Live Review: Impericon Never Say Die! Tour @ Academy Club, Manchester on November 11th 2022

t’s been a while since we had the joy of an Impericon tour of any shape on our shores, what with that pandemic and what not, so this bill of modern heaviness is a true treat. First up are Boundaries who hit us with brilliant lashings of energy. Think of Hatebreed, Biohazard or Malevolence but with occasional Korn-esque high discordant guitar rings. There's definitely something more experimental about these guys than most deathcore or hardcore metal acts, and that’s especially true with the guitars going grindcore at times.

Live Review : Soul Asylum + Everclear @ O2 Ritz, Manchester on November 11th 2022

I arrive just as Everclear have taken to the stage and start playing the vaguely familiar ‘So Much for the Afterglow’. In advance of this gig, I have been wracking my brains trying to name any of their songs, but I do recognise this. Evidently so do many of the crowd though I am surprised how quiet it is. The Ritz is not open upstairs and only about half full downstairs. A sign of the times perhaps? Or a sign of the levels of popularity for bands that have not released very much new music in the last decade?

Gig ReviewAuthor : Samantha15 November 2022O2 RitzSoul Asylum, Everclear, O2 Ritz, Manchester, 2022, Live Review, Samantha Harwood, Johann WierzbickiComment

Live Review : Zeal & Ardor + Heriot @ Academy 2, Manchester on November 9th 2022

"Well" deadpans Zeal & Ardor frontman Manuel Gagneux midway through their set "Heriot are an angry band aren’t they!”. He goes on to admit that that anger means his band have had to up their game every night to keep up the ferocity of these fast-rising youngsters. Heriot are fuelled by rage, but it is not indignant or nihilistic fury. Theirs is peppered with passion and exasperation.

Live Review : Nile + Krisiun + In Element + Decrepid @ Rebellion, Manchester on November 7th 2022

On this here cold Monday night, Manchester Rebellion was treated to a night of the extreme, a strong, 4 band bill, topped by Co-Headliners, industry veterans, Krisiun & Nile.

Tasked with opening the evenings proceedings was Death Metal band, Decrepid. After what appeared to be a nervous start for the band, they soon settled in after receiving a warm reception for the, at the minute, pretty sparse audience, and were therefore able to open up a bit more.

Live Review : Ugly Kid Joe + Massive Wagons + Chris Catalyst @ O2 Academy, Liverpool on November 3rd 2022

Chris Catalyst, recently outed as one of the ghouls from Ghost’s 2022 tour, opens up tonight. Essentially it’s just Chris, his guitar and some bad dad jokes and although I like Chris and his work I can’t help wondering how he got the gig. Stay tuned, all is revealed later! The songs are from his solo output and his main band Eureka Machines but because it’s so raw they are barely recognisable.

Live Review : Sepultura + Sacred Reich + Crowbar @ O2 Ritz, Manchester on November 2nd 2022

You truly had to feel for Crowbar this evening, screwing up the start to their opening song not once, but twice before eventually giving up on it all together. What this meant was that before they’d even got properly started, their backs were well and truly against the ropes. You could tell by the face of guitarist and vocalist Kirk Windstein that he was absolutely pissed, and rightfully so, Crowbar is his passion project and being the only constant member of this band since 1990 gives him complete license to show his infuriation to his band mates.

Live Review : Conjurer + Tuskar + Sugar Horse @ Rebellion, Manchester on November 1st 2022

After going to Manchester for the best part of 13/14 years attending concerts, it’s hard to believe that tonight is my first trip to Rebellion for a concert, despite it being an absolute staple venue of the Manchester Metal Scene. Tonight’s lineup however is a treat, 3 young, fresh, hungry bands looking to carve a name for themselves, headlined by the impeccable, Conjurer.

Gig ReviewAuthor : Alex Stuart3 November 2022RebellionSugar Horse, Tuskar, Conjurer, Rebellion, Manchester, 2022, Live Review, Alex StuartComment

Live Review : The Rasmus + Overlaps @ O2 Ritz, Manchester on October 31st 2022

Overlaps are a female fronted band from Italy. The sound is a bit muddy to start with and there's not a lot of power in her voice but it's a very bouncy beat. There’s plenty of chances for a bit of crowd participation as they are quite poppy, as well as just a little bit gothy. Some of the music reminds me a bit of the Sisters Of Mercy in places. It's ok but not grabbing me, although the youngsters in front of me seem to be loving them.

Gig ReviewAuthor : Jo Crosby3 November 2022O2 RitzThe Rasmus, Overlaps, O2 Ritz, Manchester, 2022, Live Review, Jo Crosby, Johann WierzbickiComment

Live Review : The Vintage Caravan + Empyre @ Academy 3, Manchester on October 30th 2022

Those who have so kindly taken their time to read my reviews know that one of my biggest musical passions is Grunge. I am constantly making references to Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden etc and support act, Empyre, are what happens if you put the power and emotion of Grunge into a blender, with a sprinkling of the type of grooves you would associate with Mastodon and the intricacies and guitar flourishes that wouldn’t look out of place in a 25 minute prog rock Opus.

