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Live Reviews

Muse

National Bowl, Milton Keynes

Sunday 25th June 2023

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Muse – Milton Keynes – Live Review

Long established as one of the greatest live bands to ever plug in a guitar, it’s no surprise that fans have once again been flocking to catch Muse live this summer!

With large-scale UK shows already completed in Plymouth, Huddersfield and Glasgow, this sunny Sunday sees the trio take over the recently neglected National Bowl in Milton Keynes.

Once those lovely roundabouts have been successfully navigated, fans are greeted with a fantastic amphitheatre to enjoy the glory that will be the headline set. But, before then there are two great opening performances on offer.

Up first are Mexican trio The Warning who recently impressed with their slot at Download Festival. Today the group are again able to deliver a powerful set which will undoubtedly have won over a legion of new fans. From start to finish they make the very most of their short time on stage and you can’t help but think it won’t be their last time playing stages this size.

One band no stranger to large stages are the special guests tonight, Royal Blood. The duo are fresh from the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury and are able to command this stage with relative ease.

The crowd are very much on side tonight which appears to reassure the band after their recent issues with Mike Kerr clearly very grateful for the opportunity to play. The fans are equally joyed to have such an accomplished act delivering a calculated and polished set.

WATCH ‘KILL OR BE KILLED’ FROM MUSE
Muse – ‘Kill or Be Killed’

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The scene is then set for the timeless Muse to once again showcase just why they are so revered. Never afraid to highlight their latest release, new album ‘Will of the People’ naturally takes centre stage tonight and that starts with the title-track which instantly whips the crowd into a frenzy.

Following that opening with a run of ‘Hysteria’, ‘Psycho’ and ‘Bliss’ just shows the embarrassment of riches that Muse can pull from. What’s nice tonight though is the addition of some rarer gems such as ‘Resistance’ and ‘Undisclosed Desires’.

Of course there are hits galore and the audience lap up the likes of ‘Time Is Running Out’, ‘Supermassive Black Hole’, ‘Plug In Baby’, ‘Uprising’ and ‘Starlight’. Equally impressive though are the receptions given to new tracks like ‘Won’t Back Down’, ‘Compliance’ and ‘You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween’.

The delivery of songs either old or new is exquisite as you’d expect and the stage show is as flamboyant as ever. Muse really are masters of their art and it feels almost impossible for them to give a bad performance.

The encore of ‘Kill or Be Killed’ and traditional closer ‘Knights of Cydonia’ is in itself testament to the whole new and old sentiments above. No matter what they are playing, Muse play it better than anyone!

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Live Reviews

Incubus

Eventim Apollo, London

Friday 23rd June 2023

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INCUBUS – LONDON – LIVE REVIEW

While most of the country have their eyes on the happenings at Worthy Farm, a few thousand dedicated rock fans brave the heat to pack into the legendary Hammersmith ‘Eventim’ Apollo.

The reason is that US rockers Incubus are in town. The band aren’t the most regular of visitors to these shores and when they do come over it’s very rare to find then outside the usual handful of major cities.

There is enough draw then for fans to find their way to this part of London and there is also relief for those fans too after a spate of recent cancellations from the band due to ill-health. Tonight though is set and once the crowd are mesmerised by the unique opening act Lealani, it’s time for a blast from the past.

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Incubus – ‘Wish You Were Here’

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With no new album since 2017 and only two albums on offer since 2006, the set was always going to be a familiar delivery of fan favourites. That’s not always a bad thing and tonight the crowd delight at the selection available.

The energy never really dips over the ninety minutes or so that the band grace the stage and the audience feed off the connection that develops with the group. Even a cover of ‘Come Together’ goes down well as the audience savour classics such as ‘Are You In?’, ‘Pardon Me’, ‘Dig’ and ‘Wish You Were Here’.

