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!

Live Review : Mason Hill + South Of Salem + Mad Haven @ The Live Rooms, Chester on October 21st 2022

It’s funny how this job/hobby/whatever goes. Sometimes you get to see bands you love, sometimes ones you’re not so keen on. Sometimes you are in a crowd of thousands, sometimes you watch a great act give their all to two men and a dog. The dreaded coof knocked us all for six and that, coupled with the current cost of living crisis, has apparently been having a devastating effect on ticket sales for live events with many gigs and small festivals having to cancel due to low sales.

Live Review : FM + Mad Haven @ The Live Rooms, Chester on November 11th 2021

British AOR and melodic rock giants FM are in town with their first UK dates in nearly two years. It’s been a long time to wait since they last graced the stage on their Big 3-0 tour with Dan Reed Network and Gun, and tonight the tour that was postponed in support of their twelfth studio album 2020’s “Synchronized” finally gets underway.

Gig ReviewAuthor : Phil Beswick15 November 2021The Live roomsFM, Mad Haven, The Live Rooms, Chester, 2021, Live Review, Phil Beswick, Gregg HowarthComment

Live Review : Massive Wagons + Anchor Lane + Mad Haven @ The Tivoli, Buckley on February 21st 2020

I’ve not been getting my usual Wagons fix recently, so when the opportunity came up to pop along to their first “breakin outta the studio” tour date, I jumped at it. After all, who doesn’t want to drive down the M56 in a storm so bad it’s got a name, just to see them? Well, me actually. So I brought the Grumpy Husband along to do that bit.

Gig ReviewAuthor : Jo Crosby26 February 2020The TivoliMassive Wagons, Anchor Lane, Mad Haven, The Tivoli, Buckley, 2020, Live ReviewComment

Live : Warrior Soul + 40Days + Mad Haven @ the Live Rooms, Chester on November 29th 2017

In the last couple of weeks, I have been quite busy with my photography work. While one may think that the glamourous life of being a rock photographer allows me to lounge around the rest of the week and write at my own leisure. But with a full time day job, I am not fortunate enough to have this luxury. So here is a weekly roundup of recent gigs.