Live Review : Bury Tomorrow + August Burns Red + Novelists @ O2 Ritz, Manchester on October 29th 2022

Novelists were only given six days notice to join this tour following the late withdrawal of Miss May I, and it’s fair to say that it’s a ridiculously short amount of time for any band to logistically and mentally sort themselves for a tour. Unfortunately, frontman Tobias Rische couldn’t make it across so Sam Kubrick, from the band Shields, is standing in on lead vocals this tour. The long-time friend of the band fits in seamlessly, which is not to say it doesn't matter who's singing for them, but rather than the rest of the band are so professional, tight and amazing that they can afford the option of bringing in cover for Tobi and they still deliver a superb set.

Live Review : The Pretty Reckless + The Cruel Knives @ Academy, Manchester on October 27th 2022

I’m pretty sure I was only here five minutes ago… The queue for Academy 1 is ridiculously long, trailing all the way passed the Student Union and adjacent building, and I feel bad for walking straight to box office and in the door. The place is already really packed, and I wonder how everyone is going to fit inside. But no time to worry about that now, as in less than 24 hours I have gone from Knife Bride in Academy 2 to The Cruel Knives in Academy 1.

Live Review : Skid Row + The Treatment + Enuff Z'Nuff @ O2 Ritz, Manchester on October 27th 2022

Well what an exciting slice of music we have to look forward to this evening! It’s a mouth-watering mix of classic and rejuvenated ‘80’s American rock, with a hefty slice of noise from current NWOCR Gods The Treatment sandwiched in-between. It is indeed enough to make you proud that you are of an age to remember when both Skid Row and Enuff Z’Nuff released absolute stonkers of debut albums way back in ’89. Time has thrown varying degrees of mixed fortunes at both bands yet here they still are, still rockin and delivering some serious shit in the form of their latest releases. I am indeed salivating at the prospect.

Live Review : Deep Purple + Blue Öyster Cult @ AO Arena, Manchester on October 26th 2022

I reckon we should have a sweepstake about when we will finally get through the Covid backlog of postponed gigs. My guess is some point in 2027… This gem was meant to have happened back in 2020 and this evening both acts mention that the respective albums it was designed to promote have now long since disappeared into posteriority. But to be brutally honest there is nobody in the entire arena that has pitched up tonight with the sole intention of hearing new music from either of these rock veterans. This is an audience that vividly remembers the classics, knows all the words to the classics, and is here to hear the classics.

Live Review : Wargasm + Scene Queen + Knife Bride @ Academy 2, Manchester on October 26th 2022

My first thoughts on walking up to Academy 2 tonight are they really need to sort out the queuing. Again, there are two shows on tonight and although I have the privilege of walking straight in, so I don’t miss the support bands, I feel sorry for the first act, Knife Bride. They get to perform to a room that is only about a third full because everyone is still stuck outside.

Live Review : The Damn Truth + Scarlet @ The Live Rooms, Chester on October 23rd 2022

Ever had a moment when you hear something on the radio and instantly love it? Well that happened to me with tonight’s headliners. Canadians The Damn Truth recently released a song called ‘This Is Who We Are Now’ (taken from their latest Bob-Rock-produced album “Now Or Nowhere”) and the instant I heard it I was hooked. So when I heard they were coming to Chester, despite not really knowing anything else about them, I had to go along.

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 : Corey Taylor + Cherry Bombs @ BEC Arena, Manchester on October 21st 2022

When beloved Slipknot/Stone Sour front man Corey Taylor announced he would be appearing at this weekends For The Love of Horror convention in Manchester, my friend and I immediately started hatching a plan. And just as quickly we abandoned said plan after seeing the price of the guest tickets for the con. We’re single mums, it’s nearly Christmas.

Live Review : Wage War + The Devil Wears Prada + Siamese @ O2 Ritz, Manchester on October 19th 2022

Siamese kick off proceedings with their brand of techy pop-infused metal. They bound onto the stage, owning it like headliners, and the growing crowd take to them immediately. Fans of Normandie and Resolve and the like will love this Danish crew, who have fast become one of my favourite bands. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again, I might even move to Copenhagen to see more of their gigs!

Live Review : Coheed and Cambria + Thrice + Touché Amoré @ Academy, Manchester on October 18th 2022

In this day and age of spiralling costs and reducing disposable income, the co-headline tour offers a fitting way to give the punter more bang for the buck. It also is a cunning ploy to mix disparate fanbases in order to fill larger more lucrative rooms. All three of tonight’s acts are well known and well regarded enough to have their own passionate following.

Live Review : Samantha Fish + Wille and the Bandits @Academy 2, Manchester on October 16th 2022

It’s always nice to watch bands in a busy venue, and by the time I make it into the Academy 2, tonight’s support band Wille and The Bandits are already a good way into their set. Glancing round, it is indeed a near full house and it’s great to see. It’s also great to see these chaps having a blast up on the stage creating a wonderful atmosphere for everyone. Singer and frontman; ironically called Wile, is busy wringing some lovely sounds from his lap steel guitar and the crowd are thoroughly enjoying their powerhouse set.