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Live Reviews |
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Robin Trower, Thekla, 11th May 2008 |
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I'd not seen Robin Trower live since
the Reading Festival back in the 70's, and I also remember a couple
of appearances on something like The Old Grey Whistle Test or one of
the other early "live music on TV" type programs....... |
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Magnum, Academy, 7th May 2008 |
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A quick return to touring for the
guys in Magnum, as it wasn't too long ago they were treading the
boards at the Academy promoting their most recent CD release - which
probably accounts for the slightly smaller than expected punter
turnout?? |
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Old Tavern Acoustic night - First
anniversary |
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It is the first anniversary of Alfie Kingston's
'Acoustic Night' at the Old Tavern at Blackberry Hill. |
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Billy Bragg at the Colston Hall - 24th April 2008 |
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Now I have to be honest right from
the outset. Billy Bragg is not an artist I would normally rush to
see. However, when you are offered a free ticket in good seats, it
would seem quite churlish to refuse and so myself and mate ‘Bob’ set
off for an evening of political rhetoric and vitriolic fervour at
the Bristol Colston Hall, or so I would have thought...... |
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The Deltics - Stones Cross
Midsomer Norton - April 25th 2008 |
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If you've ever wondered what it would
be like to experience a band playing in your living room, then maybe
The Stones Cross in Midsomer Norton is the place for you....... |
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Wallis Bird - 24th April 2008 Supporting Billy Bragg at The Colston
Hall |
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Anybody that can break the strings on
an acoustic guitar through sheer exuberance is ok with me I can tell
you..... |
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The Reavers - 18th April 2008 at The Louisiana |
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Well, what can I say about Reavers?
(Presumably named after the lunatic bad guys from the much
underrated Sci-Fi movie ‘Serenity’) ........ |
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Elbow - Colston hall - 9th April
2008
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I had been drinking this evening
but not Elbow's Grounds for divorce cocktails, apparently the band
are still working on this drink.......... |
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Emilie Autumn at the Bristol Bierkeller
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16th April 2008 |
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The Bierkeller
is populated by people with unusual dress sense this evening.
Extreme goth almost, top hats black suits and skimpy evening dresses
make my attire entirely out of place. With the two support acts out
of the way the entourage of Emilie Autumn take to the stage which
has been decorated with cloth & ribbon to resemble an Victorian
Parlour of sorts....... |
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The Australian Pink Floyd Show -
Colston Hall. Sat 12th April |
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I still find it bizarre that a
tribute band can sell out large concert halls, even more so when the
band inform us that they are used to playing much larger venues than
the Colston Hall these days! Not so surprising when you have no
chance of seeing the real thing (although rumour has it that may
change soon!), and when this lot have refined their performance to
such a stunning level........... |
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Fish on Friday – 14 March 2008 –
Guildhall – Gloucester
With support from Glyder |
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The support for this evening's
entertainment was an Irish band called Glyder: Four lads from
Ballyknockan (do the Irish know how to name their towns or what?!)
what a surprise! – I hadn’t expected them to be so good! To be
honest I hadn’t really given them a thought at all – how rude of
me!........ |
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Straight Shooter
- KING'S ARMS - 08 March 2008 |
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SO here I am again, another pub
another band (hmmm I see a pattern forming here...do you think I
just go to see bands as an excuse to go to the pub?). So, offered up
for this evening's entertainment we have Straight Shooter – A Bath
based 4 piece rock covers band, playing mainly classic rock numbers.
....... |
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Bjorn Again Shine As Bright As Ever.
Cheltenham Town Hall - Monday 3rd
March 2008
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Can you believe that "Bjorn Again"
have been around the world and back again for nineteen years and
continue to wow the crowds with a highly polished show that is
difficult to criticise.
It never gets boring, it's always fun
and highly entertaining and the music, can you really say your are
able to sit in your seat for long?....... |
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Jagged - A Music Revolution Is
On Its Way.
Louisiana, Bristol. - Friday 7th March
2008
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I became aware of 'Jagged' through
another highly acclaimed Bristol group called "Mesh".
