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News Report

Every week we roundup the best music news from the past week!

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News Report

Download Festival adds another 40+ bands

Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!

We start this week with the 20th Anniversary of Download Festival which just got a whole load bigger! Yes 40+ new acts have now joined headliners Metallica (x2), Bring Me The Horizon and Slipknot across the special four day event.

Newly announced acts include Alter Bridge, Halestorm, Neck Deep, Bob Vylan, Jinjer, Hot Milk, The Amity Affliction, Empire State Bastard, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Deaf Havana and more!

Also on tap will be the likes of Architects, Evanescence, Within Temptation, Pendulum, The Blackout, Nova Twins, Disturbed, Placebo, Ghost and so many more!

Final tickets are here.

Read our review of Download Festival 2022

News Report

Trivium announce UK Tour

Sticking with the live (and heavy!) side of the business next we move our News Report on to the best tour announcements from the past week!

Getting us started are metal titans Trivium who will return to the UK in late Summer for an intimate tour of some often forgotten towns and cities!

The ‘Goblins and Wizards’ tour will commence in Cambridge, conclude in Southampton and feature support from Bleed From Within and Orbit Culture!

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘In the Court of the Dragon’ from Trivium

You Me At Six reveal intimate warm-up dates

Ahead of their appearances at this August’s Reading & Leeds Festivals, You Me At Six will perform two intimate warm-up shows in Leicester and Bournemouth.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘Truth Decay’ from You Me At Six

Miss Vincent & The Nightmares reveal co-headline tour

Fans of Miss Vincent and The Nightmares are in for a treat as the two bands team up for a special co-headline UK Tour this April!

Tickets are here.

Watch Episode 7 of our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast with guests Miss Vincent!

‘Discover’ New Music Podcast – Episode 7 – Miss Vincent

Read our review of ‘A Funeral for Youth’ from Miss Vincent

News Report

Bury Tomorrow debut ‘Heretic’

Bury Tomorrow – ‘Heretic’ feat. Loz Taylor

Our News Report moves now to the best new releases from the past week and we get things started with the latest single from Bury Tomorrow!

‘Heretic’ featuring While She Sleeps frontman Loz Taylor debuted this week and you can check it out above. It was also revealed that Bury Tomorrow will join WSS at their huge Alexandra Palace show in September.

The track comes from upcoming new album, ‘The Seventh Sun’, which is out March 31st!.

Speaking on Heretic, lead-singer Dani Winter-Bates states “Heretic is here, and we knew from day one of recording that this song was something we wanted the world to hear immediately. It’s right up there with the most aggressive and visceral tracks on the album, with an inherently dark feel, both lyrically and musically, which allowed us to delve into some of the more brutal elements of The Seventh Sun. All in all, we’re extremely proud to showcase this track and can’t wait to see what people think.”

Dani continues “from the off, we knew this song merited a guest vocal spot, and Loz Taylor of While She Sleeps sprang to our minds straightaway. Already an absolute legend in our eyes, working with him on this track has only confirmed that status further. His voice incorporated perfectly and has undoubtedly taken the song to the next level – we couldn’t be happier.”

Pre-order your copy here.

Read our review of Bury Tomorrow live in Norwich

The Raven Age share ‘Parasite’

The Raven Age – ‘Parasite’

The Raven Age have announced that their third studio album, ‘Blood Omen’, will be released on July 7th. To coincide with that announcement, the band unveiled their new single, ‘Parasite’, which you can check out above!

‘Parasite’ is bolstered by a blistering solo from guest guitarist Andy James of Five Finger Death Punch. “I’ve known the lads in The Raven Age for years now,” says Andy. “I really like the direction they are heading with this third record and enjoyed doing a guest solo for ‘Parasite’. It’s a heavy but memorable track that hits you right between the eyes.”

For the Essex quintet’s “all-important third album”, as George Harris puts it, they have expanded on every level. 

This motivation is written into the album’s concept. Following the theme of its two predecessors, the raven motif looms large, this time centering on the overthrowing of old masters, with the band’s Raven King character coming to prominence. Even in the artwork, things are bolder, a close up of The Raven King, says George, “taking his rightful place on the throne.”

The theme weaves itself throughout ‘Blood Omen’, kicking off with ‘Parasite’ as MJ explains, “There’s the legend about the ravens in the Tower Of London, that if they were ever to leave, the monarchy falls. Without being too political, ‘Parasite’ is hinting at these dark notes of the hierarchy, the bottom feeders that tend to run everything and then screw everything up. Our Raven King, he’s basically ascending to the throne to bring down the monarchy, bring down the establishment, weed out the parasites, as it were.”

“It’s a heavy track,” MJ continues, “We knew we wanted to come back with a real punch between the eyes. It’s the full introduction to our Raven King, and it touches on elements of everything to come. It really shows where we’re going on this album.”

The album also sees the recorded debut of new guitarist Tommy Gentry, the prodigiously talented axeman – whose previous work includes stints with Marco Mendoza and former Judas Priest six-stringer KK Downing.

“Tommy was in our sights from day one,” says George. “He’s, without doubt, the most talented musician I know. Not only is he an amazing guitarist, he’s a grade eight pianist, he can score orchestral music, and all that brings something to the table.”

Pre-order your copy here.

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The Hold Steady share new single ‘Sixers’

The Hold Steady – ‘Sixers’

‘The Price of Progress’, the latest album from The Hold Steady is out on March 31st. This week the band continued to preview the record with new single, ‘Sixers’, which you can check out above.

‘Sixers’ was written in the first days of the pandemic,” says frontman Craig Finn. “It’s basically a song about knowing your neighbors. Two young professionals meet up in their building late on a Friday night and spend the weekend partying together. They try to find a love connection, but it’s not quite there. It’s hard to make friends when your job is so demanding. Tad and Steve chime in with some beautiful guitar harmonies.

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen to our two Podcasts

The View return with ‘Feels Like’

The View – ‘Feels Like’

This week saw The View return with news of their first new album in eight years! ‘Exorcism of Youth’ will be released on June 9th and was preceded this week by the single, ‘Feels Like’, which you can check out above!

Frontman Kyle Falconer says, “Working with Youth on our third album ‘Bread and Circuses’ was one of the best experiences of my career so we jumped at the chance to revisit the opportunity with him in Spain. To be able to go into the studio again as a band with added experience was just magical.” 

On the single Falconer adds, “This one felt anthemic from the get go. Even though under the surface it’s about somewhere everyone’s been in their life before: regret of losing someone amazing due to your inner demons and seeing them moving on with their life, when you’re stuck in a ‘nightmare not a dream.’ When I first sat down to write it I had Holden Caulfield from ‘Catcher in the Rye’ in mind. It’s playing out in his mind and it’s his own paranoia destroying him from the inside out when in reality she’s the perfect woman.” 

Pre-order your copy here.

Read our review of ‘Uncertain Joys’ from The Subways

Ryan Hamilton unveils “Asshole”

Ryan Hamilton – ‘Asshole’

Texan singer-songwriter Ryan Hamilton has shared his latest single, ‘Asshole’, which you can check out above. The track comes from upcoming album, ‘Haunted by the Holy Ghost’, which is out March 10th.

A music video for the track features World Champion Barrel Racer, Ryann Pedone & Conor the badger. Ryan says, “It’s not everyday you shoot a music video with a badger! Why a badger? Because badgers are assholes. They’re adorable assholes. Haha. So proud of this song. The self sabotaging title will keep it off most radio stations… which is a shame, because it deserves to be a big hit.”

Pre-order your copy here.

Watch Episode 15 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guest Ryan Hamilton

The Full Pelt Music Podcast – Episode 15 – Ryan Hamilton

Find Full Pelt Music on Youtube

The Dollyrots share ‘Still Holding On’

The Dollyrots – ‘Still Holding On’

The Dollyrots have released a brand new UK single titled ‘Still Holding On’ to kick off their first ever UK co-headline tour with Don’t Panic and special guest Royals.

You can listen to the track above!

““Still Holding On” is the first song we’re releasing off our newest recordings, from the first full album sessions since 2019! It’s a hint of a flavor for the next LP to be released later this year. Since we’ll be touring the UK this month we thought we’d give our friends here a treat and release it exclusive to the United Kingdom.”” says singer Kelly Ogden.

More here.

Read our review of ‘Pop Drunk Snot Bread’ from Bowling For Soup

Millie Manders and the Shutup share ‘Rebound’

Millie Manders and the Shutup – ‘Rebound’

This week saw Millie Manders and the Shutup share their new single, ‘Rebound’, on Valentine’s Day! You can of course listen to the track above!

An ode to toxic online dating, as Millie explains: “Rebound reflects my experience with online dating, but most people I have spoken to have had similar and worse experiences with it. I wanted to write a song that was in solidarity with those on the receiving end of a rebound relationship and let them know they were never the problem.”

The comes ahead of the bands upcoming UK Tour in April.

Tickets are here.

Listen to on our Spotify Hot List!

Chris Shiflett shares ‘Black Top White Lines’

Chris Shiflett – ‘Black Top White Lines’

The steady stream of fantastic new music in our News Report continues to flow from iconic Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett. You can check out his latest solo effort, ‘Black Top White Lines’, above now!

