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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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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!

Share our News Report on Social Media

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

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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.

Find Full Pelt Music on Youtube

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, â€œthe 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

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Paramore debut ‘C’est Comme Ça’

Paramore – ‘C’est Comme Ça’

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

We have plenty of great new music to check out this week and we start with Paramore! This week saw the band debut their latest track from their upcoming album, ‘This Is Why’! You can listen to ‘C’est Comme Ça’ above ahead of the release of the album on February 10th!

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen on our Spotify Hot List!

U2 announce ‘Songs of Surrender’

U2 – ‘Pride (In The Name Of Love) (Songs of Surrender)’

Next up, it’s U2 who have announced a new collection entitled, ‘Songs of Surender’. The set includes 40 new acoustic and re-imagined recordings of classic songs from the U2 back catalogue.

The following message accompanied the announcement from the band:

Pre-order your copy here.

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Enter Shikari share ‘(pls) set me on fire’

Enter Shikari – ‘(pls) set me on fire’

It was a big news week for Enter Shikari this week with the band sharing news that they will release new album, ‘A Kiss For The Whole World’ on April 21st.

The band also debuted their latest single, ‘(pls) set me on fire’, which you can listen to above.

And if that wasn’t enough, the group have also announced a unique monthly residency in the UK throughout February, March and April.

Rou Reynolds comments on the single’s conception: “Honestly, I thought I was f*****. I’ve never felt so detached from my soul, my purpose, my f****** spirit. I didn’t write music for almost two years. The longest I’d gone before that was two weeks. I was broken. It’s almost as if my brain had asked: “What is the point in music if it cannot be shared? What is the point in writing music if it’s not to be experienced with others?” and then promptly switched itself off. ‘(pls) set me on fire’ grew out of that desperation. This song is a projectile vomit of positive energy. Every emotion trapped inside me for two years, finally set free.”

Reynolds continues: “Back to basics. This band – my best friends – bundled into an old farmhouse, miles away from anywhere. Off-grid, and ready to rediscover ourselves. This album is powered by the sun, the most powerful object in our solar system. And I think you can tell. It’s a collection of songs that represent an explosive reconnection with what Enter Shikari is. The beginning of our second act”.

Pre-order your copy here.

Read our review of Enter Shikari live in London

You Me At Six debut ‘:mydopamine:’

You Me At Six – ‘:mydopamine:’

Continued industry delays to vinyl production has resulted in You Me At Six postponing the release of their new album, ‘Truth Decay’, until February 10th.

They did however offer new music this week and you can listen to their track, ‘:mydopamine:’, above!

Pre-order your album here.

Listen to our Podcasts!

Hundred Reasons share new single ‘Replicate’

Hundred Reasons – ‘Replicate’

Hundred Reasons will release their first album in 15 years, ‘Glorious Sunset’, on February 24th. But this week the band shared their latest single, ‘Replicate’, which you can listen to above.

Singer Colin Doran had the following to say about the lyrical theme behind the new song:

“Replicate is about the cycle of thinking that whatever you do just is not good enough despite the person closest to you being forgiving and supportive. It’s also about trying to second guess how a person may feel about an action but not being correct and getting it wrong.

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen on our Spotify Hot List!

Black Stone Cherry debut ‘Out of Pocket’

Black Stone Cherry – ‘Out of Pocket’

There isn’t long until Black Stone Cherry return to these shores for a headline arena run alongside The Darkness.

Ahead of those dates though, the band has found time to release new track, ‘Out of Pocket’, which you can listen to above.

Talking about the song Chris Robertson says, “Out of Pocket is a song born out of that exact feeling. The song was what I personally, and I think a lot of us, felt over these very trying last couple of years. Facing your demons, knowing that you have to come out the other side stronger than before.”

More here.

Listen on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist!

Black Star Riders debut ‘Catch Yourself On’

Black Star Riders – ‘Catch Yourself On’

Black Star Riders will release their new album, ‘Wrong Side of Paradise’ on January 20th, but this week saw the band share new track, ‘Catch Yourself On’, which you can check out above.

Ricky Warwick comments: “ ‘Catch Yourself On’ is a phrase often used in my home country of Northern Ireland, it’s used to tell someone to ‘stop being ridiculous’ or ‘to get real’. We’re sadly becoming slaves to technology and social media (guilty as charged). We don’t think twice about sharing our inner most feelings and thoughts with a world of strangers… We seem to be losing the ability to think for ourselves. Technology is controlling us, instead we should be controlling technology. It feels like it’s already surpassing human interaction.”