In the same music genre but not long
starting out. Next thing their four track EP lands on my doorstep
and then they announce their debut performance at the Louisiana in
Bristol.
But the big question - could "Jagged"
perform live? Well it was worth investigating?....... |
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Asia @ The Cheese & Grain - 8th March 2008 |
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The venue manager took to the
mike before the gig and us told how, when he informed the house
sound engineer that ASIA were coming to the Cheese & Grain, he
couldn't believe it! The last time he had seen them was at Madison
Square Garden!......... |
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Private Dicks @ the
Crown Cellar Bar - 2nd March 2008 |
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Back in 1978 me and my best mate
Darren ‘Bassbin’ Williams trawled the music venues of Bristol on our
motorbikes (when I say Motorbikes, I do in fact mean our Honda
SS50’s, complete with pedals and everything) looking for good live
bands to go and watch. ..... |
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The Killertones –Wootton Bassett High
Street Club - 22 February 2008 |
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Having spent 10 years as a three
piece tribute band - Going Underground –the addition of Herb on the
Sax and Stevo on Bass, to the original line up of Chris (Steeley) on
drums (who has an inside leg measurement of 31" even though he
claims 32"! [you really had to be there for that to make sense but
for those of us who were... told you!!!]) and Gouldy (Ian) on guitar
and vocals have together undergone a metamorphosis to the
Killertones............ |
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The Junction - Adam Bomb - Buzz Gang & Venus
Bogardus - 27th Feb 2008 |
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Promoter Chris Redman has been putting on
punk gigs at The Junction in Stokes Croft for a good few years now,
showcasing a mixture of both local and international talent. He's one of
the hardest working guys you're likely to meet on Bristol's music
scene....... |
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Stackridge - The Limelight, Crewe - Friday
15th February 2008 |
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Taking the stage at just gone 9.15, James
asked "when was the last time you were in Crewe?" Mutter accurately
riposted "today!" and the band were away into a rollicking version of
Dora, The Female Explorer which made a perfect
set opener. .......... |
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Michael Schenker - Thekla, 17/02/2008 |
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Well, this was a bit
of a turn up……..
From what I
understand, Schenker spent most of 2007 lurching from one catastrophe to
the next, including a truly embarrassing "performance" with the
Scorpions at the Rock & Blues festival back in the summer, when he could
hardly hold his guitar, let alone play it!!. .. |
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Psycho Delia Smith At The Old Tavern
- Saturday 26nd Feb 08 |
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The 2008 gigs have started the same
way as 2007's ended; great venues, enthusiastic crowds and some very
enjoyable evenings for audience and band alike...... |
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One Night Only @ the Carling Academy - 5th Feb 2008 |
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After grabbing significant attention
with the help of Jo Whiley's choice of record of the week, the sell
out gig was buzzing even before the band hit the stage. The
Yorkshire five piece band have been around for a while, supporting
the Enemy last year, deserve this break and look as if they will
carry on with style with chart success...... |
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Nick Harrison @ the Carling Academy - 5th Feb 2008 |
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Distinctive vocals and plenty of
energy Nick Harrison is full of charm and charisma, within moments
the front row where under his spell pleading for his babies!!!...... |
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The 211 @ The Wunderbar 19th Jan 2008 |
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Swindon based four piece The 211 are
the latest young hopefuls from a town that has produced a wealth of
musical talent over the years. On first listen, the band's reference
points are obvious - cheeky, choppy and 'typically British' guitar
pop from the same stable yard as The Arctic Monkeys...... |
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Alter Bridge - Academy - 25th Jan 2008 |
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Bloody hell -
maybe I'm getting too old for this shit…….
