Well, the circus has rolled into Dublin tonight, a lot of firsts, Motley have never played Ireland in 42 years and Mammoth WVH as well, as far as Def Leppard, Joe did say it's like a hometown gig as he has lived here for so long!
Today’s headliners are the formidable U.S. rockers Guns & Roses, after playing a killer set at Glastonbury only a matter of days ago, and a set in Glasgow for out friends north of Hadrian’s Wall, they now grace the Great Oak Stage at British Summer Time in Hyde Park.
After our previous jaunts around the country, it’s nice to have a ‘local’ one. The two ‘Old Muppets’ are back on the familiar floorboards of Rock City’s little sister, The Rescue Rooms.
Northern Irelands favourite son Ricky Warwick has returned to the Diamond Rock Club in Ahoghill tonight for the first of 2 back to back acoustic gigs. The Almighty/Black Star Riders/Thin Lizzy star is accompanied for these gigs by his BSR mate and Wayward Sons guitarist Sam Wood.
It’s a Dog Day Afternoon here south of the Thames, close to the border of Surrey and Kent. No cops, no robbers, no banks being held up mercifully. Instead, what is occurring here in the leafy environs of hilly Crystal Palace is a gathering of the clans. The Pied Piper of Punk, none other than the overlord himself, Iggy Pop, has issued a rallying call.
Glastonbury Festival is one of the biggest, the best music and cultural event in the world, and as one of the few, it is also a culture-defining event. The tickets sell out months before any performer is officially confirmed to play at the famous Pyramid Stage.
Whilst a half hour tube ride away in Hyde Park, Los Angeles megastars Guns 'N Roses were laying waste to the thousands gathered there, the hottest place to be in London was Camden's The Underworld, the famed venue bursting at the seams with the faithful to see Dögs of War.
For a considerable period in the late 80s and into the 90s Washington-born progressive metal outfit Queensrÿche could do absolutely no wrong. Considered amongst the leaders, alongside the likes of Dream Theatre and Fates Warning
The last day of Download is here – the weekend has whizzed by in a flash. It is still insanely hot and sunny, so what better way to start the day than to kick off the day with one of the most stunning bands that the last few years have had to offer…
Scream for me Dublin!! It’s great to be back; one big happy family. As is usual wherever Maiden play the arena is sold out; Metalheads having travelled from afar to take in a date (if not another date) on the Future Past Tour 2023.
One of the things I love about summer in the mid-west is when the outdoor venues open! This show brings me to the Credit Union 1 Amphitheater in Tinley Park, IL for 3 Doors Down and Candlebox. Seems fitting that a couple of 90s bands are playing in a venue that opened in 1990.
Another scorching day, I headed straight to the Apex stage where Australian Metalcore lads Polaris were about to kick off. One thing that I have loved so far about this years Download is that there seems to be a lot more of an olive branch to sub genres to be given a space to be heard at a large festival instead of keeping mainstream genres in the spotlight.
We’re careering towards the summer solstice and the ascendency of daylight hours upon those of darkness. Here in the Welsh valleys the air swelters, inside The Patriot it’s hotter than Hades.
Day three in the Love Rocks ‘madhouse’ and the musical pandemonium continues apace! The ensemble’s eyes might be a touch blurry with imbibing of unspoken spirits in the wee hours playing their part but there’s a hunger for further mellifluous treats. There’s a point where the creatures of the night morph into the people of the day; that point is blurry too but it’s roughly about now.
Here we are, a lovely day in the Irish capital, six hours in the car and a 320-mile round trip for me. We have a trio of musicians about to entertain and scare every musician in the room and there are a few here tonight, that’s for sure.
Waking up under a big oak tree where Press and Guest camp were situated was pretty beautiful. Today was a scorcher and after ten minutes walk into the Arena, the Apex stage was just getting ready for Australian outfit Stand Atlantic to kick Friday into festival mode.