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist

Delain share new single ‘Moth to a Flame’

Delain – ‘Moth to a Flame’

There was also new music on offer this week from Delain as they continue to prepare for the release of new album, ‘Dark Waters’. That album may arrive on February 10th, but you can listen to new single, ‘Moth to a Flame’, above now!

Keyboardist, founder and main songwriter Martijn Westerholt on ‘Moth to a Flame’:

“I’m extremely proud of this song.  It’s one of the most upbeat songs on the album while also having the heaviest guitar riff, and Diana’s vocals are outstanding!  It’s a killer combination that I think fans will love.”

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist

The Franklys share ‘Blind Loyalty’

The Franklys – ‘Blind Loyalty’

This week also saw The Franklys share their latest single, ‘Blind Loyalty’, which you can listen to above.

The track comes from upcoming new album, ‘Dogma’, which arrives February 17th!

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist!

Lottery Winners debut ‘Worry’

Lottery Winners – ‘Worry’

The plethora of great new music continues in our News Report with Lottery Winners. This week saw the band debut new single, ‘Worry’, which you can check out above.

More here.

Read our review of Neck of the Woods Festival

ten56. share ‘Saiko’

ten56. – ‘Saiko’

We close this portion of our News Report with ten56., who have released their new EP, ‘Downer Part. 2’, and to celebrate they have released a video for the track ‘Saiko‘. 

The band comments, “We’re all extremely gassed up to put out the second and final (?) chapter of the ‘Downer’ saga ; we went all in on Part.1 and definitely felt the pressure to deliver with Part.2, we went in harder and we’re all extremely satisfied and excited to see what everyone thinks. 

 ‘Saiko’ is the kind of energy that we wanted to bring back after releasing ‘RLS’, we hope that everyone enjoys what we’ve put together, and that people will find little pieces of themselves littered around the EP. Downer’ Part.2 is the next step in the continuous evolution of ten56., turn it up loud and get lost in the discomfort. Cheers.”

Grab your copy here, and be sure to follow us on Social Media and subscribe on Youtube here, as we’ll be joined this coming week by the band on our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast!

Read our review of ‘Downer Part. 2’ from ten56.

Roddy Woomble reveals new UK Tour

News Report

We move our News Report on to tour news now and Roddy Woomble this week revealed details of a UK trek next year.

Support comes from Michael Anguish.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘Lo! Soul’ from Roddy Woomble

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

News Report
Harpy – ‘Swallow’

Goth-pop mistress Harpy has gifted the world with new music, the empowering ‘Swallow’.

Harpy divulges… “Swallow sounds like the traumatised hate f*** child of Sam Smith’s ‘Unholy’ and Korn’s ‘Twisted Transistor’. We wrote this song almost two years ago, and up until this point I’ve really just been setting the scene for this moment. I am calling out abusers and manipulators through this song, some even by name, they had their chance to be better, time to taste the truth. I hope this song gives power to those that have been unforgivably hurt by others, who for too long have abused positions of power.”

ANGER PARTY – ‘Eat You Alive’

Alternative Horror Rock band ANGER PARTY have unveiled their debut offering ‘Eat You Alive’.

“Blood, guts, flayed flesh and a shattered smile – these are the things that plague our minds. ‘Eat You Alive’ explores the surreal, menacing corners of our nightmares and how they breach the lines of reality in a modern world.” – Guitarist Owen Claxton.

News Report
News Report
Feral Family – ‘Wee Van Bee’

Yorkshire’s Feral Family join our playlist with their track, ‘Wee Van Bee’, which centres on an anti-hero character.

The band say, “Wee Van Bee preys on the weak and vulnerable, shucking his snake-oil remedies place to place. But far beyond being out to make a quick buck – there is something far darker at stake”.

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 ‘Uncertain Joys’ from The Subways

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

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Iron Maiden get Royal Mail stamp of approval

News Report

Happy New Year everyone and welcome to another edition of our weekly music News Report!

We start this week with the news this week that the Royal Mail have commissioned 12 new Special Stamps celebrating the legendary Iron Maiden.

Maiden become only the fifth music group to feature in a dedicated stamp issue following in the footsteps of The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Queen and The Rolling Stone – illustrious company indeed.