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The Following
Announcement @ the Carling Academy 20th Jan 2008 |
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An electric start to the set, hitting
us with a huge sound getting the crowd buzzing immediately. This
band is tight as a fishes ass and did not miss a beat of their surf
punk sound they have created, a mix of SUM 41 and Green Day they are
starting to carve out there own style.... |
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Jumping Ships @ the
Carling Academy 20th Jan 2008 |
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With all the energy from the first
band these guys had a lot to prove..... |
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Sloppy Joe @ the
Carling Academy 20th Jan 2008 |
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With a stage presence that is way
beyond their age, Sloppy Joe force themselves onto you...... |
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Stone Gods @ the Fleece - 17/01/2008 |
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This was quite an interesting gig on
a number of levels, mainly 'cause the Stone Gods have formed from
the train-wreck that was the end of The Darkness....... |
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Godspell (The Musical) - Tyndall Baptist Church - Friday 11 January
2008 |
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"Godspell" is one of three "god
squad" musicals that first saw the light in the 1970s! The other two
were "Joseph" and "Superstar". The music and lyrics written by
Stephen Schwartz (www. MusicalSchwartz.com), produced a huge
hit at the time with the song "Day By Day"....... |
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Bristol Blues Club Review |
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Bristol Blues Club is born again! The
club that has been providing gigs for local and not so local bands,
playing the bluesier side of rock, had its first outing last night
at the Portcullis in Fishponds (which also hosts the Backdoor Man
Blues Jam every Thursday)........ |
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Severance at the Parsons Nose - X-12-2007 |
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Well here we are again – another
Severance gig, this time at the Parson’s nose in Melksham – not the
first time for me but tonight it is Severance minus one – Daryl
Hyatt, [one of] the lead guitarists is noticeable in his absence
this evening due to the impending arrival of his offspring! (His
wife is doing the giving birth thing obviously not him– that would
just be weird!)........ |
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Status Quo at the Colston Hall - 12th December 2007
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It would
appear that having a good laugh at somebody because they are going
to see Status Quo is the accepted practice and an almost mandatory
thing to do. I have to confess that I would say to people “I’m only
going to see the Quo because my wife wants to see them”, and I
wonder why that is........
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The Jam at the Carling Academy - Sunday 9th December 2007 |
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It’s been a tough year for Bristol
bands in 2007, and to be honest, there have been several occasions
when I thought ‘stuff it, let’s give up and leave all the hassle to
the young uns!’......... |
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"The
Bootleg Beatles" - Colston Hall, Bristol. - Friday 7th December
2007 |
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Time and
again I have been told "Oh you have to see The Bootleg Beatles, they
are the best you'll see when it comes to paying tribute to The
Beatles". And every time they arrived in Bristol I just wasn't able
to make it because their show clashed with a prior engagement. This
time around I was going to make sure I saw them. ....... |
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"The
Smiths Indeed" - Carling Academy, Bristol. - Sunday 2nd December
2007 |
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Thin Lizzy, Colston Hall, 8th December 2007 |
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Two things to point out right from the start of
this review: 1 - I'm still rather jet lagged from a business trip to
Houston, having only been back in the UK for around 36 hours prior
to heading over to the Colston; 2 - John Sykes is one of my all time
favourite guitar players. I'll try and keep the impact that both of
these could have on this review down to a minimum….. |
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Everybody Loves Mamma Mia! |
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Mamma Mia! has made it 'home' to
Bristol at long last. Catherine Johnson - who wrote the story of
Mamma Mia! and freely admits basing one or two of the characters
on personal friends of hers - lives in Bristol and has written a
number of successful plays before making it BIG
worldwide with a musical featuring ABBA songs written by Benny
Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus........ |
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Black Crusade Tour - Cardiff Arena - 26th November 2007 |
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A Photographic Review By Matt Collins
of Crush Images. |
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Thunder: Bristol Academy - 28th November 2007 |
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Can someone please tell me how Lauren Harris
deserves to be out supporting Thunder on a fairly major UK tour??
She has a bunch of second rate pub rock originals, limited stage
craft and absolutely zero in the way of personality, and while her
guitar player has a fine set of Zakk Wylde-esq chops (plus a low
slung EMG equipped Les Paul Custom too....) there's little on
display tonight to warrant such a high profile slot. Oh yeah, her
dad is the bass player in Iron Maiden - that'll be it then........ |
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Acoustic night at Campbell's Landing - Tuesday 27th November 2007 |
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Campbell's Landing is opposite the pier in Clevedon.
