The greatest performer on Earth has traded in his straight jacket, swords and top hat for an audience with style show and it proves he does not need to be singing to hold a crowd in the palm of his hands.

There are certain venues where a show immediately feels like it belongs there. The Arcada Theatre is one of those places. It is old, ornate, slightly excessive, and completely unapologetic about its history, which makes it almost suspiciously well suited for a night built around two bands carrying a lot of heavy-metal history with them.

The calendar said October 9, but inside The Vixen in McHenry it felt like Halloween had shown up three weeks early, kicked open the door, and immediately started asking where the fog machine was.

When you have amassed the the plaudits he has from such an early age, played with a who’s who of Blues and Rock guitar legends, released 12 albums and somehow still manage to be just 35 years old you know there is a massive talent in Eric Steckel.

Words by Phil Rozier for MPM Most Thursday’s, I finish work, and pop to the gym.  Sometimes I might watch TV.  I know, don’t all get jealous at once.  It’s the heavy hitting lifestyle of a rock n roll journalist.  But last night, I did something a bit different.  You too might have done something different to the norm, but …

I do love a bit of classical before a concert kicks into full swing.  Don’t you?  And tonight’s sequencing see’s classic 80’s, but still banging out tunes in late 2020’s, Europe, take to the stage.

Certain concert bills make perfect sense the second you see them, even if the bands themselves occupy completely different corners of heavy music. Ministry, Acid Bath, and Windhand at The Salt Shed was one of those nights.

Considering the windy and wet weather we've been having recently it's a surprisingly sunny crisp Autumn evening as we make our trek to Belfast for quite the mix of metal tonight, Fear Factory have packed the tour package with Metalcore, Death Metal and dark, almost gothic style of rock with Crystal Lake, Hate and The Nocturnal Affair.

As we set off from the North West on our journey via car, it seems a bit odd given that we are on our way to see two exceptional bands who base their music on Mongolian and Norse ancestry respectively, it feels like we really should be making our way via horseback or longboat.

The Forge in Joliet has always felt like the kind of room where the walls remember impact. It is not a precious venue. It does not ask the crowd to admire the architecture or whisper reverently about acoustics.

There are bands you go to see because you want to relive your youth. And then there are bands you go to see because, frankly, you want to get dirty again.

Since its inception in 2018 this festival has steadily evolved into the international sell-out event that it is nowadays. Pulling in bands, this year, from Sweden, Germany, Finland and from, even further afield, Canada and USA is no mean feat in itself.

Tonight, as he looks at the sight of a sold out Wembley, Jon Bon Jovi looks emotional. It's no wonder really, the vocal issues and subsequent surgery he had could have easily brought the end to his career and nights like this.

“One day, one stage, one monster rock show.” Now in its eighth incarnation Stonedead Festival well and truly lives up to its motto. It has unequivocably become an industry mark of exacting standards within the rock and metal calendar

Its the last day of Bloodstock 2026 and already its kicking off to a killer start with the cure for a heavy Saturday night opening with the mystic tones of Alunah.

First time in the Voodoo for me believe it or not, so looking forward to checking the place out, triple bill tonight,