A battleship-grey afternoon greeted the early-doors arrivals as the curtains were pulled wide open upon the second day of HRH NWOCR.

Two years, four dates and finally the show is on! The second Steelhouse Awayday is upon us with the force of a super-heavyweight pugilist landing the title-winning punch.

After bunking off work early for the 120mile drive to Manchester and the 17:00 ‘Doors’, MPM Tog Manny and I make our way north. The car is suitably stocked with Guinness, diet coke, sour sweets, and excitement.

Five years ago no-one would have dared to imagine that this point in time would occur. For sure the green shoots of an underground rock revival were there to be seen.

So, 2022 kicks of with uncertainty, bands are pulling out of tours left right and centre. Music fans are now having to wait to see if their favourite bands are going to venture out and play live or not.

So, Christmas is out of the way for another year. Retail has no doubt boomed as it would seems that that is what Christmas is all about nowadays, the true meaning and the baby Jesus have now been long forgotten.

Tonight, I’m making a beeline to the best venue in the East Midlands, yes, I’m back at Rock City. Sadly, my trusty gig buddy Pete isn’t with me, tonight, Statler is going it alone, or is it Waldorf? No matter it’s a night I’ve been waiting for, for nearly 50 years

As the days tick down to Santa’s arrival Belfast is a hive of activity as the Live Scene seems to knock out as many live gigs as possible on the run up to the Xmas break.

After an ‘evening off’ yesterday, Manny and I are back at Rock City (I wonder if we’re eligible for our own parking space, next to the tour bus)? There’s a good, primarily leather clad, queue waiting to get in

Twice postponed during the pandemically restricted times of 2020 it sure has been a challenge to get Kris Barras' hometown show to the point of doors opening.

The 10th anniversary Christmas Jam promised to deliver an excellent night of music from many genres of rock and it did not fail to deliver.

As people are still getting used to gathering together again at venues, some may understandably still be a bit nervous. It would maybe take something special to bring them out to a venue like the Limelight, Belfast.

Saturday morning at Great Yarmouth and the sun decided to show up again as seagulls the size of small cars strut around the campsite. Emerging from the late-night reveries, the assembled masses started gathering for another day of loud guitars, communal singing and the embracing of old friends and new.

On opening door number 13 of the Metal Planet Music advent calendar, I find a couple of tickets for The Darkness with Massive Wagons at Rock City.

We all love a party especially around the Christmas period and even more so when you have three great bands on the card.

Having seen Myles on his solo ‘Year of The Tiger’ album tour back in 2018, when this tour was announced I knew I wanted to cover it. Sadly, due to prior engagements I’m having to travel further afield than normal to get to see him.