The pub has hosted live music for many years and was recently taken
over by a new landlord who is keen to continue the tradition of live
music..... |
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Mesh. -
Bierkeller, Bristol. Friday 23rd November 2007 |
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I have always said if
"The Day Before You Came" by ABBA wasn't a song then it would be a
perfect piece of art. Tonight I watched a band who put this theory
to the test and would certainly give Banksy a run for his money on
that score........ |
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Dizzee Rascal @ the Carling Academy 6th November 2007 |
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Dizzee Rascal took over the stage at
the Carling the split second he walked on, the crowd had risen from
packed with the 1st excellent band the Pistalos through 2
other rap acts and then rammed and steaming with youthful blinged up
backward cap wearing punters, baying for the adrenalin pulse created
by this rap star........ |
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The Pistolas @ The Carling Academy 6th November 2007 |
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The Pistolas were the 1st of three to
support Dizzee Rascal at the Carling and I was going to write a
glowing review of this slightly mad looking band with more energy
than a Duracell & a Eveready rolled into one......... |
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Dream Theater, Newport, 9th November 2007 |
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Right, lets get one thing out of the
way right from the start - the standard of musicianship on display
tonight is well into overload territory, with Portnoy, Petrucci,
Rudess and Myung all scoring a maximum on the
"oh-my-god-how-do-they-do-that-o-meter"!! .......... |
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Super Fury Animals at the Carling Academy
20th Oct 2007 |
With a look that
certainly lives up to the name, they came from the mountains
bringing rock and roll!!!
A packed Carling Academy roared into life as the Furries came on
stage, turning on the magic with a response from the crowd I have
not seen in a long time...... |
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Firefest, Nottingham Rock City, 27th October 2007 |
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I think this was the fourth Firefest,
err, festival, celebrating bands from AOR end of the spectrum - you
know commercial hard rock, sugar sweet harmonies, more hooks than a
fisherman's tackle box etc etc....... |
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Just Jack at Carling Academy, Bristol 20/10/07 |
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I have heard some good things about
Just Jack from friends who saw him at Glastonbury, but I wasn’t
quite sure what to expect, even though I know a couple of his songs
from the radio......... |
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Halloween at the Old Tavern 2007 |
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The Old Tavern was busy with witches
vampires and other scary creatures...... |
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Mudheads at the Bunch of Grapes 20th October 2007 |
As I could not get any of my Bristol
Rock’s colleagues to come and review my band The Mudheads gig
at the Bunch of Grapes on Saturday night, I thought I would write
one myself.
Note
from Kevin: "Paul neglects to mention that your glorious Bristol
Rocks editor is barred from the Grapes for crimes to heinous to
mention!".......... |
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The Coral at the Carling Academy - Oct 9th 2007 |
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Photographic
review |
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Scouting for Girls at the Carling Academy Sunday
14th Oct 2007 |
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Scouting for Girls are a young
London based band who are riding pretty high with a single that has
been in the top ten in the charts for the past six weeks. Presently
they are supporting Just Jack in a nationwide tour, which took in
Bristol’s Carling Academy last Sunday night........ |
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Los Campesinos at the Thekla - 10th October 2007 |
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For the past couple of years,
something big has been brewing just across the Severn Estuary. A
thriving new indie scene has been developing in Cardiff, and one of
the names spearheading this new Welsh scene are the irresistible
seven piece band Los Campesinos! ......... |
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Wishbone Ash - The Fleece 14th Oct 2007 |
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It is fifteen quid to get into the
Fleece to watch Wishbone Ash so they'd better be bloody good!
This was my comment having never seen the band before and only
having a misty recollection of the albums they released when I was a
spotty teenage thug....... |
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AFGM - The Fleece 14th Oct 2007 |
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AFGM are a top Bristol based band
playing original AOR. What can I really say about a band of this
quality. I can't criticise the performance at the Fleece because it
was spot on. I mean everything: The sound, the sound balance, the
playing and the singing, everything really was as good as it
gets........ |
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The
Courteeners -
Bristol
Carling: Tuesday 9-10-07 |
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I love seeing and reviewing bands me,
but f**k no not at 6.50 in the afternoon, you can barely call that
the evening, I had to get out of bed well early, I generally like to
wait until after dark before opening the curtains, but that is when
this Manchurian mob were booked to play at the Carling where they
were supporting the mighty Coral.......... |
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Jake Stigers at the Thekla - 5th Oct 2007 |
Burnin' Blues have finished their support set and
Jake Stigers & the Velvet Roots take to the stage.
There are not many people in the Thekla tonight although the band
played to a full house last night at the Fire Engine and some new
fans from this gig were leading the cheering........... |
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Burnin' Blues at the Thekla - 5th Oct 2007 |
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What have we here? Fred Hale, one of
Bristol's finest guitarists, if you have seen him in any of his
previous bands you will know! Nikki Brooks describes herself as
Robert Plant with balls....... |
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Thomas Dolby -
Bristol Carling Academy 5-10-07 |
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Scanning the Carling gig list for
potential bands to photograph for Bristolrocks I stumbled upon 80`s
Synth pop star Thomas Dolby, most famous for his hits “She blinded
me with Science” & “Hyperactive” and a number of Vinyl albums, the
last 1992's critically commended "Astronauts & Heretics." .... |
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Jellied Reels - Kington Langley Village Hall - 29th Sept 2007 |
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No this is not Rock, I will give you
that. But Bristol Rocks is about all types of music and since I was
invited to a Jellied Reels Ceilidh dance, here is the review..... |
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Reuben at the Carling Academy Wed
26th Sept 07 |
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If you cast your minds back to
Fathers Day in June, what did you give the old man this year? Socks
again? A book. If he’s really lucky, a bottle of the good stuff.
Maybe you’re old enough, and lucky enough to have young uns of your
own, what did they get you?
Well my offspring got me tickets to see Rueben at the Carling
Academy….how cool is that then!............. |
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Jetking - The Tonemasters - Gecko - The Fleece 19th Sept 2007 |
Another evening, another local music
showcase courtesy of the Bristol Evening Post, or so it
seems........
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The Envy Corps Review -
The Academy - 16th September 2007 |
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Hailing from Ames in Iowa, USA, the
Indie band The Envy Corps played to a polite but enthusiastic crowd
upstairs at the Academy on Sunday night....... |
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Toby Jepson - The Point, Cardiff, 16th September 2007 |
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Weird huh?? Last weekend it was
rocking out with the Rattlesnake Remedy boys on a boat, and this
week it's checking out Toby and his solo band in a former church!!!
Appropriately it was a Sunday too, so with out further ado, dearly
beloved, we are gathered here today……….. |
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Rattlesnake Remedy plus Support Bands - Thekla, 8th September 2007 |
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It's been fifteen years since I've
been on board the old Thekla in the docks, and not much seems to
have changed - it's still a warren of small rooms and dark corridors
and staircases. I think the main room in the bowels of the boat has
had a bit of an update though, with a decent stage set-up (with
modern PA and lights), good bar, and a rather over the top air
conditioning system creating a fridge-like atmosphere. Not helped by
the small crowd either……. |
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Fatty Boom Bastic -
The Loaders & The Blunders @
The Louisiana Tuesday 4th September 2007 |
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I was initially a little confused as
with a name like Fatty Boom Bastic, together with the images
that they have on their promotional material, I was expecting a band
that was a bit off the wall, you know, wacky and wild........ |
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Acker Bilk - Old Duke Jazz Festival - Monday 27 August 2007 |
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The jazzmeister himself, Mr Acker
Bilk MBE, performed with Cass Caswell and a mixture of fine jazz
musos at the Old Duke Jazz Festival...... |
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Sheelanagig - Old Duke Jazz Festival - Saturday 25 August 2007 |
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I
happened upon this performance by chance as I was walking to another
gig, after parking my car somewhere south of the Bristol
Centre....... |
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Silversun Pickups at the Carling Academy 29th August 2007 |
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Silversun pickups (SSPU) ginergerly
take to the stage fashionably late to a strange guitar and piano
riff playing on repeat. They have formed quite a following who fill
the "Academy 2" comfortably. It doesn't take long for
guitarist-singer Brian Aubert to loosen up and even start making
moves for the camera men in the pit...... |
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Croft Mini-Fest - 24th August 2007 |
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A Photo Review of the Croft Mini-Fest
on the 24th August 2007. |
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Dead 60's @ the Thekla 11th August 2007 |
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The Liverpudlian Dead 60’s exploded
onto The Thekla stage on Saturday night to a buzzing expectant
audience......... |
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Alfies acoustic night at the Old
Tavern 8th August 2007 |
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I am writing this review from a slightly prejudiced angle because I
was on the bill of Alfie's acoustic Wednesday night extravaganza at
the Old Tavern, Blackberry hill, accompanying
Santiago Jetstormer......... |
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The Atomic Rays – The Old Tavern – Friday July
27th 2007 |
The Atomic Rays strapline is “Quite
simply, they are Astonishing”.
