swiss Misses [sort of] of the Burning Witches perform a double-header with Brazil’s Nervosa all supported by Recall the Remains. The evening […]
Back:n:Black back again at the Robin 2
Support from Forever Sabbath Back:n:Black return to the UK stage after a significant period of time due to COVID restrictions limiting touring opportunities. This particular visit is also notable for some considerable changes in line-up with only BB remaining from the previous tour. This time around we had the very talented Helen Hurd handling vocals, […]
Nordic Giants w. Årabrot at Gloucester Guildhall.
As a fan of principally instrumental post-rock music I was looking forward to seeing Nordic Giants live having just reviewed their latest album, Symbiosis, released earlier this year. Before getting around to seeing (actually more in hope than anticipation knowing that the stage lighting would most likely be black cat in a coal cellar dark). […]