An encore of ‘Drive’ is more than enough to send the crowd back away again happy. Recent issues overcome, tonight Incubus remind everyone of their power… now perhaps a new album next?

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Live Reviews

The Black Keys

O2 Arena, London

Wednesday 21st June 2023

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THE BLACK KEYS – LONDON – LIVE REVIEW

It’s been eight long years since The Black Keys last played in the UK, so you’d expect demand to be high for their return. Tonight though, the cavernous O2 Arena in London is actually relatively quiet both in attendance and crowd energy.

As opening act Shannon and the Clams take to the stage the venue is eerily quiet, and it takes the band a few songs to hit their stride. As fans filter into the venue however, the band get into the groove and by the end of their time on the stage, the group has a check in the win column.

Next up are main support, US indie rock group Spoon, who are touring in support of their tenth studio album, ‘Lucifer on the Sofa’. New tracks ‘Wild’, ‘My Babe’ and ‘The Hardest Cut’, all sit pretty in an assured set, which whilst enjoyable, does little to raise the energy levels in the venue.

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The Black Keys – ‘Lonely Boy’

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By the time The Black Keys arrive on stage, the standing section at least is more dense and anticipation finally seems to have raised a few levels. Opening with ‘I Got Mine’ and ‘Fever’ and accompanied by a simple by effective stage set the band get the audience on side early.

It’s telling from this point in that the majority of the audience are only really interested in anything ‘El Camino’ or earlier with any newer tracks getting a lukewarm response. When the band do drop a ‘Tighten Up’ or ‘Howlin’ For You’ though the crowd goes wild.

The lack of excitement in the crowd seems somewhat matched by the sluggish delivery from the stage. The duo have had a number of struggles in that eight year gap and it does feel a little like going through the motions tonight rather than a big return to past glories.

Again, when the likes of ‘Gold on the Ceiling’ and ‘Lonely Boy’ do arrive then there is a rush of adrenaline in the venue. What could’ve been a huge party though ended up being a chilled out family barbeque where the only excitement comes when the chef calls out that the burgers are ready!

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Arctic Monkeys

CBS Arena, Coventry

Wednesday 31st May 2023

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ARCTIC MONKEYS – COVENTRY – LIVE REVIEW

Football season is over and it’s time once again for many stadiums to turn their focus to hosting epic sized gigs!

Tonight we find ourselves in Coventry as Arctic Monkeys continue their embryonic tour in the Midlands.

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The Mysterines – ‘Begin Again’

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Kicking off proceedings on the tour are The Mysterines who have been solidly making a name for themselves over the last few years. This then is a huge opportunity for the band to pick up new fans and build momentum.

From the moment they walk onto the stage to the final strains of ‘Life’s A Bitch (But I Like It So Much)’, the group feel very much at home on a stage this big. Often even top live acts can struggle to fill these cavernous venues with their sound but that is no problem for The Mysterines.

The inclusion of new track, ‘Begin Again’, hopefully hints as more new music on the way because the world is their oyster. The Mysterines have all the qualities needed to end up headlining venues like this, and with performances like tonight you’d be willing to put money on it.

WATCH ‘BOGUS OPERANDI’ FROM THE HIVES
The Hives – ‘Bogus Operandi’

Last summer Arctic Monkeys headlined Reading and Leeds Festivals and despite the hype, their performances on the weekend were incredibly lacklustre.

It may have been a surprise then to see The Hives announced as main support for this tour. The band, instantly recognisable as one of the best live bands on the planet, certainly have the ability to upstage our headliners.

Opening with new track, ‘Bogus Operandi’, it doesn’t take long for the packed crowd to realise that they are witnessing greatness. It certainly helps that frontman Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist is on hand to remind everyone!

The likes of ‘Main Offender’, ‘Walk Idiot Walk’, ‘Hate To Say I Told You So’, ‘Come On!’ and ‘Tick Tick Boom’ help to get the crowd suitably warmed up for the final act. In truth, you’d be happy with the evening ending at this point as it’s hard to imagine Arctic Monkeys topping the live masterclass delivered by The Hives.