More here.

Listen on out Spotify Hot List!

REWS debut ‘Misery’

REWS – ‘Misery’

Our News Report continues to run through the best new releases of the week with the excellent new single from REWS!

You can check out ‘Misery’ above which comes ahead of new album, ‘Meridians’, which is due November 3rd!

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen on our Spotify Hot List!

Lottery Winners share new single ‘Money’

Lottery Winners – ‘Money’ feat. Shaun Ryder

The fantastic Lottery Winners continue to prepare for their upcoming album, ‘Anxiety Replacement Therapy’, which is out April 26th!

This week the group shared new single, ‘Money’, which features non-other than Shaun Ryder! Check out the video above.

Pre-order your copy here.

Read our review of Neck of the Woods Festival

Pet Needs share video for ‘Ibiza in Winter’

Pet Needs – ‘Ibiza in Winter’

This week also saw Pet Needs revealed as the special guests on Lottery Winners upcoming UK Tour. That wasn’t the only news for Pet Needs this week however, as they also debuted their video for ‘Ibiza in Winter’, which you can check out above!

New album ‘Primetime Entertainment’ available here.

Watch Episode 11 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guests Pet Needs!

The Full Pelt Music Podcast – ‘Episode 11’ – Pet Needs

Read our review of Pet Needs live in Norwich

Sean McGowan shares ‘Man Up’

Sean McGowan – ‘Man Up’

Also with new music on offer this week was Sean McGowan who shared his latest single, ‘Man Up’! Listen to the track above.

More here.

Read our review of Xtra Mile Recordings 20th Anniversary in London

News Report

As always we conclude our News Report with the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist!

News Report
Spyres – ‘Sleep Forever’

Glasgow four-piece Spyres return with their new single, ‘Sleep Forever’.

Vocalist/guitarist Keira McGuire explains:

“Sleep Forever is a song about blocking out the realities of life and living in your own world, not wanting to grow up, becoming an adult which puts an end to teenage daydreams and fantasies.”

FUDGE.- ‘Y.F.F.G.’

FUDGE. release their new single, ‘YOUR FALL FROM GRACE’, taken from their forthcoming ‘THAT’S JUST IT, THIS IS NOW’ EP!

Commenting about ‘Y.F.F.G.’ singer Cam says: “It’s different to our usual songs but it’s a fan favourite and shows a very atmospheric, abstract vibe and I see it as a rebellious love song. The feeling I get from this song is the same as the almost surreal sensation you get when you’re on your own late at night or early morning. That may sound strange but some of you might get what I mean.”

Guitarist Otto expands: “I call this our quiet song. I wrote it whilst someone was sleeping in the same room as me, so I picked something sweet sounding and played it with compassion. Luckily, the outcome was one of our most palatable songs for the listener and, honestly, one that I never meant to write but am grateful that I did.”

Drummer Angus adds: “You get to hear Cam’s sensitive side on this song, which is usually hidden behind his radginess. It’s a lot smoother in its ebbs and flows and playing drums to this is actually quite a relaxing experience because, for once, I can sit back and let the song do the work. For that reason, it’s bigger than its constituent parts. A bit of a banger in other words.

News Report
News Report
IKONIK – ‘Wall of Stone

‘Wall of Stone’ is the debut single from IKONIK, the brainchild of Copenhagen’s Katrine Wachmann.

“‘Wall of Stone’ is a song about commitment issues and being stuck in a relationship that is going nowhere, though knowing that vulnerability might be the only way to make a relationship work. Whatever the listeners get from this song I’m just truly humble, amazed and excited that IKONIK is off on its wings and ready to fly out into the world”.

Listen, Follow and Discover your new favourite act now with our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist

Then find out the stories behind the songs on our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast!

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Read our review of Black Star Riders live in Ipswich

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Live Reviews

Black Star Riders

Ipswich Corn Exchange

Thursday 16th February 2023

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BLACK STAR RIDERS – IPSWICH – LIVE REVIEW

Ipswich isn’t a regular touring stop, especially for rock acts, so it’s a nice treat to get this three band bill in town. There is certainly an opportunity for growth in this area for live music and hopefully the Corn Exchange in Ipswich can pick up some more shows like this.

PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS

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Opening the evening are Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons, who work hard to get the early attendees warmed up. Consummate professionals the band are slick and tight, the proverbial well-oiled machine if you will!

New singer Joel Peters seems to have fit in very well with the Campbell clan and handles material from their first two albums extremely well. The best crowd reactions may be reserved for Motörhead classics ‘Born to Raise Hell’ and ‘Ace of Spades’, but the highlights tonight are the likes of ‘Freak Show’ and ‘Dark Days’. With two quality albums already under their belts, it’ll be interesting to see what the band has up their sleeves next.

MICHAEL MONROE

Our second act is Michael Monroe, who has undoubtedly influenced many over the course of his career and who the fans in attendance welcome warmly. Monroe though is an act that has passed me by over the years and tonight it’s hard to see what the fuss is about as he calamitously stalks the stage like a rock n’ roll Jar Jar Binks!

A health and safety nightmare waiting to happen Monroe manages to get stuck in a scarf, hit himself in the head with his mic, spill drink over the stage and causes many band, audience and crew members to duck for cover with his various escapades.

During all of this there is some classic rock by numbers played by a competent collection of musicians but the cartoon caricature strutting the stage proves more of a distraction then a centrepiece. Again, though there are those in the audience that lap up the performance, so Monroe must be doing something right! A niche act perhaps, and whilst not mine, many others would be (and were) delighted by this performance.

BLACK STAR RIDERS

Finally, it’s time for our headliners Black Star Riders who are celebrating both the past and the future with their set tonight. First, there is their fantastic new album, ‘Wrong Side of Paradise’ and arrival of new guitarist Sam Wood. Then, there is the small matter of their 10th Anniversary and return for this tour of original members Scott Gorham and Jimmy DeGrasso.

The first portion of the show focuses on the new with main man Ricky Warwick leading Wood, DeGrasso and bassist Robbie Crane through the likes of ‘Pay Dirt’, ‘Better Than Saturday Night’, ‘Riding Out the Storm’ and ‘Wrong Side of Paradise’. This early selection showcases the future of the band and confirms that there is still plenty in the tank. Wood fits the mould and helps to breathe new life into the group.

Soon enough though the iconic Scott Gorham strides across the stage to take position for the next hour or so of celebration. Seeing Gorham and Warwick side by side again is a treat and it’s nice that the band throw in a couple of Thin Lizzy numbers in a nod to the roots of the band.

Throughout the set though you are reminded just how good of a back catalogue that Black Star Riders have amassed in the last ten years. ‘All Hell Breaks Loose’, ‘The Killer Instinct’, ‘Before the War’, ‘Testify or Say Goodbye’, ‘Kingdom of the Lost’ and ‘Bound For Glory’ all sound huge tonight as Warwick and co prove that they were right to believe in themselves and the new music they could create together when faced with such criticism a decade ago.

Closing the evening with Lizzy classic ‘Jailbreak’ and Black Star Riders favourite ‘Finest Hour’, the rock fans of Ipswich are sent into the mild evening having witnessed one of the most consistently good bands of the past decade at their finest. The past decade has been sublime and thankfully the next decade looks just as good!

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Read our review of ‘Wrong Side of Paradise’ from Black Star Riders

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News Report

Every week we roundup the best music news from the past week!

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News Report

Linkin Park share ‘Lost’

Linkin Park – ‘Lost’

Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!

“Finding ‘Lost’ was like finding a favorite photo you had forgotten you’d taken, like it was waiting for the right moment to reveal itself.” – Mike Shinoda

Linkin Park will be celebrating the 20th Anniversary of their seminal ‘Meteora’ album with a special edition out April 7th.

This week the band shared a previously unreleased track that will feature in the new collection. You can listen to ‘Lost’ above now.

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist!

Enter Shikari share new single ‘It Hurts’

Enter Shikari – ‘It Hurts’

Enter Shikari recently announced their upcoming new album, ‘A Kiss For The Whole World’, will be out April 21st, and this week saw the band share the latest taste.

You can listen to new track, ‘It Hurts’ above. Of the track, Lead vocalist and producer Rou Reynolds explains:

“It Hurts came to me in a dream. Literally. Melody, chords, and fully-formulated chorus were all part of a dream that, thankfully, remained with me when I woke up. I was hiding under the duvet at 3AM, singing it into my phone, much to the bewilderment of my girlfriend.

Lyrically, It Hurts is about perseverance, and the importance of reframing failure as a fruitful and, in fact, pivotal route to progress. Society teaches us we should avoid and criticise failure, when defeat and honest mistakes can actually present us with insights that light our way forward.

In reality, we should be taught that simply to try makes us more than enough.”

Pre-order your copy here.

Read our review of Enter Shikari live in London

Gengahr return with new single ‘A Ladder’

Gengahr – ‘A Ladder’

This week saw the return of Gengahr as the band shared their brand new single, ‘A Ladder’, which you can listen to above.

Frontman Felix Bushe comments: “A Ladder is a fun, trippy little song soaked in cartoon-like imagery. Essentially it’s about the power of true love and its ability to not only change the way we feel but also the way we see and interact with the whole world around us.”

More here.

Listen on our Spotify Hot List!

Dream Wife debut ‘Hot (Don’t Date A Musician)’

Dream Wife – ‘Hot (Don’t Date A Musician)’

Dream Wife have announced details of their next studio album with ‘Social Lubrication’ set to be released on June 9th.

This week the group preceded the release with new single, ‘Hot (Don’t Date A Musician)’, which you can check out above.

‘Social Lubrication’, in the band’s words, is “Hyper lusty rock and roll with a political punch, exploring the alchemy of attraction, the lust for life, embracing community and calling out the patriarchy. With a healthy dose of playfulness and fun thrown in.”

Vocalist Rakel says, “Dating musicians is a nightmare. Evoking imagery of late night make-outs with fuckboy/girl/ambiguously-gendered musicians on their mattress after being seduced by song-writing chat. The roles being equally reversed. Having a laugh together and being able to poke fun at ourselves is very much at the heart of this band. This song encapsulates our shared sense of humour. Sonically it is the lovechild of CSS and Motorhead. It has our hard, live, rock edge combined with cheeky and playful vocals.”

“Music is one of the only forms of people experiencing an emotion together in a visceral, physical, real way,” says Alice. “It’s cathartic to the systemic issues that are being called out across the board in the record. Music isn’t the cure, but it’s the remedy. Calling the record Social Lubrication harks to that. It’s the positive glue that can create solidarity and community.”

“The album is speaking to systemic problems that cannot be glossed over by lube,”
says Bella. “The things named in the songs are symptoms of f-ed up structures. And you can’t fix that. You need to pull it apart.”

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen on our Spotify Hot List!

News Report

Fall Out Boy announce UK Arena Tour

We move our News Report on now to the best tour announcements from the past week and of course we have to start with the above dates from Fall Out Boy!

The group will make their way to the UK and Europe this Autumn with five UK Arena shows in scope finishing up at The O2 in London.

Support for the tour comes from both PVRIS and nothing,nowhere.

The tour will follow the release of their upcoming new album, ‘So Much (For) Stardust’, which is out March 24th.

Tickets and pre-orders are here.

Find Full Pelt Music on Youtube

Skillet reveal UK dates

Another act coming over to the UK will be Skillet who have two dates lined up in Manchester and London in April.

Support will come from Like A Storm and Eva Under Fire.

Tickets are here.

Check out our two Podcasts

Rude Records presents The Getaway Tour

Our next tour announcement is a package tour from Rude Records with Delaire The Liar, Modern Error and Oakman joining forces for ‘The Getaway Tour’.

Shows will take place in London, Manchester and Glasgow this April!

Tickets are here.

Watch Episode 22 of our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast with guests Oakman

‘Discover’ New Music Podcast – Episode 22 – Oakman

Listen to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist!

Royal Blood announce huge hometown show

Next up we have Royal Blood who have announced a huge homecoming outdoor gig set to take place on Brighton Beach on Saturday 29th July!

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Royal Blood live in London

News Report

Victorious reveals next wave of additions

Our News Report looks now at the best festival announcements made over the past week and we start by the coast with Portsmouth’s Victorious Festival.

Jamiroquai and Kasabian are already announced to headline with one more headliner yet to be revealed.

They will now be joined in August by the likes of The Charlatans, Jake Bugg, Circa Waves, The View, Newton Faulkner, Blossoms, Alt-J, Kaiser Chiefs, Amyl & The Sniffers, The Coral, Pale Waves, Shame, The Vaccines, Sea Girls, Johnny Marr, The Enemy and Hard-Fi!

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Kasabian live in Norwich

Steelhouse makes further additions

Steelhouse Festival this week confirmed that Those Damn Crows will be heading up the mountain as Saturday’s Special Guests. Also added this week was Ginger Wildheart & The Sinners.

They join the likes of Airbourne, Black Stone Cherry, Kris Barras Band, The Answer, Blues Pills, Florence Black and many more.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Black Stone Cherry live in Birmingham

110 Above presents OTHR Festival

110 Above Festival in Leicestershire will step back this year and instead present a scaled back version known as OTHR Festival.

This week the line-up for the event was revealed to include Circa Waves, Jack Garratt, Twin Atlantic and Somebody’s Child.

Tickets for the event are here.

Find Full Pelt Music on Youtube!

Handmade line-up set

Staying in Leicester next, Handmade Festival made their initial line-up announcement this week for the event in April.

Playing this year will be the likes of Grace Petrie, Johnny Foreigner, October Drift and Other Half.

Tickets are here.

Watch Episode 10 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guests October Drift

The Full Pelt Music Podcast – Episode 10 – October Drift

Read our review of ‘I Don’t Belong Anywhere’ from October Drift

News Report

As always we conclude our News Report with the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist!

News Report
Electron – ‘Sick and Wrong’

UK metallers, Electron, draw a line in the sand with their explosive new single, ‘Sick and Wrong’, which is out now!

On the single, frontman Jason Payne discusses: “The track symbolises solitude, melancholy, madness, anxiety and fear. The persona in this song (inspired by “The Scream, E. Munch”) is suffering a lot of pain. In the beginning, this person has hope that they will escape from the terror of its own mind – however, as the song evolves, they grow aware that the melancholy is eternal, and revolt with their agony.”

This Dying Hour – ‘Age of the Coward’

Modern metalcore 4-piece This Dying Hour have shared their blistering new single ‘Age Of The Coward’.

“‘Age of the Coward’ challenges the way we see ourselves – how we can either perpetuate or abolish the feelings of nihilism and guilt through the way we understand personal accountability. Over the years I have personally battled with self-identity and purpose. I don’t think these things are exclusive to me, but a journey we all must take. This is why we shouldn’t settle with your shortcomings, but instead with discipline and hard work we can lace their linings with gold. You can’t make the world a more meaningful place, until you see through who you truly are.” – Vocalist Steve Kerr.

News Report
News Report
Creature Cult – ‘poster boy’

With just one single out in the world – the powerful and rousing, ‘ughly’Creature Cult have shared new single ‘poster boy’ – another message delivered loud and clear: in the face of bigotry and hatred, be uncompromising in your self-expression.

Commenting on the new single, Connar says: “Poster boy is my hate letter to homophobia. It takes all the disgust and discrimination from vicious people and spits it right back at them. It’s basically saying I’m going to be the fucking biggest and loudest version of all the things you hate about me because I really don’t care what you think and I know that scares you. Being able to express yourself and love who you want to love should be treated by everyone as the basic human right that it is.”

Listen, Follow and Discover your new favourite act now with our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist

Then find out the stories behind the songs on our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast!

Share our News Report on Social Media

Read our review of Xtra Mile Recordings 20th Anniversary in London

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Magazine

News Report

Every week we roundup the best music news from the past week!

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News Report

Y Not Festival reveals line-up

Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!

We start this week with the plethora of festival announcements from the past week and up first is Y Not Festival!

The Derbyshire event this week revealed that their 2023 headliners will be Bombay Bicycle Club (Thursday), Royal Blood, Kasabian and Paul Weller.

They will be joined by the likes of The Wombats, James, DMA’s, The Charlatans, KT Tunstall, The Murder Capital, Kid Kapichi and Beans On Toast.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Y Not Festival 2022

Truck Festival line-up is here

Over to Oxfordshire next for Truck Festival where Royal Blood again top the bill alongside Two Door Cinema Club, alt-j and Thursday headliner The Wombats.

They’ll be joined by acts such as DMA’s, The Vaccines, Self Esteem, Circa Waves, Pale Waves, Squid, We Are Scientists and more.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Royal Blood live in London

Tramlines unveil line-up

To Yorkshire next and Sheffield’s Tramlines returns to Hillsborough Park this July with a huge line-up including headliners Richard Ashcroft, Courteeners and Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott.

Also on the bill are DMA’s, Bloc Party, Blossoms, Kaiser Chiefs, Sea Girls, Circa Waves, The Enemy, Pale Waves, The Zutons, October Drift and Black Honey!

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘Unwanted’ from Pale Waves

2000trees had 50 new acts

The line-up announcements come thick and fast in our News Report this week with 2000trees also adding a further 50 bands to the line-up including the mighty Skindred!

Deaf Havana, The Bronx, Empire State Bastard, Kid Kapichi, Lynks, The Xcerts and many more also join the like up topped by Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes!

Tickets are here.

Read our review of The Xcerts live in Cambridge

Splendour drops first names

Wollaton Park in Nottingham will once again host Splendour Festival this July. The festival this year will be headlined by Madness and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. Also playing will be the likes of The Kooks.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Neck of the Woods Festival

Beautiful Days reveal line-up

Yes with all these festival announcements in our News Report this week, we are set for some Beautiful Days next summer! Headlining that very event will be Suede, Primal Scream and Levellers.

Also playing will be Johnny Marr, The Proclaimers, Gaz Coombes, Reef, Ferocious Dog, Beans On Toast, The Joy Formidable and many more.

Tickets are here.

Watch Episode Episode 3 of The Full Pelt Music with guest Beans On Toast

Cambridge Folk Festival reveal first names

The fantastic Cambridge Folk Festival has also revealed their names this week with The Proclaimers, Rufus Wainwright, Imelda May, Grace Petrie, Kiefer Sutherland, The Longest Johns and Stornoway all set for Cherry Hinton Hall.

