Categories
Live Reviews

British Lion

Epic Studios, Norwich

Thursday 19th January 2023

Follow us on Social Media

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

Find Full Pelt Music on Youtube

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.

Share our review on Social Media

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

Categories
Magazine

News Report

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

Follow us on Social Media

News Report

Your Reading & Leeds line-up is here!

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

This week we begin with a handful of festival announcements including one that is always a hotly anticipation one, who is playing Reading & Leeds Festivals?

Your headliners this year are Sam Fender, Foals, The Killers, Lewis Capaldi, Billie Eilish and Imagine Dragons. They’ll be joined by the likes of Wet Leg, Nothing But Thieves, Slowthai, You Me At Six, Baby Queen, Inhaler, Don Broco and The Snuts.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Reading Festival 2022

Victorious reveals first names for 2023

Sticking to the August Bank Holiday weekend, Victorious Festival also revealed their first acts for next year this week including Friday night headliner Jamiroquai.

Also playing over the weekend will be The Vaccines, Amyl & The Sniffers, The Coral, The Enemy, Crawlers and many more.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘Coral Island’ from The Coral

Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival line-up revealed

Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival also this week revealed many of the acts set to play in 2023 including headliners Travis, Bastille and Sigrid.

They’ll be joined by the likes of KT Tunstall, The Zutons, Fatherson, Punk Rock Factory, The Mysterines, Lauran Hibberd, The Xcerts and many more.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of The Xcerts live in Cambridge

News Report

Red Hot Chili Peppers extend Stadium Tour into 2023

We move our News Report now onto the best tour announcements from the past week and we begin with the news that Red Hot Chili Peppers will extend their global Stadium Tour into 2023.

Next year will see the legendary act play in London and Glasgow with support coming from The Roots and King Princess.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Red Hot Chili Peppers live in London

The Black Keys announce return to the UK

The Black Keys have this week announced their long awaited return to the UK after an eight year absence.

The band will play arena shows in London, Manchester and Glasgow with support from Spoon.

“After 8 long years, we are excited to say The Black Keys are coming back to Europe and the UK. We can’t wait to see you at the shows in these iconic venues” the duo says.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Shinedown live in London

Gwen Stefani announces UK Tour dates

Gwen Stefani has revealed a set of UK Tour dates for the Summer including appearances at BST Hyde Park.

Tickets are here.

Listen to our two Podcasts

Turnstile announce huge London date

Riding the crest of a wave, Turnstile have announced a huge London date for May. The band will headline the legendary O2 Brixton Academy.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Turnstile live at All Points East

Spiritbox announce UK Tour

Another band with big momentum right now is Spiritbox and they this week announced their biggest UK Tour to date.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Bury Tomorrow live in Norwich

Deaf Havana announce new UK Tour

We have plenty of juicy tours in our News Report this week and next we turn to Deaf Havana. The band have revealed that they will be back on the road in March and April.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘The Present Is A Foreign Land’ from Deaf Havana

The Last Internationale reveal UK Tour

The Last Internationale will also be hitting some UK roads next April, finishing up at Lafayette in London.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Download Festival 2022

The Winery Dogs announce new Tour

The Winery Dogs have announced a huge world tour taking place in the first half of next year.

The tour will include UK dates in Wolverhampton, Nottingham and London.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘Smith/Kotzen’ from Smith/Kotzen

Voodoo Six announce UK Tour

The final tour announcement in our News Report this week comes from Voodoo Six.

The band will team up with Scarlet Rebels and Royal Bliss for nine dates finishing up at The Underworld in London.

Tickets are here.

Find Full Pelt Music on Youtube

News Report

Paramore share new single ‘The News’

Paramore – ‘The News’

We move our News Report now on to the best new releases from the past week and get the ball rolling with the latest single from Paramore!

You can check out, ‘The News’, above ahead of the release of their new album, ‘This Is Why’, on February 10th.

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen to ‘The News’ on our Spotify Hot List!

You Me At Six debut ‘heartLESS’

You Me At Six – ‘heartLESS’

You Me At Six also had new music to share this week as they debuted their new single, ‘heartLESS’, which you can check out above.

The track features on upcoming new album, ‘Truth Decay’, which is out January 27th.

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen to ‘heartLESS’ on our Spotify Hot List!

DMA’s share new single ‘Olympia’

DMA’s – ‘Olympia’

DMA’s continue to tease new music from their fourth album ‘How Many Dreams?’, with the release of new track, ‘Olympia’, which you can check out above.

Guitarist Matt Mason comments on ‘Olympia’: “’Olympia’ was written for a crowd, and is a dedication to all of our fans, especially the ones who’ve been with us from the start. we can’t wait to play it for you all.”

Their new album is out March 31st, pre-order your copy here.

Read our review of Neck of the Woods Festival

Levellers share ‘Down By The River ‘O”

Levellers – ‘Down By The River ‘O”

Levellers have announced their brand new acoustic album ‘Together All The Way’ will be released on March 10th. You can listen to new single, ‘Down By The River ‘O” above.

Of the album and recording, the Levellers say, â€œIt was truly a fun record to make, under the rigorous guidance of Sean. Sean’s a musician himself, always bringing ideas and get out of jail free suggestions when we got stuck. It’s a stripped back, raw iteration of the collective with deep folk leanings. As energetic as the first one but definitely different.”

Pre-order your copy here.

Read our review of Y Not Festival 2022

Dream State debut ‘Comfort In Chaos’

Dream State – ‘Comfort In Chaos’

The final new release in our News Report this week comes from the regrouped Dream State.

The latest track to come from the new look band is ‘Comfort In Chaos’, which you can listen to above.

The track comes from upcoming EP, ‘Untethered’, which is out on March 3rd.

More here.

Listen to ‘Comfort In Chaos’ on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist

News Report

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

Blondshell – ‘Veronica Mars’

Blondshell shares new single, ‘Veronica Mars’.

Blondshell explains, “I was obsessed with the [US teen drama] show ‘Veronica Mars’ as a kid and I was revisiting it around the time I wrote this song. I wanted to sing about that childhood era when I was being exposed to a lot more than I was comfortable with. ‘Gimme shelter’ refers to the song but I’m also saying please give me shelter from graphic TV and film, from New York City, overwhelming lyrics, etc. I think the song is just about having my boundaries crossed and the effects of those transgressions (for example, growing up to think men are hot if they’re assholes).”

overpass – ‘3AM’

overpass have shared their latest single, ‘3AM’.

They commented, â€œâ€˜3AM’ is an innocent coming-of-age song that I think most people can relate to. It’s about the excitement you get when you’re going out, knowing you might be able to connect with that person, or at least hope that they will call you back when the night is over and done with.” 

News Report
News Report
Life In Mono – ‘Blackout’

Life In Mono have just shared double A-side singles ‘Blackout/Sex To White Noise’

Speaking about the inspiration behind the singles, vocalist Sarah Clayton says, â€œBlackout is about people in your life that you know are no good for you but are hard to give up, whereas Sex To White Noise is about trying to find a connection that makes you feel something when you’re feeling really numb. If you’ve ever been on prozac you’ll know!”

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 Jamie Lenman live in Hertford