WATCH ‘THere’d better be a mirrorball’ from arctic monkeys
Arctic Monkeys – ‘There’d Better Be A Mirrorball’

When our headline act does arrive though, they quickly smash out ‘Brianstorm’, ‘Snap Out of It’, ‘Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair’, ‘Crying Lightning’, ‘Teddy Picker’ and ‘The View From the Afternoon’. You are then reminded just how great Arctic Monkeys can be when they want to be.

The question these days is do they want to be? Thankfully, tonight they mostly do because tracks from their two latest albums are at a minimum and the likes of ‘Fluorescent Adolescent’, ‘Do I Wanna Know?’ and ‘Mardy Bum’ are left to set to the tone. This creates more of a party atmosphere in the Stadium and ensures that the band can keep up with The Hives.

By the time the evening finishes with ‘I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor’ and ‘R U Mine?’, Arctic Monkeys have ensured that their first Stadium tour is a successful one. Hopefully the band will soon rediscover their desire to record good music as well!

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Live Reviews

The Pearl Harts

Voodoo Daddy’s, Norwich

Monday 29th May 2023

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THE PEARL HARTS – NORWICH – LIVE REVIEW

📸 (c) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music

Voodoo Daddy’s in Norwich really is a great little venue for an old school rock n roll show, so it’s a good thing that we are here tonight for just that!

There are three bands on offer tonight with our headliners The Pearl Harts celebrating the recent release of their latest album, ‘Love, Chaos’.

COLLARS

Up first are locals Collars, who do a fantastic job in getting the early crowd warmed up. The unique duo have something a little different to offer, which is always important when there are so many acts out there battling for a limited audience.

That shines through tonight and clearly the audience here in the venue appreciate the experience. The duo are able to control the crowd well and convey their sonic goods with effortless aplomb.

HOTWAX

The main support for this tour comes from upcoming rockers HotWax who take things to the next level with their assured performance. The trio play a selection of tracks from recently released EP, ‘A Thousand Times’, which sound enormous live.

The likes of ‘Treasure’, the title-track and set closer ‘Rip It Out’ demonstrate why the hype train is starting to pick up for a band with a big future. The band play with experience beyond their years and certainly make an impression on the thrilled crowd.

THE PEARL HARTS

Soon enough it’s time for our headliners to take to the stage and as soon as they do, you feel the presence of stars. The Pearl Harts have just followed up their stunning debut album with another sensational collection of fun rockers.

The duo completely own the stage and ‘Baby Chaos’, ‘Pullin’ My Brains Out’ and ‘Lara’ set the tone early for the rest of the night. Polished yet rough and ready, The Pearl Harts somehow capture the juxtaposition of the two with ease; singles ‘More’ and ‘Hypocritical’ showcasing this next.

There is a fierce power in the duo but this is seized and presented with a real shine. The crowd are almost left in awe of the ferocious majesty on display as the band plough through ‘Suck It Up’, ‘Gold’, ‘Wild Me’ and ‘Different Kinda Girl’.

On record The Pearl Harts are spectacular, but on stage they are simply phenomenal. Even broken strings can’t stop them and ‘Hurt’ and ‘Hit The Bottle’ quickly follow reminding fans of the quality of their debut album, ‘Glitter and Spit’.

The intense finale of ‘Black Blood’ is enough to ensure the audience leave with huge smiles on their faces. After all, they’ve just caught three very good bands in a great little music venue.  Surely there’s not a better way to spend a Bank Holiday?

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Live Reviews

Slam Dunk Festival

Temple Newsam, Leeds

Sunday 28th May 2023

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SLAM DUNK FESTIVAL NORTH – LIVE REVIEW

Rock fans know that festival season is upon us when we get to the late May Bank Holiday weekend and Slam Dunk Festival brings rock and punk fans to Hatfield and Leeds.