Tickets are here.

Find Full Pelt Music on Youtube

Teddy Rocks shares full line-up

Teddy Rocks, which takes place in Dorset and helps to raise money towards research and direct support for children with cancer, set their full line-up this week.

Newly announced acts like Ferocious Dog join a bill featuring Feeder, Jake Bugg, The Amazons, Those Damn Crows, Kid Kapichi, Mason Hill, Dream State and MOSKITO.

Tickets are here

Watch Episode 10 of our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast with guests MOSKITO

Teenage Cancer Trust shows return

The traditional Teenage Cancer Trust shows at the Royal Albert Hall will once again return in 2023 with headline acts Underworld, Wet Leg, Courteeners and Kasabian.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Kasabian live in Norwich

News Report

The Who announce new shows

We move our News Report over now to the best tour announcements from the past week. First of all is the above mix of dates from The Who.

The iconic group will be accompanied by an orchestra and support on most dates will come from UB40.

Performing with The Who and an orchestra had been a long-held ambition for singer Roger Daltrey “Having not toured the UK for six years, it’s great that at this time of our careers we have the chance to go to places that are not on the usual touring map Edinburgh Castle and Derby, as well as the other cities across the country that we haven’t been to for decades, will make this very special for me. This opportunity will give our UK Who fans the chance to hear our current show, which, with the addition of an orchestra, takes our music to new heights.”

Pete Townshend “Roger initially christened this tour with an orchestra Moving On! I love it. It is what both of us want to do. Move on, with new music, classic Who music, all performed in new and exciting ways. Taking risks, nothing to lose. I’m really looking forward to bringing this show to the UK.”

Tickets are here.

Listen to our two Podcasts

Gary Numan set for special London shows

Another musical icon, Gary Numan, will be playing three very special shows at the Electric Ballroom in Camden this April.

Revealing the dates, Numan said “In my career I have played, so far, 997 Gary Numan shows. To celebrate reaching the 1,000 milestone I’ll be playing three shows, 998, 999, and 1,000, at the Electric Ballroom in London on April 13th, 14th and 15th. These will obviously be special nights for me, but made all the more so as my daughter Raven will be the support. Raven has finished writing her first album which is currently being recorded with, and produced by, Ade Fenton. For me to be able to celebrate these three momentous shows with the fans who have made it all possible, and for those same nights to be Raven’s first ever three shows playing her new music, is almost more than my tiny heart can stand. I hope to see you there.”

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Gary Numan live in Norwich

Jamie Lenman announces Spring Tour

Jamie Lenman had a big news week with details of a Spring Tour accompanied by the news that a new EP, ‘Iknowyouknowiknow’, is set for release on May 5th.

That news has included the debut of new single, ‘Words of Love’, which you can check out below.

Jamie Lenman – ‘Words of Love’

Commenting on the new track, Lenman says: “‘Words Of Love’ is a very old song that I’ve been trying to get on a record since some time between the second and third Reuben albums, but it never fit anywhere until now. Even so, I still had to shave off a few of the post-hardcore edges to make it fit with this project, so if you think you can hear a little mid-noughties vibe in there, that’s why. For a long time this was on rough track listings for the album, but in the end we decided it would be nice to give it a starring role on the EP instead—otherwise it would have been fighting for attention.”

“Thematically it’s about somebody’s reaction to a past infidelity, their inability to get over it or even recognise their own culpability. In that way it’s very much the flip side of ‘Let’s Stop Hanging Out’, where the person is reacting to the same situation in a much more accepting way. In fact, I wrote the middle eight section at the same time I wrote LSHO, when I was in college. So they share some of the same DNA.”

The new single comes with a new video, once again directed and filmed by Lenman live band guitarist and visual collaborator Jen Hingley.

“The video came out of nowhere, because we’d had the tour and then Lenmania and then Christmas to deal with,” explains Lenman of the concept. “Suddenly it was the first week of January and we needed it the next week. I said to Jen on the Sunday night: ‘We’re gonna drive up to Manchester on Tuesday morning and drive back home the same day—we’ll have about six hours in between, so let’s just book a room, fill it full of lights and instruments and see what happens!'”

Pre-orders, tickets and all things Lenman are here.

Watch Episode 13 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guest Jamie Lenman

October Drift set new UK Tour

The final tour announcement in our News Report this week comes from the unstoppable October Drift! As the band continue to celebrate the release of their sophomore album, ‘I Don’t Belong Anywhere’, the group have revealed a fun of dates in April/May.

The band said, “Over the moon to announce our Spring headline UK tour dates and our first ever headline shows in Ireland and Northern Ireland. This is going to be our biggest an best tour yet”.

Tickets are here.

Watch Episode 10 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guests October Drift

News Report

Black Stone Cherry debut ‘Out of Pocket’ video

Black Stone Cherry – ‘Out of Pocket’

Our News Report looks now at the best new releases from the past week!

Coinciding with their UK Tour, Black Stone Cherry have debuted the video for their new track, ‘Out of Pocket’, which you can listen to above!

More here.

Read our review of Black Stone Cherry live in Birmingham!

Hundred Reasons share ‘So So Soon’

Hundred Reasons – ‘So So Soon’

Hundred Reasons will imminently release their first new album in 15 years as ‘Glorious Sunset’ arrives on February 24th.

This week the band shared the final pre-release single, ‘So So Soon’, which you can check out above.

Frontman Colin Doran who had the following to say about the sentiments behind their latest song:

“My 7-year-old son has Cerebral Palsy and goes to a mainstream school. The school he attended at the time of writing this (he’s at another school now) was pretty bad and hid information, lied, and generally did a terrible job of looking after my son and his needs. They always gave the impression that things were fine but effectively were just making sure they were OK by covering up issues. My son is the light of my life and beyond incredible every single day and I wanted to draw light on how people with disabilities are still treated terribly in society by people who should just be better educated, more understanding, thoughtful, and kind.” 

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen on our Spotify Hot List!

Yonaka debut ‘Panic’

Yonaka – ‘Panic’

Next up in our News Report is ‘Panic’, the latest track from the sensational Yonaka! You can listen to the new song above.

More here.

Read our review of ‘Seize the Power’ from Yonaka

Dream State debut ‘Chain Reactions’

Dream State – ‘Chain Reactions’

There was more new music forthcoming this week from Dream State in the form of ‘Chain Reactions’, which you can listen to above.

The track is part of their new EP, ‘Untethered’, which is available to stream now!

Listen here.

Listen on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist!

Stand Atlantic unleash ‘kill[h]er’

Stand Atlantic – ‘kill[h]er’

Next up in our News Report is ‘kill[h]er’, the brand new track from Stand Atlantic, and of course you can listen above!

“Self sabotage is a bitch,” states Bonnie Fraser. “Self doubt kills and denying good and genuine parts of yourself because you’ve been conditioned to think they’re not good enough is a form of murder. it’s a reminder to myself not to give in to that shit. personal growth is important but don’t deny who you are. sometimes i find myself thinking back to who i used to be and missing that person.”

More here.

Listen on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist

Dub War share video for ‘Celtic Cross’

Dub War – ‘Celtic Cross’

Ahead of their upcoming UK Tour, Dub War have shared the video for their track, ‘Celtic Cross’, which you can check out above. Their latest album, ‘Westgate Under Fire’, is out now!

The band comment:

“”Celtic Cross” sends out a message of defiance and hope, and features the amazing drummer Tanner Wayne, who many of you will recognise from the Swedish heavy metal band In Flames. From 1st March, we will be touring England and we’ll be hitting some great intimate venues – come and see what we got to say!”

Tickets and more here.

Listen on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist!

From Ashes To New share ‘Nightmare’

From Ashes To New – ‘Nightmare’

Continuing the slew of great new releases in our News Report this week is ‘Nightmare’, the latest single from From Ashes To New, which you can check out above.

The track comes from their as-yet-titled fourth album due out this summer.

“Betrayal by someone we trust happens to the best of us,” says Danny Case. “We befriend someone, let them in, build a connection and then all of a sudden they turn into someone unrecognizable. Someone you once trusted and cared for so deeply is now a backstabbing enemy. In a heartbeat, the person you once thought you knew is now gone. There aren’t many things in life that cut quite as deep as betrayal. Erasing that person from your life and moving forward is the only way to wake up from the nightmare.”

More here.

Read our review of Shinedown live in London

Slow Readers Club share new single ‘Lay Your Troubles On Me’

Slow Readers Club – ‘Lay Your Troubles On Me’

There was also new music on offer this week from Slow Readers Club as they shared their latest single, ‘Lay Your Troubles On Me’, which you can check out above.

The band commented, “‘Lay Your Troubles On Me’ was born out of a jamming session in our rehearsal room. We were jamming around the verse idea at rehearsals and then went for a brew break. When we came back we started on another idea but soon realised it was the same notes but with a completely different groove and feel. We didn’t want to lose either version and we loved the idea of the tune getting progressively louder and intense so we combined them. Working on this one in pre-production Joe helped us make the crescendo work well with a cool synth sound. 

Lyrically it’s a song about recognising someone going through difficulties, reaching out and offering support. The vocal melody mostly came in the practice room but the high melody ‘hold on for dear life the ones you love’ over the crescendo came in the studio.” 

The track features on upcoming album, ‘Knowledge Freedom Power’, which is out February 24th.

Pre-order your copy here.

Read our review of Pet Needs live in Norwich

Hamish Hawk debuts ‘Rest & Veneers’

Hamish Hawk & Samantha Crain – ‘Rest & Veneers’

Hamish Hawk will release new album, ‘Angel Numbers’ on 24th February and this week saw Hawk share new single ‘Rest & Veneers’ with Samantha Crain.

Hamish had the following to say about the themes behind the song:

“Rest & Veneers is a love song, in the softer, quieter sense of the phrase. It doesn’t deal in high romance, in grand gestures, or the movements of celestial bodies. It’s about the everyday kind of love and affection that shows itself in those small kindnesses, those spared thoughts and graces between friends. It’s new territory for me lyrically, and it takes me to a really good place when I listen to it, plus I’m in awe of Samantha Crain. The song is a relaxed moment on the record, and I’m so pleased its getting its own time to shine.”

Samantha Crain also commented on their collaboration:

“When Hamish sent me this song, I was absolutely floored. This is the kind of song I would have wanted to write. Such a simple subject matter but it really explores the complexity within that seemingly simple emotion. It’s my favorite song I’ve ever gotten to collaborate on a recording of.”

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen to our two Podcasts

Beans On Toast debuts ‘Back out on the Road’

Beans On Toast – ‘Back out on the Road’

Beans On Toast will be back out on the road very soon, so this week he aptly shared his new single, ‘Back out on the Road’. You can listen to the track above!

Tickets and more here.

Watch Episode 3 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guest Beans On Toast

Stay Free share ‘Be Yourself’

Stay Free – ‘Be Yourself’

Closing out this section of our News Report this week is ‘Be Yourself’, the latest single from Stay Free, which you can listen to above.

The track is described as “an anthem about avoiding the all of the pressure the world and the media put on you to be a certain way and to just follow your own heart and be true to your authentic self.”.

More here.

Listen to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist

News Report

Watch Episode 10 of our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast with guests MOSKITO

News Report

As always we conclude our News Report with the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist!

News Report
Chappaqua Wrestling – ‘Wide Asleep’

Chappaqua Wrestling have announced their debut album, ‘Plus Ultra’, will be out April 14th and shared new single ‘Wide Asleep’.

The bands says, “Wide Asleep is a complaint to ourselves for being consumed by the echo chamber of social media. Our mobile phones are the portal which lead us to misread and miscommunicate stories and topics, often leaving us more confused than we were in the first place. Wading through muddled points of view, mistargeted ads, senseless airtime of the Royal family, weddings of friends you’d rather forget, addictively numbing reels, leaving us blinded by a little hand-sized screen. It makes us detached and unmoved by anything, all whilst being asleep to the world around us. Hopefully, our preaching will teach us something ourselves as we try to focus on the present.”

Continuing about the album they say: “Plus Ultra documents the journey through our friendship, from school to where we now find ourselves commenting on what is around us. Roughly translating to ‘Nothing Lies Beyond’, a Latin naval term adopted by those exploring uncharted waters, we present a collection of our best works to date, each lyrically distinct but venturing into new territories that life presents; mass media, Tory austerity, mental health, homelessness, the deprived NHS and the release that music gives you from it all. Come with us to make sense of what lies beyond in this world through questions, power and statements that we stand by.”

Gold Fever – ‘DB Cooper’

Gold Fever have shared their second single, ‘DB Cooper’.

Fronman Oscar JD Sault says – “DB Cooper is written from the perspective of someone who believes they’re destined for significance but misuses the present through hedonism. I wanted the track to feel precarious, like a train about to come away from the tracks. As if to mirror how one can wander too far from discipline towards indulgence.”

News Report
News Report
Bitter Kisses – ‘Pr*y’

Bristol’s Bitter Kisses have shared their debut single, ‘Pr*y’.

Reflecting on the inspiration behind the single the band state, “Pr*y was partially inspired by a fever dream in which Lady Gaga collaborated with Queens of the Stone Age to produce a new Earth Wind And Fire song.

When writing Pr*y we wanted to create a track which could ambiguously explore the difference in meanings of the words ‘prey’ and ‘pray’, and how they each apply to dangerous or unhealthy relationships. One person could worship another, while at the same time being preyed upon by the subject of their love.  The meaning of the lyrics can change depending on which version prey/pray you want to hear whenever they’re used in the song.”

Listen, Follow and Discover your new favourite act now with our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist

Then find out the stories behind the songs on our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast!

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Read our review of Holding Absence live in Colchester

Categories
Live Reviews

Holding Absence

Colchester Arts Centre

Thursday 2nd February 2023

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HOLDING ABSENCE – COLCHESTER – LIVE REVIEW

As Independent Venue Week continues we head to one of the country’s finest, the wonderful Colchester Arts Centre. Seriously though, those toilets will have you feeling like royalty – toilet-circuit indeed!

In town tonight are Holding Absence who are towards the end of a tour of the UK’s off the beaten track venues and the locals are clearly excited with the show a sell out.

Most of the audience are in the venue early to catch the support (always a wise move!) and up first the crowd are treated to the ferocious Your Misery. Controlling the stage as if they were seasoned veterans, the band are able to not just warm up the crowd but fully win them over. Certainly one to keep an eye on, Your Misery couldn’t have done any more tonight to make a statement.

Our second act, Australians Void of Vision, most definitely feel like a band that know how to make a statement of their own. The group burst onto stage and fill the venue with their huge sound. It’s an audio onslaught for the next forty-five minutes as the likes of ‘DOMINATRIX’, ‘THE LONELY PEOPLE’ and ‘INTO THE DARK’ leave the crowd desperate for more.

There may not be any more Void of Vision tonight, but you can expect to hear much more in the future. With a new EP coming soon, this could be a breakthrough year for the band.

WATCH ‘AFTERLIFE’ ON YOUTUBE
Holding Absence – ‘Afterlife’

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Our headliners, Holding Absence, have felt like they are breaking out for a few years now. Certainly not ones to rest on their laurels; their touring schedule has been intense. The majority of those shows though have been support slots, so it’s refreshing to catch them at a headline show finally.

The core fanbase of the band appear very committed and there is anticipation in the air in this old church tonight. That anticipation boils over as the band arrive on stage and quickly run through ‘Monochrome’, ‘Beyond Belief’ and ‘Like A Shadow’ much to the delight of those fans.

The setlist tonight is a real mix of the bands releases with highlights including ‘Gravity’, ‘In Circles’ and new song ‘Aching Longing’. You’d perhaps expect a little more from a headline show, but I guess the old adage is to leave the audience wanting more.

After a finale of ‘Afterlife’ and ‘Wilt’, Holding Absence most definitely do just that. With so many sing-a-long anthems or bangers as the kids would say, and an engaging stage presence you’d hope that the band will live up to their early promise.

Three bands at different stages of their budding careers tonight all make a valuable impression. It’s worth remembering that nights like this are happening up and down the country, night in night out. It’s tough out there and venues and bands need your support, so perhaps think twice on spending hundreds of pounds on those Beyonce tickets and pop down to your local independent venue instead!

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Read our review of ‘The Greatest Mistake of My Life’ from Holding Absence

Categories
Live Reviews

Black Stone Cherry & The Darkness

Resorts World Arena, Birmingham

Tuesday 31st January 2023

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BLACK STONE CHERRY & THE DARKNESS – BIRMINGHAM – LIVE REVIEW

One fateful night many years ago in the depths of the forests of Thetford a relatively spontaneous pairing occurred as Black Stone Cherry jumped in to support The Darkness after an infamous festival cancellation.

I was there that momentous evening to witness the magic that transpired. I was rather pleased then when the two bands announced a co-headline arena tour a decade or so later. So, tonight I head to the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham to relive that fine evening.

Opening on this tour is Danko Jones, who always delivers the goods. You know that you are in for a good rocking with Jones and tonight is no different. When your time onstage is short, you need to make the most of it and that’s exactly what Jones does with a fast paced rock n roll romp.

WATCH ‘MOTORHEART’ ON YOUTUBE
The Darkness – ‘Motorheart’

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The first of our two headliners to take to the stage are The Darkness and as their set progresses I find myself reminiscing of that night in 2012. I remember that the band were fresh into their return and finding their feet again as a live act. The Darkness have always been considered a fantastic live act, but tonight I realise just how much further they’ve come.

Consistently good new material over the past decade has helped, but the band has really fine tuned themselves with drummer Rufus Taylor having a large role in that. The Showmanship of Justin Hawkins, the flamboyance of Frankie Poullain and the flair of Dan Hawkins now have a harnessing force that makes them incredibly slick.

When you then throw in plenty of pyrotechnics, you have a recipe for a stunning show and that’s exactly what The Darkness deliver tonight. From opening number ‘Growing on Me’ through to theatrical set closer ‘Love on the Rocks With No Ice’, The Darkness not only reassert themselves as one of the best live acts around but demonstrate the progress that they’ve made in the last decade.

WATCH ‘OUT OF POCKET’ ON YOUTUBE
Black Stone Cherry – ‘Out of Pocket’

Progress is a key word also when considering Black Stone Cherry who close the night this time around. They’ve come a long way in the last ten years and are now a regular arena filling act in the UK.

Tonight their time onstage is perhaps slightly shorter than usual, but they still manage to pack a career spanning setlist into that time. Less theatrical then The Darkness, Black Stone Cherry have always been happy to let the music do the talking and the crowd tonight are more than content with that.

Newer material like ‘Burnin’’, ‘Again’ and their latest single, ‘Out of Pocket’ feel at home in the set and evidence the great work produced by the band since 2012. Of course though tracks from that time like ‘White Trash Millionaire’ and ‘Blame It On The Boom Boom’ elicit huge response from the audience.

These are three different performances tonight from three different bands all bound by the love of rock. I knew walking into the arena that I’d be catching three of the most consistently good live acts on the circuit, so the quality of the evening isn’t a surprise tonight. Walking out of the venue however, I’m most impressed by the growth and evolution shown since that memorable evening in the woods!

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Read our review of Shinedown live in London

Categories
Live Reviews

Pet Needs

Voodoo Daddy’s, Norwich

Monday 30th January 2023

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All 📸 (C) Full Pelt Music / Denis Gorbatov

PET NEEDS – NORWICH – LIVE REVIEW

It’s once again Independent Venue Week and it’s a fantastic time to celebrate the integral network of grassroots venues that play such a pivotal role in the music ecosystem. It bears repeating – no local venues, no opportunities for new talent and ultimately no superstars.

Tonight we head out to one such venue, the fantastic Voodoo Daddy’s. Pizza, beer and live music are a great mix and that’s exactly what you’ll find tucked down a vibrant Norwich alley.

You’ll also find some brilliant entertainment! Up first tonight are Ecto Peach who cross the border from Ipswich. There’s no football rivalry here though and the already packed venue gives the group a warm welcome.

That welcome is returned tenfold with a superb performance from the tight and energetic four-piece. A short set of catchy rockers, the band are evidence of why it’s ever so important to get to shows early!

The mood changes next as songwriter (the best in the world some would say!) Ben Brown graces the intimate stage surrounded by fairy lights. He proceeds to serenade the audience with delicate melodies and comical stage banter.

A change of pace indeed but one which the audience takes in their stride and welcomes with open arms. Brown will certainly leave with more fans than when he arrived after a delightful little show.

Finally though it’s time for those fans filling the venue with Pet Needs t-shirts to enjoy the band of the moment! Pet Needs are one of the brightest prospects in the country right now; after all they did win our ‘Discover’ New Artist of the Year Award for 2022!

Yes, crowds are getting larger, venues are getting bigger and t-shirt sales are booming. The reason? Well, perhaps you should pop along to a show and see for yourselves, but given that it’s our job to tell you we’ll keep it simple! If you could bottle the energy of the band to sell, you’d be a Billionaire overnight.

It takes more than energy to be a great band though and two albums in, the band already have belters for days. Both of their albums have produced multiple live staples which exemplify the quality of song writing within the band. These songs are catchy as hell with sing-a-longs infectiously mandated at Pet Needs shows.

The setlist tonight is well structured and represents a good mix of their albums. The pace never relents and the audience laps up tracks such as ‘Pavlovian’, ‘Spirals’, ‘Punk Isn’t Dead; It’s Just Up For Sale’ and ‘Toothpaste’.

The highlight tonight though is new track, ‘Yeah!’, which whets the appetite for what’s to come next. The future is clearly very bright for Pet Needs, and tonight has been a great night for those making the effort.

There are great nights like this happening all across the country every night of the week. So this Independent Venue Week, please remember folks that an independent venue isn’t just for Independent Venue Week – it’s for life!

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Read our review of ‘Primetime Entertainment’ from Pet Needs

Watch Episode 11 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guests Pet Needs!

The Full Pelt Music Podcast – Episode 11 – Pet Needs

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Categories
Magazine

News Report

Every week we roundup the best music news from the past week!

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News Report

Kendal Calling line-up revealed

Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!

We start this week by running through the best festival announcements made over the past week and up first we have Kendal Calling.

Topping the bill this year will be Kasabian, Royal Blood, Blossoms and Nile Rodgers & Chic! They are joined by the likes of Kaiser Chiefs, Frank Turner, Circa Waves, The Enemy, KT Tunstall and The Amazons.

Also across the weekend will be The Hunna, The Murder Capital, Vistas, We Are Scientists, Lottery Winners, Black Honey, Newton Faulkner, October Drift, Jack Valero and many more!

Tickets and info here.

Watch Episode 10 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guests October Drift

The Strokes set to return to All Points East

All Points East returns to Victoria Park in London this August and also returning will be previous headliners The Strokes!

The band will headline Friday 25th August with the bill that day including Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Amyl And The Sniffers and Black Midi.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Gorillaz at All Points East

TRNSMT add 50 artists to bill

Glasgow’s TRNSMT has added some fifty new acts to the bill for this year’s festival. The events features headliners Pulp, Sam Fender, The 1975, George Ezra, Kasabian and Royal Blood.

They are joined by Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott, The View, The Kooks, Pale Waves, Hot Milk, Hamish Hawk, The Wombats, Nothing But Thieves, The Enemy, The Amazons, Bob Vylan, Dream Wife, Lauran Hibberd and many more.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Neck of the Woods Festival

Maid Of Stone reveals inaugural line-up

Rock returns to Mote Park in Maidstone with the newly minted Maid of Stone taking place in July. The first headline act to be revealed are rockers Airbourne.

Joining the Aussies on the bill will be Skindred, The Hunna, Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons, Kris Barras Band, Elles Bailey, Florence Black, Bad Touch, Black Spiders and more.

Tickets and info here.

Read our review of Airbourne live in Norwich

Steelhouse add Black Stone Cherry

Wales is also able to attract rocks finest with Steelhouse Festival leading the way. This week the festival announced that Black Stone Cherry will be topping the bill alongside already announced Saturday headliners Airbourne.

They are joined over the weekend by the likes of The Answer, Blues Pills, Kris Barras Band, Florence Black, When Rivers Meet, The Cruel Knives and Dead Man’s Whiskey!

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Black Stone Cherry live in Cambridge

Slam Dunk gets bigger!

Another rock event getting bigger this week was Slam Dunk Festival who have added more bands to an already packed bill. Probably a good thing then that they’ve also broken down the stage splits.

Added to the event were PVRIS, Sueco, Millie Manders and many more. They join the likes of Enter Shikari, The Offspring, Billy Talent, Bowling For Soup, Yellowcard, Creeper and far too many others to mention!

Tickets are here.

Read our review of The Offspring live in London

Live At Leeds add The Hives and more

Live At Leeds: In The Park has added The Hives, DMA’s, gengahr and more to an already packed line up headlined by Two Door Cinema Club.

They join amongst others, The Big Moon, Black Honey, The Beths, Skinny Living, Deadletter, Ellur, Low Hummer and Opus Kink.

Speaking about their appearance at Live At Leeds: In The Park 2023, The Hives’ frontman Pelle Almqvist said: “Some festival names just have a ring to them don’t they? Live At Leeds. It sounds like some upper echelon rock shit and if this year’s edition wasn’t before, now it is. The Hives are very proud and happy to join this upper echelon. They are coming for your money and dignity and in exchange they will deliver however long a show you will let them of life-affirming record-breaking rock ’ ‘ roll music. If you have never seen them before. imagine a rock show but to the 3rd power. Too much of everything. If you have seen them before, you know you will have to again.”

Skinny Living said: “Live At Leeds is one of our favourite festivals in the UK! The line up is always top class, so to be able to play the main stage as a local band this year is a proper moment for us and our people.”

Looking ahead, Festival Promoter Joe Hubbard said: “It may be chilly outside, but we’re already incredibly excited about returning to Temple Newsam for an unforgettable summer festival celebration – with even more favourites and new faces joining the party at Live At Leeds: In The Park this year.

DMA’s and The Hives may just be some of the best festival bands going right now, and having phenomena like Cavetown and Crawlers join the party is truly special. At Live At Leeds, we always look to bring unmissable live titans together with fans’ next favourite bands – and this year’s In The Park is the perfect example of that. All coming together on one day at Temple Newsam, there’s nothing quite like it – and we can’t wait to see everyone this May!”

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Black Honey live in Norwich

Community Presents set for Crystal Palace Park

The final festival in our News Report this week sees Community Festival take a trip across London to Crystal Palace Park.

Community presents will feature Two Door Cinema Club, The Wombats, The Vaccines, Sea Girls and Baby Queen.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Y Not Festival

News Report

Billy F Gibbons reveals UK dates

We move our News Report onwards now to the best tour announcements from the last week and up first is ZZ Top icon Billy F Gibbons.

Gibbons will be joined by Matt Sorum and Austin Hanks in London, Birmingham and Bournemouth this Summer.

Tickets are here.

Listen to our two Podcasts

Europe announce 40th Anniversary celebrations

Europe will celebrate their 40th Anniversary in style with the ‘Time Capsule’ Tour set for later this year.

The ‘Evening With’ dates include eight UK show with the band ending on two London shows at The Palladium.

Tickets are here.

Find Full Pelt Music on Spotify

Killing Joke announce warm-up shows

Ahead of their sold out show at London’s Royal Albert Hall, Killing Joke this week revealed four intimate warm-up shows.

Any remaining tickets are here.

Find Full Pelt Music on Youtube

Gun announce acoustic tour

Scottish rockers Gun will be hitting the road for an acoustic tour this Spring concluding with a show at the 100 Club in London

Tickets are here.

Read our review of British Lion live in Norwich

Chris Shiflett reveals UK Tour dates

Following a run of new solo singles, iconic guitarist Chris Shiflett this week revealed a run of UK dates this March including a tour finale at Scala in London.

Tickets are here.

Listen to ‘Born & Raised’ on our Spotify Hot List!

Pierce The Veil announce UK Tour

Our News Report continues with news that Pierce The Veil will be in the UK next April. The band will play a number of large venues finishing up at Alexandra Palace in London.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Alter Bridge live in London

Lottery Winners reveal headline tour

Currently out on the road with Frank Turner, Lottery Winners have revealed a lengthy UK Tour taking place in April/May this year.

Tickets are here.

Watch Episode 11 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guests Pet Needs

Pet Needs add third leg to UK Tour

Pet Needs continue to tour in support of sophomore album, ‘Primetime Entertainment’, with the second leg of the album tour kicking off this week.

With shows continuing to sell out, the band have this week revealed a third leg of the tour set for May/June this year!

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘Primetime Entertainment’

Fall Out Boy share ‘Heartbreak Feels So Good’

Fall Out Boy – ‘Heartbreak Feels So Good’

Next in our News Report we focus on the best new releases from the past week and begin with Fall Out Boy.

Following their return last week, the band now shared another new track, ‘Heartbreak Feels So Good’, which you can listen to above.

The track comes from upcoming new album, ‘So Much (For) Stardust’, which is out March 24th.

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen to ‘Heartbreak Feels So Good’ on our Spotify Hot List!

PVRIS debut ‘Goddess’

PVRIS – ‘Goddess’

PVRIS this week debuted their latest single, ‘Goddess’, which you can listen to above.

More here.

Read our review of ‘BAD LOVE’ from MOSKITO

The Last Internationale share ‘Running for a Dream’

This week also saw The Last Internationale sharing their latest single, ‘Running for a Dream’, and you can of course listen above!

The track comes from their upcoming third studio album, which arrives March 31st.

Pre-order your copy here.

Read our review of Download Festival 2022

Demob Happy return with ‘Voodoo Science’

Demob Happy – ‘Voodoo Science’

Demob Happy returned this week with their new single, ‘Voodoo Science’, which you can listen to above.

The track will feature on newly announced upcoming album, ‘Divine Machines’, which is out May 26th.

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist

Willie J Healey debuts ‘Thank You’

Willie J Healey – ‘Thank You’ feat. Jamie T

Next in our News Report is the latest single from Willie J Healey featuring Jamie T. Listen to ‘Thank You’ above now.

The track comes from forthcoming album, ‘Bunny’, which is out August 25th.

Willie comments on the new single: “I was tired and flat and didn’t know what to make & then my friend Jamie said ay willie I’ve got this drum machine it might inspire you.. I picked it up and wrote ‘Thank You’ the next day, it was my way of thanking Jamie for being a good friend. I dedicate it to anyone trying to do their own thing.”

Pre-order your album here.

Listen on our Spotify Hot List!

Mimi Barks shares video for ‘SAW’

Mimi Barks – ‘SAW’

Mimi Barks concludes this portion of our News Report with the new video for her track, ‘SAW’, which you can watch above!

The track features on their recently released mixtape, ‘DEADGIRL’.

Barks had the following to say, “SAW, the third song on the DEADGIRL Mixtape, marks the resistance, rage, and anger I experienced while seeking my identity and self-worth on an emotional, spiritual, physical, and mental level.”

She continues to mention – “Working independently on set with a micro team—just me, and my videographer, and his camera—it takes me back to my roots. No crew, no lights, and no screenplay. It’s raw, industrial and dirty – with the walls of the derelict buildings captured in the music video reflecting the wrath and backlash of my internal war.”

Grab your copy here.

Listen on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist

Watch Episode 28 of our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast with guests Oxbowlake

As always we conclude our News Report with the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist!

News Report
Blondshell – ‘Joiner’

Blondshell will release her self-titled debut album arrives April 7th and is preceded by new single, ‘Joiner’.

Describing the new single, Blondshell explains, “I was listening to a lot of Britpop when I wrote this song. A lot of those bands like The Verve, Pulp, Suede, and Blur channelled dark subject matter, drugs, and all this dirty stuff, but with a fun acoustic guitar under it. I was listening to The Replacements, too. That’s what this song was inspired by sonically. I wanted it to feel like you’re watching HBO, where even though it’s heavy, it’s still a good time.”

BLACKGOLD – ‘Boogeyman’

Masked Misfits BLACKGOLD are back at it again with new single ‘Boogeyman’!

The band comment, “‘Boogeyman’ is about that person that haunts your dreams. They have full control over you within your subconscious and it feels like you can’t escape.”

News Report
News Report
Riyah – ‘Perfect’

Riyah is ready to unleash her first single ‘Perfect’, showcasing what is to come from her hands and lungs.

She comments, “I’m excited to see this new chapter roll out with this new EP. I’ve spent almost two years figuring out which way to go, and these songs might feel like baby steps to some, but for me it’s gigantic leap into my passion” 

Listen, Follow and Discover your new favourite act now with our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist

Then find out the stories behind the songs on our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast!

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Watch Episode 16 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guests The Subways

Categories
Magazine

News Report

Every week we roundup the best music news from the week!

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News Report

Metallica share new single ‘Screaming Suicide’

Metallica – ‘Screaming Suicide’

Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!

We start this week with the best new releases from the past week, including metal titans Metallica, who are up first.

As the band continue to prepare for the release of their new album, ’72 Seasons’, on April 14th, they’ve this week shared new single, ‘Screaming Suicide’. You can check out the track above.

“‘Screaming Suicide’ addresses the taboo word of suicide. The intention is to communicate about the darkness we feel inside. It’s ridiculous to think we should deny that we have these thoughts. At one point or another, I believe most people have thought about it. To face it is to speak the unspoken. If it’s a human experience, we should be able to talk about it. You are not alone.” – James Hetfield

Pre-order your copy here.

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Fall Out Boy return with ‘Love From The Other Side’

Fall Out Boy – ‘Love From The Other Side’

It was also a big news week for Fall Out Boy as the group announced that they will release their latest album, ‘So Much (For) Stardust’, on March 24th.

Revealing the news the band shared the following with fans:

“‘Time is luck.’

Finish another tour. You reflect but not like a gem in the sun – more like a year long stare into yourself in another airplane bathroom

Sometimes you gotta blow everything you were and put the pieces back together in a new shape. The same but different – the foundation dynamited and the dust used to create the concrete pour. I have a tendency to get a little sad whenever I think about anything…but I also feel pure joy when I think that I exist at the same time as whales or that read happens to rise at a certain temperature. And that we happen to be spinning on this little blue rock at the exact same time together.

So much (for) stardust.”

Accompanying the news, was new single, ‘Love From The Other Side’, which you can check out above!

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen on our Spotify Hot List!

Saxon share new single ‘The Faith Healer’

Saxon – ‘The Faith Healer’

Metal icons Saxon also have a new album on its way with ‘More Inspirations’ set for March 24th. The album explores the bands influences and new single, ‘The Faith Healer’, debuted this week. You can check the single out above.

Frontman Biff Byford comments “We used to see The Sensational Alex Harvey band play this back in the day, they started the set with it, such a fantastic song and fantastic band… big influence!”

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Spotify Playlist

Ian Hunter reveals star studded new album

Ian Hunter – ‘Bed of Roses’

Ian Hunter has announced the release of his new album, ‘Defiance Part 1′, arriving on April 21st.  
 
Among the most star-studded original albums ever recorded, the record sees Hunter joined by the late, great Jeff BeckJohnny DeppJoe Elliott (Def Leppard), Billy F Gibbons (ZZ Top), Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters), Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses), Todd RundgrenSlash (Guns N’ Roses), Jeff Tweedy (Wilco), Robert Trujillo (Metallica), Waddy Wachtel (Stevie Nicks, Keith Richards), Brad Whitford(Aerosmith), Dane Clark (John Mellencamp), Billy Bob Thornton & J.D. Andrew (The Boxmasters) and Dean DeLeoRobert De Leo & Eric Kretz (Stone Temple Pilots).

You can check out the first single, ‘Bed Of Roses’, above featuring guitarist Mike Campbell (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Fleetwood Mac) and drums by Ringo Starr.
 
It was a fluke,” Ian Hunter says. “This was not planned. Really, I’m serious. I really couldn’t believe some of them. I mean, it’s amazing what’s happened. It’s been such a buzz.

