Posts tagged Jason Samuels
Live Review : Battle Beast + Dominum + Majestica @ O2 Ritz, Manchester on October 22nd 2025

Power Metal. Power. Metal. The very words are evocative, bringing to mind heavy rock with soaring vocals, lots of widdly guitar, strong beats and epic lyrics telling tales of derring-do. Power metal may be a sub-genre of your more standard heavy metal but that doesn’t mean it is without its own subgenres. Symphonic metal, folk metal, operatic metal can all be found under the banner of Power Metal and tonight’s headliners take it to another level by introducing both disco metal and, erm, salsa metal. No, really. Intrigued yet? Buckle up dear reader, grab a beverage of choice and sit down while we tell you how it was…… 

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Live Review : Coheed and Cambria + And So I Watch You From Afar @ Academy, Manchester on October 20th 2025

Coheed and Cambria have always been a very interesting and difficult-to-pigeonhole proposition. But when you get down to it, they are essentially classic rock for hipsters. Their sound is slick, immaculately produced and eminently sing-alongable to. What elevates them, though from being yet another band with catchy choruses and melodic hooks is the intellect and concepts behind their material. Every track is part of a massive, multifaceted, fantastical tale.

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Live Review : The 69 Eyes + South Of Salem @ New Century Hall, Manchester on October 4th 2025

Storm Amy is blowing a hoolie in Manchester for the goth invasion that is tonight’s show, and the New Century Hall loos are full of tattered black-clad children of the night re-applying their black eyeliner and re-spiking their black hair.

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Live Review : Tyla's Dogs D'Amour + High Coven @ The Tivoli, Buckley on October 3rd 2025

It’s been over 40 years since Tyla J Pallas first stepped on a stage and announced the formation of his new band The Dogs D’Amour. Over those years band members have come and gone, albums, poetry and art have been released and the world has continued to turn. As the heart of the band however, Tyla has doggedly (did you see what I did there?) continued to offer his louche, slightly dishevelled, not always sober presence and his distinctive gravelly voice to an adoring public.

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Live Review : The New Roses + The Mercury Riots @ The Tivoli, Buckey on September 19th 2025

Some things just seem to go together naturally. Strawberries and cream. Tea and cake. Rum and coke. You get the idea. Well, whoever came up with tonight’s pairing for a rock tour is a genius because The New Roses and The Mercury Riots also work pretty well together. Both play good classic rock music with singalong choruses and a happy, uplifting vibe. Both are lovely guys who don’t leave the building until every single person has had something signed, or a photo, or just a chat. Both seem to be thriving on this tour and pulling decent crowds into iconic venues such as the Tiv.  

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Live Review : Spread Eagle + Warrior Soul + New Generation Superstars @ The Motorsport Lounge, Llandudno on September 13th 2025

They do say that once is never enough, so it’s with a great deal of pleasure that we head back to the Motorsport Lounge for a second round of splendid music in a good setting. This time we get the grand tour, including the garage which now houses some of the classic vehicles that used to be on display here. It’s always good to learn something about both the history and the future plans of a decent venue, and it seems that the Motorsport Lounge is going to go from strength to strength in the coming months and years. Watch this space! 

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Live Review : Mad Haven + No Favors + Flint Guitar School @ The Motorsport Lounge , Llandudno on September 12th 2025

Tonight we are here to celebrate the return of local band Mad Haven in their hometown venue. The nucleus of the band, guitarist/vocalist Tom Rogowski and drummer Alex (his brother) have had a rough time of it this year. Events unfolded which pulled the rug of their planned future out from under them, so it’s good to see them here again recovering their poise and smiles with their original band. 

The Motorsport lounge has undergone something of a transformation since our last visit. Although the original upstairs bar and stage remain, tonight they were in darkness as we tested a new, bigger stage with a new, bigger bar and a new, better sound on the ground floor. Pleased to report that all was good! 

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Live Review : Trench Dogs + Continental Lovers + Suicide Bombers @ Eleven, Stoke on May 27th 2025

Sleaze punk. An evocative phrase, possibly even a contradiction in terms. However, it comfortably describes each of tonight’s bands even though they are as like each other as sleaze and punk.. If tonight’s act were coffee Suicide Bombers would be a dark, strong espresso, Continental Lovers would be a warming, familiar americano and Trench Dogs would be a light and frothy cappucino, possibly with marshmallows. All have the same roots but present them in their own style – put the kettle on and let’s settle in for the next couple of hours!

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Live Review : Kickin Valentina + Sisters Doll @ Tivoli, Buckley on May 21st 2025

Today is a big day for the Tivoli Venue. This year marks the 100th birthday of the building, and while there are celebrations galore planned to mark this auspicious occasion tonight’s gig is the official opener of the Tiv’s 100th year. Originally a venue for pantomimes, there is panto planned for later in the week but first we get to celebrate with a bit of party rock. Atlanta’s Kicking Valentina are no strangers to these shores, but support act Sisters Doll are here on their first ever UK tour, and they are raring to go. 

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Live Review : Wayward Sons + Muddibrooke + White Lightning @ The Tivoli, Buckley on April 18th 2025

Tonight is a contrast in times. Headline frontman Toby Jepson was something of a rock superstar in the late 80’s. His band Little Angels bothered the UK charts many times before dissolving acrimoniously in the early 90’s. Toby went on to a career as a minor actor before re-discovering his love of writing and performing music, and a short but lucrative solo career morphed into Wayward Sons, a band that has been entertaining us with classic rock sounds for some nine years now. In the meantime, support acts Muddibrooke and White Lightning are snapping at his heels with Muddibrooke taking us on a more 90s-focused journey whilst White Lightning, despite their tender years, are firmly rooted in the 80’s that Toby emerged from. 