This year that journey takes a little longer for some due to traffic issues, probably borne out of the fact that both events are sold out. Leeds in particular feels like the Temple Newsam is bursting at the seams today.

Queues are unimaginably long for merch, toilets, food or anything else, but thankfully the music (and weather) is very much on point!

We start the day in the ‘Knotfest’ tent for rising metallers Heriot, who attract a decent sized early crowd. That crowd is treated to a blistering set of gloriously heavy goodness and a spirited performance from a band on the cusp of bigger things.

It’s then a short walk over to one of two outdoor main stages, the ‘Amazon Rock Scene’ stage, where we will spend most of our day today. Taking this stage next are VUKOVI who absolutely own the stage and showcase their superb new album, ‘NULA’. Singer Janine is able to hold the audience in the palm of her hand and orchestrate the first truly great set of the band.

Logistically the event may be remembered for the wrong reasons, but musically today is fantastic, with that set from VUKOVI one of many that will live long in the memory for all the right reasons.

Thinking, we’ll go for a quick wonder around, it’s clear that nothing will be quick today, but we do catch a glimpse of girlfriends who are very impressive for the time we can stay. Soon though we must head back down the hill to catch Trash Boat.

This is a band that has grown significantly in almost every sense of the word over the past few years. Their latest album, ‘Don’t You Feel Amazing?’, was one of the most surprising of 2021 as the band took their sound to new heights. Today they use the stage to bring many of these tracks to life and the crowd are clearly appreciative of another excellent performance.

Trash Boat are followed on stage by Holding Absence who have just announced that their third album, ‘The Noble Art of Self Destruction’, will be out later this year. Their set today is a good mix of old and new including brand new single, ‘False Dawn’ and fan favourite ‘Afterlife’, which gets a monumental response from the passionate crowd.

Soon enough it’s over to Wargasm who are becoming one of those marmite bands where it’s almost cool to hate them. The energy and ferocity that they put into their show however can’t be denied and whilst the energy levels for some of the crowd starts to sap, the band push through with tracks such as ‘Backyard Bastards’ and ‘Spit.’ getting everyone back moving.

We then head over to the other end of the festival site (very slowly) to the ‘Kerrang’ stage where the tent is overspilling already ahead of Boston Manor. The band are on top form right now and have every person singing along to their gargantuan anthems. As they conclude their time on stage with ‘Halo’ you can’t help but think that Boston Manor deserve to be absolutely huge.

It’s a blast from the past next as Slam Dunk keep up their track record of reformations with Kids In Glass Houses. Playing their first shows in almost a decade the band focus their set on ‘Smart Casual’, which will be getting a re-release later this year. Songs like ‘Saturday’ and ‘Give Me What I Want’ still have it and so do the band who fly through the set like they’ve never been away.

Sticking to the same stage we are soon graced by PVRIS who deliver another really good performance which features a well structured setlist. Lynn Gunn leads the trio through a selection of their popular tracks with ‘You and I’ and ‘My House’ both getting big audience responses. The band will return with their fourth album in July, and new track ‘Goddess’ goes down very well today complete with guest spot from Charlotte Sands.

We are at the business end of the day now and up next on stage are Billy Talent who are able to deliver a pure masterclass in how to make the most of a shortened festival set. Banger, after banger, after banger as the band deliver suckerpunch after suckerpunch. The crowd reciprocate the bands energy and by the time the set finishes with ‘Red Flag’, the band have done enough to claim the band of the day moniker!

In the clash of the headliners, we opt to head to the ‘Dickies’ stage for punk icons The Offspring. The band have an endless stream of hit songs, and tonight the band focus more on their back catalogue then they did at Hatfield yesterday.

Their covers section in the middle feels a little too much considering their short time on stage but nobody can deny the final run of tracks which provides a great end to a packed day both musically and in terms of the volume of people on site!

Slam Dunk is a trusted brand these days and musically they’ve delivered once again, but there are undoubtedly some logistical issues that need to be fixed. Perhaps they’ve once again outgrown their homes and need to find bigger accommodation, one thing is for sure though and next May will again see a packed line-up heralding the dawning of a new festival season.

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Dead Man’s Whiskey

B2, Norwich

Friday 5th May 2023

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DEAD MAN’s WHISKEY – NORWICH – LIVE REVIEW

📸 (c) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music

With thousands heading into London and millions more preparing to watch the outlandish Coronation on the TV, a hundred or so hard rockers file into the B2 venue in Norwich for a old school rock show.

This feels much more of a celebration of our great nation’s true culture and community than the scenes that we’ll see in Westminster Abbey. There is less pomp and ceremony here but there is still a great time to be had.

BROKEN SOUL

Getting these festivities underway are four-piece Broken Soul who get the crowd suitably warned up with tracks such as ‘By My Side’ and ‘Always Be With Me’. They may not have the military precision of the Coldstream Guards band but that’s actually the charm! It’s rough, it’s ready and tonight Broken Soul get the crowd rocking.

ATTIC THEORY

Next up on the compact stage are sextet Attic Theory who clearly have a number of readymade fans out in the audience. Their time on stage feels short, which is always a good sign and by the time they close out their set with ‘Saints Amongst Us’, they have the venue in full swing, singing along to every word as if they were reciting the national anthem in the presence of the new king!

DEAD MAN’S WHISKEY

Feeling the tedious Coronation link coming to an end, it’s time for Dead Man’s Whiskey to sit upon the B2 throne. The group started making waves with their debut album, ‘Under the Gun’, around 2017 and seemed on the cusp of something special just as the pandemic hit.

Like many, particularly in the music industry, 2020 was something of a momentum killer, but the band now appear ready to reach for the sceptre once more. New single, ‘Masquerade’ has been very well received and tonight the crowd can’t wait to kneel before their new masters.

The band are more than prepared to lead the crowd through an hour of good honest rock n’ roll. The new material on offer is greeted with equal delight to older tracks such as ‘War Machine’ and ‘This Fight’, which is another good sign this evening.

The closing trio of ‘Hoe Street’, the emotive ‘Make You Proud’ and the fantastic ‘Racing Bullet’ showcase a band ready to ascend, perhaps not to sovereignty but certainly to the next level in the hierarchy of the music industry.

There is even time for an encore of AC/DC classic ‘Highway To Hell’, which sends the fans out the door happy. Tomorrow’s events in London will be remembered for years to come, but it’s nights like these happening every night in great venues across the land that make this country what it is!

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Paramore

O2 Arena, London

Thursday 20th April 2023

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PARAMORE – LONDON – LIVE REVIEW

It’s fitting that Paramore come back to the UK around Easter time as their return has been received much like the second coming. Yes, you’d struggle to find a more engaged and dedicated audience than the hardcore Paramore fanbase.

Tonight their tour arrives in London at the gargantuan O2 Arena. It’s within this cavernous space that opening act Rozi Plain serenade the early attendees. What I can hear sounds delightful however their sound does struggle to fill the venue.

Our next act don’t struggle with that issue however as indie icons Bloc Party deliver a short and succinct set that mixes old and new to good measure. The uninitiated in the crowd seem somewhat unsure of what they are watching, but those familiar like myself have a great time with this gem of the landfill indie era. How can anybody not perk up to the likes of ‘Banquet’, ‘Flux’ and ‘Helicopter’?

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Bloc Party – ‘Helicopter’

Read our review of ‘Alpha Games’ from Bloc Party

Soon enough the lights are dimmed and Paramore arrive on stage where they quickly deliver two new tracks ‘You First’ and ‘The News’ from recent album ‘This Is Why’. Soon thereafter classic tracks ‘That’s What You Get’ and ‘Playing God’ kick the evening into another level.

The dynamics of arena seating has always intrigued and annoyed me; particularly the perhaps controversial issue of whether fans in seating should stand up during the show. Personally, it’s fine but it needs to be all or nothing – either everyone stands or everyone sits, not little pockets of standing people ignoring the fact they are blocking the view of those around that remain seated.

WATCH ‘THIS IS WHY’ ON YOUTUBE
Paramore – ‘This Is Why’

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The other thing that gets me is the disrespect of only standing during certain songs. Tonight it was telling the moment Hayley Williams said “my band are letting me play a solo song” or “Zac is going to sing a HalfNoise song” that the vast majority instantly sat down before even a note was played clearly indicating that they weren’t interested in even giving these tracks an opportunity.

This was a theme throughout the night with the older hits getting people stood up (usually to just film the song on their phones), and anything more obscure being treated with utter contempt. This isn’t of course a new phenomenon but it was very noticeable this evening.

Performance wise though, whether the audience reciprocated or not, the entire set was Paramore on top form. It was great to see the band clearly enjoying themselves again, something else which was evident from the night.

By the encore of ‘All I Wanted’ and ‘This Is Why’, the band have delivered the goods and the fans whether sat down or stood up are all clearly pleased with the show. It’s great to have the band back!

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Hundred Reasons

Eventim Hammersmith Apollo, London

Saturday 4th March 2023

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HUNDRED REASONS – LONDON – LIVE REVIEW

The average age at the Eventim Hammersmith Apollo in London tonight is tellingly specific – mid to late 30’s! Those filing into the venue are here tonight to relive their teenage years and to remember a scene that delivered some seriously talented, yet incredibly underrated bands.

WATCH ‘ALWAYS: YOUR WAY’ FROM MY VITRIOL
My Vitriol – ‘Always: Your Way’

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Three such acts are on offer tonight starting off with the openers My Vitriol. The band showed much promise with their debut album, ‘Finelines’, in 2001 before they entered a perennial state of hiatus. Most of their set tonight comes from that album which ensures that the early attendees are already engaged. Set closer, ‘Always: Your Way’ sounds huge and leaves you wondering what could’ve been.

That is a constant feeling for me when remembering the British rock scene in the early 2000’s, who seemingly were hindered by the insatiable focus on nu-metal at the time. So much quality was given so little attention compared to their US contemporaries. This combined with the emergence of illegal downloads at the time seemed to stifle the growth of a generation of artists.

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Hell Is For Heroes – ‘I Can Climb Mountains’

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So many bands arrived with a big debut album whilst rock was the genre, only for their subsequent material to be ignored by the mainstream music media who had moved on. Another prime example would be our special guests tonight Hell Is For Heroes whose debut album ‘The Neon Handshake’ must go down as one of the best British rock debut albums ever.

Again, tonight they have the audience onside from the get go with their set featuring a slew of tracks from that album. ‘I Can Climb Mountains’, ‘Night Vision’, ‘Five Kids Go’ and ‘Out of Sight’ all receive huge reactions tonight from the passionate crowd and by the time they are done, as corny as it sounds, they receive a heroes ovation!

There are quick turnarounds tonight so it isn’t long before our headliners Hundred Reasons arrive onstage. This tour is another to have suffered postponements since it was originally scheduled to take place. That has meant that now we have a new Hundred Reasons album and it’s stunning. There is no surprise here then when the band choose the title-track ‘Glorious Sunset’ to open the show.

WATCH ‘REPLICATE’ FROM HUNDRED REASONS
Hundred Reasons – ‘Replicate’

The rest of the set is a celebration of the past but with some of that fantastic new music mixed in with ‘It Suits You’, ‘Replicate’ and ‘The Old School Way’ all more than fitting in alongside the older fan favourites. Hopefully that’s a good sign for the band and they can remain viable in the future. Certainly more new music and live shows from Hundred Reasons is never going to be a bad thing.

Clearly that debut album theory has something to it tonight as tracks from ‘Ideas Above Our Station’ receive the biggest reactions with the sing-a-longs to ‘I’ll Find You’, ‘Falter’, ‘Silver’ and ‘If I Could’ simply deafening.

That said tracks from the bands other albums like ‘Kill Your Own’, ‘What You Get’ and ‘No Way Back’ also get the crowd active. This has been Hundred Reasons at their magnificent, majestic best, with the band members slipping back into those comfortable shoes. The addition of Jack Bottomley from Marmozets to the live line-up also helps to ensure that the band sound just as massive as before.

Hopefully with the revival of acts such as these, that early 2000’s British rock scene can get some overdue attention; but if nothing else at least a few thousand millennials get to relive the soundtrack of their youth!

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Bullet For My Valentine

Corn Exchange, Cambridge

Monday 27th February 2023

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BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE – CAMBRIDGE – LIVE REVIEW

Somehow it’s already been almost a year and a half since Bullet For My Valentine released their self-titled seventh album. The record arrived in late 2021 and we now find ourselves in early 2023! Time has certainly flown by, but finally the band are getting to head out around the UK in support of the album.

WATCH ‘DROWNING’ FROM ATREYU ON YOUTUBE
Atreyu – ‘Drowning’

Tonight that sees the band kick off the UK leg of the tour at the Corn Exchange in Cambridge. Opening up proceedings are revamped Californian metallers Atreyu who receive a huge reception as they take to the stage.

The band of course has a long history and clearly many in the room are fully aware; soon enough though even those that weren’t already familiar with the band are on board as well. Drummer turned front man Brandon Saller orchestrates the crowd superbly as the group run through the likes of ‘Becoming the Bull’, ‘Save Us’, ‘Drowning’ and ‘Blow’. By the time they exit the stage, the reaction is even greater than when they arrived.

WATCH ‘VORTEX’ FROM JINJER ON YOUTUBE
Jinjer – ‘Vortex’

Anticipation is clearly high also for our next act, Ukraine’s much hyped Jinjer. Led by singer Tatiana Shmailyuk, the group instantly command the attention of the packed venue and show just why they’ve had so much attention in the last few years.

The time that the band spend onstage tonight feels short, which is usually a good sign; and it’s evident from the confident performance that the band feel at home and indeed belong on big stages. As far as their job tonight is concerned, by the time that they leave the stage they’ve got the crowd riled up and ready for our headliners but they’ve also left them wanting more Jinjer – which is precisely the outcome needed from their main support slot.

WATCH ‘KNIVES’ FROM BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE ON YOUTUBE
Bullet For My Valentine – ‘Knives’

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By the time Bullet For My Valentine hit the stage, the crowd have already been treated to a fantastic evening and to an extent the pressure is on for a band who have been much maligned by metal fans in recent times.

Each of their last three albums have been hailed as a return to form, but surely that actually indicates that the band have been delivering consistently good music? Their live shows have certainly continued to deliver the goods and despite being under the weather tonight is no different.

‘Knives’, ‘Over It’ and ‘Piece of Me’ get the audience on side from the beginning before ‘4 Words (to Choke Upon)’ steps things up a notch. The pace of the set from here is relentless with a good mix of old and new material on offer from the band.

There is a nice surprise with the inclusion of rarity ‘Hearts Burst Into Fire’ which does a good job of getting those phones up in the air. There is also plenty that gets the crowd moving as well with the likes of ‘Scream Aim Fire’ and the final run of ‘Your Betrayal’, ‘Tears Don’t Fall’ and ‘Waking the Demon’ all sounding absolutely massive tonight.

Whilst the career trajectory for the group may have slowed down, through their recent releases and shows like tonight, Bullet For My Valentine have shown that they still have plenty left in the tank!

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