Iron Maiden founder member and bassist, Steve Harris comments:“We were all absolutely astounded – in a good way! – when we heard first about the commemorative project, and equally pretty much speechless when we saw the stamps for the very first time. They look superb and I think they really capture the essence and energy of Maiden. We’re all very proud that Royal Mail has chosen to honour the band’s legacy like this and we know our fans will feel the same way.”

Iron Maiden manager, Rod Smallwood adds:“As a band who have never played by anyone else’s rules for over 40 years, it’s very gratifying to see them honoured in their home country in this way. We’re proud to show how these six band members are still appealing to more and more fans every year with their music and their legendary shows – which I think these stamps really capture well. It’s also fantastic that Eddie has been honoured too – it’s incredible to think that Her Majesty, may she rest in peace, saw these and lent her iconic silhouette to them too.” 

David Gold, Director of External Public Affairs & Policy, Royal Mail, said:“Few bands in the history of rock music can be called bona fide rock legends – but Iron Maiden are just that – and more. With legions of devoted fans of all ages and from every corner of the globe, not only have they changed the way rock music sounds, but they have also changed the way it looks. We fully expect their fans will love these stamps as much as we do.”

You can pick up your collection here.

Read our review of Download Festival 2022

News Report

Peter Gabriel debuts ‘Panopticom’

Peter Gabriel – ‘Panopticom’

Our News Report takes a look now at the best new releases from the past week and up first is ‘Panopticom’, the brand new single from Peter Gabriel.

You can listen to the track above, which comes from upcoming new album, ‘i/o’.

“The first song is based on an idea I have been working on to initiate the creation of an infinitely expandable accessible data globe: The Panopticom,’ says Gabriel. ‘We are beginning to connect a like-minded group of people who might be able to bring this to life, to allow the world to see itself better and understand more of what’s really going on.

The release of the track on the full moon is no coincidence and in true Gabriel fashion the approach for ‘i/o’ will be a little different from the norm. The lunar phases will guide the release plan in 2023, with a new song revealed each full moon. 

“Some of what I’m writing about this time is the idea that we seem incredibly capable of destroying the planet that gave us birth and that unless we find ways to reconnect ourselves to nature and to the natural world we are going to lose a lot. A simple way of thinking about where we fit in to all of this is looking up at the sky… and the moon has always drawn me to it.”

Each new release of music will come with a specific piece of art, “we’ve been looking at the work of many hundreds of artists,” says Gabriel, and ‘Panopticom’ features the work ‘Red Gravity’ by David Spriggs. 

“It was the theme of surveillance that connected me with the work of David Spriggs because he’d done a piece relating to that. David does this amazing stuff using many layers of transparencies so you get these strange creations with a real intensity to them. Part of what he does is imagine what art might look like a few years in the future and then try and create accordingly and I think he’s done that very successfully in this particular piece.”

More here.

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The Hold Steady share ‘Sideways Skull’

The Hold Steady – ‘Sideways Skull’

Next up, you can check out ‘Sideways Skull’ above, which is the brand new single from The Hold Steady.

The group have returned with news of their ninth studio album, ‘The Price of Progress’, arriving March 31st.

“Sideways Skull is a rocking song about rock and rollers,” says frontman Craig Finn. “In this case, they’ve been taken out of the game for a bit of rest, but still keep their dreams alive as they discuss past glories. We loved the big sound of this when Tad Kubler brought it into the band, and the studio performance of it felt especially joyful. We’re happy to put this forth as a first look at The Price of Progress, and the album’s title even comes from this song.”

Pre-order your copy here.

Read our ‘Year In Review 2022’

The Murder Capital debut ‘Return My Head’

The Murder Capital – ‘Return My Head’

There isn’t long now to wait for ‘Gigi’s Recovery’, the new album from The Murder Capital, which arrives January 20th.

There is even less time to wait to hear their track, ‘Return My Head’, which you can listen to above now!

Front man James McGovern explains further on the themes: â€œReturn My Head was written in a place of pure frustration, feeling like our sanity had been unwillingly removed through periods of isolation. All I wanted at this point was to get my head back, and to throw it away again. But on my own terms. ‘Return my head, and throw it to the crowd’”

Bassist Blake had the following to say about the making of the video:

“I wanted to show the rag dolling that can occur to us going from one state of being to another, while always remaining being the same person. The extensions of ourselves that we create to protect ourselves even when we’re alone, and the evident and necessary advice that we receive to continue following and perusing our passions from our friends and family, demonstrated by my own family friends Megan, Nic, RuairĂ­ and Pump.

To me, ‘Return My Head’ is the desire to return your mind to a place of peace and stability, and the belief that to do so, is possible. We shot it in my old secondary school recreational hall. We produced it ourselves. At its best to me, the narrative of the ‘Return My Head’ about coming back to a safety.”

Pre-order your copy here.

Read our review of Pearl Jam live at BST Hyde Park

Sleep Token share new tracks

Sleep Token – ‘The Summoning’

The mysterious Sleep Token also had new music to share with week with not one but two tracks to highlight in our News Report.

You can listen to ‘The Summoning’ above and ‘Chokehold’ below!

Sleep Token – ‘Chokehold’

More from the band here.

Read our 2022 Album of the Year list

The Lemon Twigs return with ‘Corner of My Eye’

The Lemon Twigs – ‘Corner of My Eye’

The Lemon Twigs returned this week with their new offering, ‘Corner of My Eye’, which you can listen to above.

On the release, the band say, “We recorded this track winter of 2021 in our old rehearsal studio in Midtown, NYC. Apart from the vibraphone, the instrumental track was recorded live with Andres Valbuena on drums and Daryl Johns on upright bass. We laid down the vocals late that night once the traffic outside had died down. We’ve had the song for a while now, so we’re excited to share it with fans who may have heard it live over the years!”

More from the band here.

Check out our two Podcasts!

The Slow Readers Club share ‘Modernise’

The Slow Readers Club – ‘Modernise’

Also sharing new music this week was The Slow Readers Club who debuted new single, ‘Modernise’, which you can of course check out above.

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

The band commented, â€œâ€˜Modernise’ is about the constant need to learn and adapt to changing, it’s a bit of a techno fear song.” 

Pre-order your album here.

Listen to our Spotify Playlists

Ryan Hamilton shares ‘Haunted by the Holy Ghost’

Ryan Hamilton – ‘Haunted by the Holy Ghost’

Finally in our News Report this week we bring the latest from Ryan Hamilton who this week shared his new track, ‘Haunted by the Holy Ghost’.

You can listen to the track above, which will feature on the upcoming album of the same name which is due for release on March 10th.

Of the song, Hamilton says, “I grew up in a VERY conservative Church of Christ. We used to go to church 3 times a week. There are parts of that upbringing that I will never shake. The “fear of God” is ingrained in me, & will seemingly be a part of me forever. Like a ghost, haunting me. This song is about that.”

Pre-order your copy here.

Read our review of Alter Bridge live in London

News Report

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

News Report
Somebody’s Child – ‘I Need Ya’

Somebody’s Child aka Cian Godfrey has shared new single ‘I Need Ya’ – another taster of his debut self-titled album out 3rd February.

Godfrey says, “This was one of the first songs that defined the sound and pace of the album. We’ve been playing it live for a while now and have been dying to get it out. Some of this album can be boiled down back to my chronic fear of growing older. To me this track in particular is a gentle reminder to stay young for as long as you can.” 

On the video he adds “Drift culture is a big thing in Ireland and when the director came to me with the idea I immediately thought it was cool as some of my friends are big into it. We didn’t want an emotional video but something fun and energetic, while also shining light on an Irish subculture that goes a little unnoticed. It was a lot of fun.”

Blake Cateris – ‘Days, Weeks, Months & Years’

Australian Sydney-sider, Blake Cateris has shared reflective folk singer-songwriter single, ‘Days, Weeks, Months & Years’.

“This song is about living out of balance with yourself. Watching the world go by feeling like you might be losing touch with far more important things in life than what you’re focusing on right now.

It’s a daily struggle to break old and unhealthy habits that no longer serve you or have been damaging you for some time. But the struggle is what we live for.

I’ve played in many different types of bands – hard rock, rock n’ roll, modern rock, hardcore, straight up punk, pop punk, art rock, the list goes on. But nothing quite feels as honest to myself than the music I’m making right now and this is a big step in the right direction for me to start living a more balanced life“ – Blake Cateris

News Report
News Report
Ed Barnes – ‘Criticise The Poor’

Fellow Aussie, mid-wave singer-songwriter Ed Barnes also joins the playlist this week with his single, ‘Criticise The Poor’.

The track comes from his Frank Turner mastered new album.

“It was a blast working on Ed’s new record, it’s fantastic, and this is a standout song – hitting the mark while raising a smile, and catchy as hell to boot.” – Frank Turner

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 Shinedown live in London

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The Year In Review 2022

Full Pelt Music looks back on 2022 for our Year In Review

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It’s been another big revival year for the music industry following the pandemic years, and it’s been another year of growth for us at Full Pelt Music! We’ve reviewed 67 albums, 7 EP’s, 6 festivals and 38 gigs in 2022 as some level of normality or even stability has returned to our industry.

That said, there are still many issues facing the industry with livelihoods, venues and organisations at risk for a plethora of reasons. Whilst government action is required in many places, what we as fans can do is support the industry with our money. Times are tough for us all, but purchasing an album, buying a t-shirt, nabbing a ticket and grabbing a drink whilst at a gig does so much to support the industry that we love.

Our two great Podcasts have continued to grow and highlights this year came from guests such as Blood Red Shoes, The Treatment, Skinny Lister, Daytime TV, Pet Needs, The Ninth Wave, Sunflower Bean, James and the Cold Gun, Guise, October Drift, BERRIES, Asylums, As Sirens Fall and Jamie Lenman! We’ve already got some fantastic guests lined up for 2023, so ensure you subscribe and follow us across Social Media!

In our now annual end of year awards we’ll be giving out seven hotly contested awards looking at both the recorded and live sides of the industry. Adding to our well established Album of the Year award this year will be the new EP of the Year award. We’ll also once again be revealing our Single of the Year. All awards have seen fierce competition, as once again it’s been a high quality year for new releases.

On the live side of things, we’ll announce both our Gig and Festival of the Year awards. This year of course provided our first full calendar of music since 2019! We were able to witness many great performances this year and we can’t wait to share with you are favourites.

Lastly we’ll look at the artists who’ve had special years as we award our Artist and ‘Discover’ New Artist of the Year awards. So without further ado, let’s work through those award catagories!

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

It has been a truly magnificent year for album releases and getting a spot anywhere in our Top 50 was hard enough but in particular the Top 10 was incredibly tightly fought. You can read the full list here.

‘IMPERA’ from Ghost was able to take the crown this year but any of the top 10 could’ve taken that spot. ‘Reeling’ from The Mysterines in particular would likely have won in any other year, but the majesty and magnificence of ‘IMPERA’ proved unbeatable.

Winner:

‘Impera’ by Ghost

The contenders:

‘Reeling’ by The Mysterines, ‘FTHC’ by Frank Turner, ‘Skinty Fia’ by Fontaines D.C. & ‘The Price of Life’ by Bob Vylan

Previous Winners:

2021 – ‘Blue Weekend’ by Wolf Alice
2020 – ‘Ultra Mono’ by IDLES

EP OF THE YEAR

For the first time this year, we are separating EP’s out of our main award and giving them their own pedestal. That alone is the truest compliment to the quality of EP’s on offer this year.

Again, all EP’s in our top 5 are worthy of the number one spot, but it’s ‘coming of (r)age’ from As Sirens Fall that pips it. Catchy as hell single, ‘heaven (spat us back out)’, helps elevate the release to be crowed our first ever EP of the Year.

Winner:

‘coming of (r)age’ by As Sirens Fall

The contenders:

‘False Start’ by James and the Cold Gun, ‘SCP’ by Oakman, ‘Tyrants’ by IOTA and ‘BLACKGOLD’ by BLACKGOLD

SINGLE OF THE YEAR

We look now at our Single or Song of the Year. In considering the award this year we’ve considered the ear worms that have stayed with us after live performances. We’ve also pondered which songs instantly struck a chord and created a buzz of excitement for the albums and live shows that would follow.

Songs which fell into both of these considerations competed for the award and it was again a tight decision, but ultimately for us this year ‘Dangerous’ from The Mysterines has not just ticked both boxes but also remained on heavy rotation throughout the year despite being an early arrival in 2022. That’s why that track is our 2022 Single of the Year!

Check out the winning single below:

The Mysterines – ‘Dangerous’
Winner:

‘Dangerous’ by The Mysterines

The contenders:

‘Talk Hard’ by Jamie Lenman, ‘Compliance’ by Muse, ‘Wicked Ways’ by Halestorm, ‘Spillways’ by Ghost

Previous Winners:

2021 – ‘Test of our Resolve’ from Press To MECO
2020 – ‘Obey’ by Bring Me The Horizon feat. Yungblud

FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR

2022 was the first full festival season since 2019 and what a return it was. All eyes were on Glastonbury once again, British Summer Time curated a stunning line-up, Download Festival breathed fire and 2000trees was able to remind everyone what’s so great about smaller festivals.

Our winner this year though is Reading & Leeds who went big, sold out and delivered an action packed weekend even with the huge loss of Rage Against The Machine amongst others. Always a perennial contender for this award, 2022 felt like the year the event reclaimed its identity.

Read our review of Reading Festival Saturday

Winner:

Reading & Leeds

The contenders:

Glastonbury Festival, British Summer Time, Download Festival, 2000trees Festival

Previous Winners:

2021 – Download Pilot Festival
2020 – Wild Fields Festival

GIG OF THE YEAR

We’ve reviewed many gigs this year but in reality there could only ever be one winner. Rammstein’s tour is less of a concert and more of an experience; one that everyone, fan of the band or not, should experience at least once.

Beyond that there was still some incredible, top tier gigs in 2022 and our contenders are all worthy of glory, but Rammstein are currently on a whole different level.

Read our review of Rammstein live in Coventry

Winner:

Rammstein @ Coventry Arena

The contenders:

Royal Blood @ O2 Arena, London, Ghost @ Resorts World Arena, Birmingham, Muse @ Eventim Apollo Hammersmith, London, The Killers @ Carrow Road, Norwich, The Hella Mega Tour @ London Stadium, London, Creeper @ Roundhouse, London, Idlewild @ O2 Kentish Town Forum, London

Previous Winners:

2021 – Bring Me The Horizon @ O2 Arena, London
2020 – Frank Turner @ Arboretum, Nottingham

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Artist of the Year now and for this award we look for somebody who has had a huge, perhaps even career-defining year. Previous winners Frank Turner and Biffy Clyro have done so by delivering incredible feats, far above the norm.

This year was a big year for many acts, but we’ve gone for Bring Me The Horizon as a band that have had a career-defining twelve months. Long tipped as festival headliners at a major event, many felt that the time would never come for one of the best live bands on the planet. Big releases, sold-out tours, no matter what the group did they never seemed to be given that torch, that is until this year!

Watching Bring Me The Horizon step up and headline at Reading & Leeds this summer felt like a real moment, not just for the band but for the whole scene. For any metal band, let alone one once considered so unfashionable to headline the biggest festivals in the UK is massive.

Already announced to finally headline Download Festival in 2023, 2022 will forever be linked for Bring Me The Horizon to taking that final career-defining set. Throw in their genre-defying collaboration with Ed Sheeran, 2022’s Artist of the Year had to be Bring Me The Horizon.

Winner:

Bring Me The Horizon

The contenders:

Ghost, Rammstein, Biffy Clyro, Muse

Previous Winners:

2021 – Biffy Clyro
2020 – Frank Turner

‘DISCOVER’ NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR

As a publication we always want to put new music at the heart of what we do, and that’s why our final award is perhaps our most important! Our ‘Discover’ New Artist of the Year is awarded to the act we’ve chosen to highlight on our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist and Podcast who we feel has made the biggest impact this year.

At the beginning of 2022 we put the spotlight on new Colchester act PET NEEDS as they continued to promote their debut album, ‘Fractured Party Music’. From that point on the band never looked back with a world tour, a second album (‘Primtime Entertainment’) and a sold out hometown show all under their belts.

They even found the time to become the first (and only at the time of writing) band to progress from our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast and appear on The Full Pelt Music Podcast! Yes, fighting off some stiff competition for the ‘Discover’ New Artist of the Year award in 2022 is PET NEEDS!

Winners:

PET NEEDS

The Contenders:

BERRIES, As Sirens Fall, Oakman, James and the Cold Gun, Daytime TV, MOSKITO

Previous Winners:

2020 – Miss Vincent

So, that’s it! Another year in the record books, it’s been another difficult year and it has again been particularly tough on the music industry. That said, we’ve had a full year of live music for the first time since 2019 and the creative juices remain flowing with some absolutely stunning new releases over the past twelve months.

Below you can enjoy some of our favourite gig photos of the year courtesy of our wonderful photographer Denis!

All 📸 (c) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music

We hope you’ve enjoyed our The Year in Review 2022 and we wish you a very Happy New Year. Here’s hoping 2023 is a good one!

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

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News Report

Kiss extend ‘End of the Road’ Tour into 2023

Welcome everyone to the final News Report for 2022! We hope that you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy & Healthy New Year! Our action packed News Report will return in January, but before then we have plenty of delicious music news to dissect!

Up for this week, we look at the best tour announcements from the past week and we start with Kiss. The band has revealed that their ‘End of the Road’ World Tour will continue into 2023 with a new UK Tour announced starting in Plymouth and ending up in Glasgow.

This *could be* your last chance to catch the band live! Tickets are here.

Read our review of Download Festival 2022

Rancid are coming to the UK

Another act revealing their return to the UK this week was Rancid, who will play London and Manchester in June.

Support comes from The Bronx and Grade 2.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of The Hella Mega Tour

Electric Callboy announce UK Tour

Also coming to the UK next year will be Electric Callboy who have announced a run of dates in October.

Tickets are here.

Find Full Pelt Music on Youtube

The Ghost Inside reveal UK Tour

You can also catch The Ghost Inside hitting the UK in 2023. The group will play five dates in March/April finishing up in Bristol.

Tickets are here.

Check out our 2 Podcasts!

Tom Meighan announces new live dates

Former Kasabian frontman Tom Meighan has revealed a full UK & Ireland Tour for next spring. The tour will showcase upcoming debut album, ‘Put Your Foot Down’, which is out April 28th.

Tickets & Pre-orders here.

Read our review of Kasabian live in Norwich

Pet Needs announced the ‘Fractured Party III’

On Friday, Colchester’s Pet Needs played a huge homecoming show which served as the 2nd ‘Fractured Party’. As the show concluded, the band announced the 3rd instalment will take place on December 16th 2023.

Tickets are available now 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 ‘Primetime Entertainment’ from Pet Needs

October Drift announce new London show

October Drift have also announced a special one off show. The band will take to the stage at Colours in London on Wednesday 17th May.

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 October Drift live in Norwich

News Report

Brits Week returns in 2023

We move now on to festival announcements and up first is the return of Brits Week in aid of War Child. February will see bands playing intimate shows across the country with a focus on London.

The Hunna, The Snuts, Sea Girls, Frank Turner and Bob Vylan are amongst those on offer in 2023.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘The Price of Life’ from Bob Vylan

Teddy Rocks reveals 2023 line-up

Another event doing a fantastic job in raising money for charity is Teddy Rocks festival in aid of research and direct support for children with cancer.

This year the event hosts Feeder, Jake Bugg, The Amazons, Those Damn Crows, Punk Rock Factory, Kid Kapichi, Dream State, Mason Hill, The Bottom Line and many more.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘Torpedo’ from Feeder

Penn Fest unveils 2023 line-up

Penn Fest in Buckinghamshire also unveiled their line-up for next Summer this past week, including headliners Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Bastille.

They’ll be joined by the likes of Johnny Marr, Gaz Coombes, The Skinner Brothers and Embrace.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘Signs of Life’ from Asylums

Firestorm add Massive Wagons

The final festival news in our News Report this week comes from Firestorm Festival. The event has added Massive Wagons to the top of their Friday bill for 2023.

They join the likes of Royal Republic, The Virginmarys, Mason Hill, Hollowstar, Kris Barras Band, Black Spiders and Scruffy Bear.

Tickets are here.

Watch Episode 13 of our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast with guests Scruffy Bear

‘Discover’ New Music Podcast – Episode 13 – Scruffy Bear

Read our review of Ricky Warwick live in Norwich

News Report

Hell Is For Heroes share ‘I Should Never Have Been Here In The First Place’

Hell Is For Heroes – I Should Never Have Been Here In The First Place’

New releases are up next in our News Report as we bring you the first new music from Hell Is For Heroes in 15 years. You can listen to their new single, ‘I Should Never Have Been Here In The First Place’, above.

More here.

Listen to ‘I Should Never Have Been Here In The First Place’ on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist

News Report

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

News Report
Mimi Barks – ‘ASHES’

On the week of her highly anticipated ‘DEADGIRL’ mixtape release fearless Doom Trap artist Mimi Barks has unveiled her new track ‘ASHES’.

Talking about the meaning behind ