Live Review : Call Of The Wild Festival on May 30th 2025

There are a few things in life that are inevitable. Death and taxes are the obvious ones, but also that the team from Upstged will throw a hell of a party at their annual showcase event. They have a lot going for them in terms of their chosen venue – Lincolnshire Showground is spacious, level and has ample blocks of proper toilets and showers scattered throughout both the camping areas and the arena itself. The arena is tucked away in a corner shaded by trees, and features two adjacent stages as well as a big marquee that houses both the substantial (and reasonably priced!) bar and the Trailblazer tent.

Live Review : Springfest @ The Waterloo Music Bar, Blackpool on April 26th 2025

Springfest returns to the Waterloo once more for its third iteration, again bringing together half a dozen bands covering a range of styles and genres; so there’s majestic 70s riffage here, spangly 80s keys there, glorious Southern stylings, some innovative contemporary rock (plus some bands that defy easy categorisation) creating a fantastic showcase of what 21st Century grassroots rock music has to offer.

Live Review : Inferno Metal Festival @ Brewgata, Vaterland, Rockefeller, John Dee in Oslo, Norway on April 20th 2025

The last day of a festival is always bitter sweet with a whole day of great music to come, but also the knowledge that this is the last day and tomorrow is the journey home, back to work and the realities of daily life. Still, I kept a positive attitude and determined to make the most of the day I headed to a matinee show, specifically Dizmal playing at the Kniven bar. I headed down the stone steps into the murky cellar like venue, which was absolutely rammed.

Live Review : Inferno Metal Festival @ Brewgata, Vaterland, Rockefeller, John Dee in Oslo, Norway on April 19th 2025

Saturday afternoon began with the Metal Auction in the hotel bar, with several tempting items, not least a first pressing of Satyricon’s “The Shadowthrone”, before heading to Rockefeller for the opening band of the day at the main venue. Coven took to a stage adorned with numerous candles and candelabras, with vocalist Jinx Dawson emerging from an upright coffin. The stage was bathed in sultry red light as the group delivered their psychedelic doom laden rock exploring themes of Satanism and witchcraft in front of a screen projecting related images. The crowd was relatively modest at this point in the day, but the devotees at the front screamed every word back at the band until the set was brought to a close with ‘Epitaph’ and ‘Blood on the Snow’.

Live Review : Inferno Metal Festival @ Brewgata, Vaterland, Rockefeller, John Dee in Oslo, Norway on April 18th 2025

After a fantastic opening day, I couldn’t wait to get back into the music and day two began with a dilemma for me with two bands I was keen to see playing at the same time. Thankfully the venues were very close so I decided to try to catch both, starting at Brewgata with Italians Nel Buio and their distinctive blackwave. Brewgata is a great little venue that is essentially a bar with a small stage in one corner giving a great atmosphere. The trio played their soundtrack to armageddon in front of a screen projecting futuristic images, and the enthusiastic crowd were drawn into their world of sorrowful atmospheric black metal.