Maybe I wouldn’t go quite that far,
but they are bloody good. The Rays stepped in to the breach, when I
had a cancellation from a band who were unable to play due to a
line-up change. Despite having not seen them before, I had been
impressed by their MySpace site and they came highly recommended by
a number of people whose musical judgement I trust....... |
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Jellied Reels -
Ceilidh For A Wedding |
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Stackridge - Polish Club - Fri July 13th 2007 |
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Stackridge were a famous Bristol
band, who first got together in 1969/70. I last saw a reformed
version of the band at Fiddlers in 1999 I think. It was sort of OK,
and it was somehow touching back then to see them again after a 30
year gap. I was intrigued to see what they would be like this time
around at the Polish Club. Would they just be going thought the
motions for nostalgia's sake ?.......... |
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Jebo @ the Horseshoe - -11th July 2007 |
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What can I say that I haven't already said about
Jebo in the write ups & reviews that you can read on Bristol Rocks.
Jebo are to my ear the best original band in Bristol and maybe the
best band in the UK. If given the chance, they will be a world
conquering band....... |
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JetKing at the
Louisiana, Bristol 11th July 2007 |
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JetKing are an unusual band. They
are 3 piece guitar outfit, but an extra member of the band is an
Apple Mac connected to enough electronics to control a moon landing.
What it actually controls is their synthesisers and sampler
including percussion, which explains the initially worrying lack of
a drummer....... |
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Moose (& Thunder) @ Chepstow Castle - 30th June 2007 |
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Click on image to see review |
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The Peppercorns at the Old Tavern Saturday 23rd June 2007 |
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Click on image to see review |
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Robert Plant @ Fiddlers - 22nd June 2007 |
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Click on image to see review |
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High Notes @ St Bonaventure's - 22nd June 2007 |
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Click on image to see review |
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Fortune Drive @
Download |
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Click on image to see review |
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Killing Company gig Review - The Thekla - 12th June 2007 |
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Click on image to see review |
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Megadeath Gig Review - 13th June 2007 - Almost sexual |
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Click on image to see review |
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Loci @ The Thekla Social - 12th
June 07 |
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Click on image to see review |
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High Notes launch @ St Bonaventure's |
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Click on image to see review |
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Marillion at the Colston Hall 8th June
2007 |
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Match Report: The Cribs -
Kick off: 5-6-2007 2130 - Review: Matt Collins |
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Backdoor Blues Jam Review - By Fred - Bristol Rocks |
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INXS & Halagoogoo at
the Colston Hall - 5th June 2007
Review & photo's by Alan Jones |
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The Twang - Bristol Bierkeller - 30th May 07 - Review: Matt Collins |
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Acoustic Rock Night at the Old Tavern - 2nd June 2007 |
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Vaughn - Rattlesnake Remedy - Interstate
The Night Owl, Cheltenham, 01/06/2007 |
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First up a quick word about the venue.
It's small, but with a well thought out layout that has the DJ,
sound desk and lighting controller at one end of the dance floor in
a raised location, with a good stage at the other end.....
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Review - Magnum - Bristol Academy - 20th May 2007 |
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So here we are at a reasonably busy
Academy for another one of those reasonably successful bands that
knocked it on the head for a bit and then came back - I think
they're on their 3rd CD since their return.....
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Bazooka Joe at Bar Celona - 30th May 2007 |
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Ladies Acoustic Night at the Old Tavern - 30th May 2007 |
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The Dead School - Review - Louisiana 24th May 2007 |
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Rusty Springfield Review - Louisiana 24th May 2007 |
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The Mission- Bristol Carling 15th
May 07
Review- Matt Collins |
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Dead World Leaders @ The Louisiana May 16th 2007
Review by David Machine |
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Reverend and the Makers & The Francos Review - 15th May 2007 at The
Louisiana
Review & Photo's by Sam Berry |
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The
Jam – Bristol Carling 15th May 07
Review- Stewart Caie -
Photo’s – Matt Collins |
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Emily Breeze - 26 April 2007 @ The Fleece
Review by Sam Berry - Photo's by Matt Collins |
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Psycho Delia Smith At The Old Tavern
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Sunday 22nd April 07
Review by Paul Loader - The Mudheads |
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Review - The Enemy at the
Bristol Carling 17th April 2007 |
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By Sam Berry |
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Review - Outbreak at the Golden Lion - 1st April 2007 |
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By Chris Payne |
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The band Outbreak a young 5 piece
party/function rock/pop band playing at what seems to be at first
impressions and the music belting from the jukebox a hard rockers pub, The
Golden Lion Fishponds.
I really thought the young lads were out of
their depth, bearing in mind their first set started at 5pm they opened
with All right now, that got a good reception. Some major adjustment to the
levels at this point as the pub become
full since the sound check.
On with the show, tracks like addicted to
love, take me out, sultans of swing, last night & thin lizzy`s dancing in
the moonlight along with 7other tracks brought the first set to an end
with enthusiastic applause from the crowded pub.
After a 20 min break the lads took to the
stage to what I thought would be just pick up where they finished, how
wrong could I have been. They opened with a instrumental of Guns N Roses
Sweet child of mine it lasted about 7 mins and had the crowd going crazy
when they went straight into Thin lizzy`s whiskey in the jar.
How deceiving first impressions can be, first a
young band and I mean young. All 5 band members are aged between 16 & 18
the customers in the pub love good live loud music and certainly show
their appreciation of good music, the landlord Ben must have a mention for
his faith in the band who played their 2nd set for over an hour with the
likes of a great Kinks mix of you really got me & all day and all of the
night very well blended, Quo`s rockin all over the world, Queen- crazy
little thing called love Clash - should I stay or should I go, a great mix
of 3 Elvis songs, summer of 69 , mustang sally, Steve Harley`s come up and
see me plus more. If you are into a rocky party band then check out Outbreak after Sundays
performance you will not be disappointed.
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AFGM at the Fleece March 24th |
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The
Undertones @ The Bristol Bierkeller March 2007 |
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by Matt Collins |
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Clumsy – Gig @ Mr
Wolf’s – 17 March 2007 |
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By
Claire Robinson |
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This
is the first time I’ve been to Mr Wolf’s for a gig, I’m normally one of
those pop in at lunch times to grab some of their great noodles type person!
Knowing that Clumsy were playing gave me good reason to head down and
experience my first Mr Wolf’s gig.
Clumsy were performing with their full brass section which is a rare treat,
and also gives them a much more wholesome sound live. This was proven during
Fruitless when Sophie did a great Sax solo.
The
crowd loved them and their cover of Ain’t No Sunshine went down great
guns with the crowd who were dancing and singing along, having caught the
Clumsy bug during Bothered.
The
usual Siggy and Patch banter between songs kept the crowd interested, even
when Joel’s intense playing saw a broken string or two, no momentum was lost
in this gig and with songs like Artibella and the closing cover
All The Way Home to keep the crowd hooked and dancing there really was
nothing negative to say about this gig….even I caved in and ended up dancing
for a couple of the songs!
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have to give a special mention to Gecko who were headlining at the gig. A
German band mid-way through a UK tour they were a contrast to Clumsy being
much more Rock/Pop. The already happy crowd danced through their set and
even called them back on for an encore. Worth keeping an eye out for these
guys in future.
All
round a great gig, lots of great music, laughs and dancing, and the sound
quality in Mr Wolf’s is surprisingly good! I’ll definitely be making it one
of my regular places now! I’d have to recommend to anybody whatever their
musical tastes to check out Clumsy live…I’m yet to meet someone who doesn’t
enjoy their offerings. |
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The
Musical Box Review by Martin Jakeman March 2007 |
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Journey at Cardiff arena - 9th March 2007 - by Rich |
Journey were exquisite, sublime, superordinary and really
rather jolly good I should say.
Not only a best of set but quite heavy to boot - Neal Scone has to be one of
the purest lead guitarists alive and rumoured to be excellent with a nice
bit of jam and clotted cream. He made lots of new Welsh friends as the band
waltzed on to the stage as he tore up their national anthem much like
Hendrix did Star Spangled thingy.Ross Valory &
Jonathan Cain did the usual pro thing of making it all look so effortless,
but you know that keyboard/guitarist/bv types are ok, but its bass players
that really make a band great.
They opened with Frontiers and ended with Separate
Ways. Jeff Scott Soto was faultless and Dean Castronovo every bit his equal
singing lead vocals on at least four songs - very different vocal qualities
but both very satisfying to the ears. I always thought that Journey without
Steve Perry would be somewhat less but no way, 100% no way.
Could I choose a fav track? Not really as they had so
many good songs to pick from. The most amazing thing was just being able to
see them after waiting 24 years since buying Frontiers and becoming a fan.
In summary, yeah they were alright I spose......
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Big Time at the Reckless Engineer - Review by Billy |
Perhaps going to the Reckless Engineer three days after an operation on my
shoulder, was not the brightest thing to do. But, having seen Big Time do
their Queen night at the Fleece a couple of months ago, I really wanted to
catch their other show.
The Reckless was very busy as I guessed it would be, but I managed to get up
in the “playpen” and was protected by my friends so I wouldn’t get barged
into. Big Time have a good following and with good reason.
They treated us to a great evening of classic covers that had the punters
bobbing about like boats in the docks. Towards the end of the night I even
found myself up dancing, (against doctors orders), but it was that kind of
night. The boys teased us with their final encore, playing the openings to
at least three favourites before getting down to the final blast. Go and see
them, whatever the door fee is, it will be worth it.
As for my shoulder, well I split the wound open while dancing and had to go
and get a new patch on it in the morning. Spilling blood for Rock ‘N Roll,
sometimes that’s the way it has to be. |
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Psycho Delia Smith - The Oak Chipping
Sodbury - Thursday 18th January 2007 |
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Review by Steve Brown |
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Psycho Delia Smith
have been around for a while now and have built up a healthy following.
Time then for a review! |
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The Oak is quite a small venue and a challenge for a band
who normally would spread their wings a little further but they managed to
get a good sound balance. Kicking off with "JAILBREAK"
they quickly got the place rocking and which pleased a very appreciative
audience. On then to "TIE YOUR MOTHER DOWN"
and "PURPLE HAZE" classic rock anthems
which is always a crowd pleaser. Later in the first set were also songs from
SLADE with "COZ I LOVE YOU"
and THE BEATLES "DRIVE
MY CAR". The set was rounded off with "I
FOUGHT THE LAW". For someone who remembers all the originals this
was a good foot tapping hour for me.
They launched into the second set with "WON'T
GET FOOLED" and onto more raves from the grave such as "MONEY",
"WHISKEY IN THE JAR", "RADAR
LOVE" etc. |
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This was my first live hearing of Psycho Delia Smith and
I was well impresse |