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Live Review : Lordi + Sick n' Beautiful @ Academy 2, Manchester on April 5th 2025

Tonight the Academy 2 looks and smells like I imagine the inside of Alice Cooper's wardrobe would. It’s dark, and there are strange beings looming in the gloom. The smell is partly of musty clothes not worn often, but mostly it’s the smell of fear. Monsters walk amongst us, and not all of them are on the stage. Finland’s Eurovision winners Lordi most definitely are on the stage though, and their elaborate set covers an awful lot of the available space on it. 

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Live Review : Skunk Anansie + So Good @ O2 Apollo, Manchester on April 4th 2025

It's debatable whether the demarcation of "big in the nineties" is a term of endearment or code for select appeal. What isn’t debatable is that when Skunk Anansie were big in the nineties they were distinctly out of kilter with the rest of the Brit rock fraternity. Part of it was their stereotype-trouncing frontwoman Skin, who single-handedly upended the pre-held perceptions of what skin colour and sexuality a rock front person should be, but a large chunk was due to their unique take on nineties rock. They simultaneously melded grating heaviness with a swaggering, funky sensibility. They produced in your face music that you could dance to, when everybody else was busy shouting “sorted” and tending to their egos.

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Live Review : The Wildhearts + Jim Jones All Stars + Dirt Box Disco @ O2 Ritz, Manchester on March 9th 2025

The wheels have come off The Wildhearts juggernaut so often that it is a wonder they are not sponsored by kwickfit. Ginger Wildheart is a self-proclaimed difficult man to work with, who has an undeniable knack of surrounding himself with difficult to work with people. The latest reunion of the classic line lasted 4 years, 1 pandemic and 2 rather spiffing albums, grinding to a halt in 2022 in flurry of mutual acrimony. Whilst lived experience has taught us to never count The Wildhearts out, this KO felt particularly final. So we were all really rather taken a aback when an all new version of the band arose from the ashes last year. Whilst Ginger is the one constant in this iteration of the band, it is a very different version of the Geordie workhouse. This is a happier, healthier Ginger who has shed both physical and emotional weight to look, god forbid, like he is actually enjoying himself.

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Live Review : Gloryhammer + Dominum + Fellowship @ O2 Ritz, Manchester on February 8th 2025

You can probably tell just from the band names what kind of music we are in for tonight. Gloryhammer came to be back in 2010 as the side project of Alestorm singer and keyboardist Chris Bowes, and since then, they have released a slew of vaguely related concept albums in which various band members assume characters in the ongoing story. Despite some social media controversy following the departure of their original singer, they have weathered the storms that surrounded them and come through more or less unscathed to provide us with entertainment tonight.  

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Live Review : Dan Byrne + Sam Millar @ The Live Rooms, Chester on February 6th 2025

Occasionally, someone comes along on the “ones to watch” list that you suspect is destined for superstardom if there is any justice in the world. Tonight, while he is no overnight sensation, I think it’s safe to say that Dan Byrne is teetering on the edge of the last chasm to cross to reach his nirvana. The question is, will he soar or will he fall? Only time will tell, but this evening’s performance gave a good indication that he is finally getting the wings he has worked so hard for…

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Live Review : Royal Republic + Dea Matrona @ New Century Hall, Manchester on November 3rd 2024

Are Royal Republic a rock band? They say not, but a capacity crowd at Bloodstock 2023 begged to differ and let’s face it you’re not going to argue with 20000 rabid metalheads, are you? They have been blowing audiences away with their brand of humorous pop-rock patter for a good few years now and here we have a full UK tour in support of their most recent album “LoveCop”. Tonight the Royal Republic train is hitting the buffers in Manchester to show us what they’ve got.

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Live Review : Temple Balls + Straight For The Sun + Seas Of Neptune @ Zanzibar, Liverpool on November 2nd 2024

Tonight we are not in a cellar, which is good. Zanzibar is a decent venue with plenty of space and a good screen so that’s a good start. 

Local band Seas Of Neptune kick things off. They play cheerful slightly indie-tinged rock interspersed with a bit of typical dry scouse wit. It’s not outright metal, leaning more towards maybe The Killers or even Arctic Monkeys for inspiration, but it’s hummable and well-performed. At the moment the band are a little raw and unpolished, but with a bit of elbow grease they might turn out to be a gem. 

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Live Review : Wednesday 13 + South Of Salem @ The Live Rooms, Chester on October 29th 2024

Tonight Chester is getting its goth on. It’s only two days to Halloween so it’s quite fitting that the self-described mad Frankenstein drag queens that make up Wednesday 13’s entourage are here. It’s equally fitting that England’s favourite glam-goth wannabees South Of Salem are snapping at their heels. 

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Live Review : The New Roses + Leonie Jakobi @ FAC251, Manchester on October 21st 2024

The room we are in tonight is pretty basic for a venue with such a huge history (it’s the old Factory Records HQ). Bare walls, a small stage, not even any proper stage lights. Yep, basic covers it. The bar is well-stocked though and the atmosphere is warm and inviting in anticipation of one of Germany’s finest up-and-coming hard rock bands.

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