Everybody’s sitting around,” says Hunter. “It’s Covid. Nobody’s going anywhere. We started sending them out. Slash started doing something. Robert Trujillo from Metallica. Ringo Starr, Mike Campbell. Joe Elliott is on a few tracks. Johnny Depp said ‘Jeff Beck’s with me and we’d like to do a couple of songs.’ I know Todd Rundgren, I toured with Todd way back, he’s done an amazing job. Billy Gibbons. Billy Bob Thornton and JD Andrew from The Boxmasters. It’s never ending. I mean, every day we’d get a phone call, this guy wants to do it, that guy wants to do it. It was like, I can’t believe this.

There are a lot of reasons for calling this album ‘Defiance” says Hunter. “It’s like, people my age shouldn’t be making records, blah, blah, blah. But we’ve still got a bit left.

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen to our 2 Podcasts

DMA’s share ‘Fading Like A Picture’

DMA’s – ‘Fading Like A Picture’

Our News Report continues with the latest track from DMA’s, ‘Fading Like A Picture’, which you can check out above. The single comes from upcoming new album, ‘How Many Dreams?’, which is out 31st March.

Guitarist Johnny Took comments, “Our palette for this album was a lot broader because we’ve learned so much since our debut and we’ve listened to so much more music between then and now, which has shaped us. It felt like a first outing all over again. The excitement was the same.”

Took continues: “Tommy wrote the majority of this song to an obscure demo I made during lockdown. When we all came together to demo it, Mason added one of my favourite guitar riffs on the new album, and we used the middle-eight from another demo as the chorus. A true DMA’S collaboration.”

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen on our Spotify Hot List!

Sløtface debut ‘Nose’

Sløtface – ‘Nose’

Sløtface this week shared their latest single, ‘Nose’, which you can check out above.

The track comes ahead of new EP, ‘Awake / Asleep’, which is due for release on February 24th.

Haley Shea had the following to say about the new single and February’s EP:

“‘Nose’ is what I would call a pretty general “Sløtface anxiety” song, a recurring theme I always come back to. Nose is a conversation between me and a loved one where I’m trying to use imagery to describe what anxiety feels like to someone who doesn’t experience it, how even the smallest things can trigger it and send me into a thought spiral that feels impossible to stop. The choruses are then the replies of someone I love reminding me to breathe, a tactic which usually helps me calm my thoughts, when done in the right way, by my partner, family and loved ones.

​​​’Nose’ started when I visited Odd Martin at his studio in Bergen in March of 2022 to write some songs. It ended up being a super-productive couple of days where we wrote about 7 different demos on the first day alone, and then chose a couple to flesh out on the second day. “Nose” was the last song we tried out at the end of that second day.

The mix of the heavier, rhythmic, bass-focused verses and the big, layered, poppier choruses, all combined with saxophonist Aksel Rønning adding some extra spice, grit and depth to the whole track makes it one of our absolute favorites on the EP.”

More here.

Listen on our Spotify Hot List!

The Sleeping Souls debut ‘Caught Up In The Scrape’

The Sleeping Souls – ‘Caught Up In The Scrape’

Next up in our News Report are The Sleeping Souls who continue their own musical journey with their latest single, ‘Caught Up In The Scrape’. As always you can check out the track above!

More here.

Read our review of Frank Turner live in Cambridge

The Pearl Harts share ‘Wild Me’

This week also saw the latest new music coming from The Pearl Harts as they shared their track ‘Wild Me’.

The band shared, “Wild Me is a song about frustration within the sexes from the viewpoint of a woman – in this instance a hetero cis relationships and how patriarchal ideology can damage and shame a woman and her natural instincts.

Why do women get called crazy, wild and out of control when their behaviour only mirrors that of men? Rarely is the same label put on them. “Where do I stand if I can’t be the man?” Wild me strives to call out these behaviours by crying out “Wild me, Why me” with force and discontentment. It forces you to understand that being wild is awe-inspiring and nothing to be ashamed of.”

More here.

Listen on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Spotify Playlist

News Report

Paul Weller announces Forest dates

We move our News Report on now to the latest tour announcements and get started with the legendary Paul Weller. Weller this week revealed he will play a short run of Forest live dates in the Summer.

Commenting on the dates, Weller said, “I am very happy to be playing the Forest Live gigs again as they are always such great shows with such a great audience! See you there.”

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘Uncertain Joys’ from The Subways

NOFX announce their final UK shows

NOFX have teamed up with Slam Dunk Festival to set up their final UK shows in May.

The band will takeover the festival sites in Hatfield and Leeds to curate 2 special shows with guests to be revealed soon.

Each show will feature various albums in full as the group bid farewell to the UK.

Tickets and info here.

Read our review of ‘Gigi’s Recovery’ from The Murder Capital

Eagles of Death Metal add UK shows

The final tour announcement in our News Report this week comes from Eagles of Death Metal who will play in London and Sheffield in July.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘Wrong Side of Paradise’ from Black Star Riders

News Report

As always we conclude our News Report with the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist!

Softcult – ‘Dress’

Canadian sibling duo Softcult share their latest single, ‘Dress’. The track comes from new EP, ‘see you in the dark’, out March 24th.

“This song is about consent; it’s about saying ‘no’ and having it happen to you anyway,” Mercedes explains. “It’s about being followed while walking alone at night or being cornered in a bar when we’re just trying to have a night out with our friends. It’s about the lingering fear and trauma that haunts us long after these experiences have happened. It’s about how these experiences make us feel powerless and change the way we see ourselves.”

Shadow Smile – ‘Signed in Blood’

Sheffield rising star Shadow Smile, share their track, ‘Signed in Blood’ which is the title-track of their debut album.

Lead vocalist Connor McGovern comments – ‘We wanted this song to be a modern take on songs like ‘Sympathy For The Devil’ by the Rolling Stones where the listener is being told why they should forget their morals and join the dark side. Those songs have always been a lot of fun and fit perfectly with the dark Shadow Smile imagery’.

Real Terms – ‘Veil is Thinner’

‘Veil is Thinner’ presents an advance look at Real Terms‘ debut album, ‘Vantage’, which is out February 24th.

“I think there’s also something about the different musical ‘perspectives’ we all bring together that makes our sound,” says guitarist Christopher ‘Lynny’ Lynn, “the way our parts interweave and interlink and the perspective the listener can bring to it. There’s not always ‘a centre’ in our songs so I always love it when people comment on how catchy the songs are when they see us live. I find that combination of songs being complex and catchy at the same time really compelling.”

Listen, Follow and Discover your new favourite act now with our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist

Then find out the stories behind the songs on our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast!

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Read our review of British Lion live in Norwich

Categories
Live Reviews

British Lion

Epic Studios, Norwich

Thursday 19th January 2023

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BRITISH LION – NORWICH – LIVE REVIEW

All 📸 (c) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music

We’re fully embedded in the new year now, so it must be time for music fans to get back into the UK’s fine music venues. In fact we are close to the ever important, Independent Venue Week, so it’s great to start the year at one such venue – Epic Studios in Norwich.

The versatile venue can host events of all sorts but on this bitterly cold January evening, it hosts lots of denim and leather rockers as British Lion come to town!

AIRFORCE

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The final night of a full UK Tour, the band led by the legendary Steve Harris of Iron Maiden, attract a very healthy crowd tonight. Those in attendance are treated to not one but two accomplished support acts with the first of those, Airforce, in full effect as most attendees enter the venue.

Musically very suitable to supporting a member of Maiden, Airforce make the most of their short time on stage with a succinct and vociferous performance which no doubt wins over any uninitiated in the audience.

VOODOO SIX

Next up is Voodoo Six, a band that Maiden/Lion fans will be very familiar with. The band stepped in on short notice to fill the void left by Canadian group Coney Hatch being unable to fulfil the tour.

Disappointing for some, for others like myself, this was actually an upgrade. Voodoo Six have consistently put out quality music and put on great shows for two decades now. Numerous line-up changes haven’t prevented the band putting out six albums and playing shows all over the world.

Tonight, they are on top form once again with an assured performance, mixing tracks old and new, to the delight of the crowd. Perennially tipped for bigger things, perhaps that ship has sailed but the constant of quality music and great shows doesn’t appear to be going anywhere as Voodoo Six once again show themselves to be criminally underrated.

BRITISH LION

Finally the time arrives for British Lion to take to the stage and they naturally receive a hero’s welcome. It’s the last show of the tour but also a (close to) hometown show for a number of the members, so the atmosphere is relaxed and the band let the music do the bulk of the talking.

The group have two albums in the bank at this point and the set list is a good mix of the two. Harris and co are able to give a good account of themselves, with singer Richard Taylor even acknowledging the apparent identity crisis that the band often have thrust upon them by others.

Long since dispelled as a mere solo project for Harris, since their inception in 2012 the group has evolved and that’s evident tonight with the stage presence of Taylor as exhibit A. This is a package now and not a vessel for Harris alone.

That makes the spectacle greater as far as the live show goes and places more emphasis on the music as opposed to the “oh look there’s Steve Harris” feeling for their early shows. It’s great to see and will hopefully lead to greater longevity from the project.

As this tour draws to a close with ‘Eyes of the Young’, British Lion may take a step back to Iron Maiden once again, but with performances like tonight you know it won’t be long before the band are reunited onstage again.

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Read our review of ‘Wrong Side of Paradise’ from Black Star Riders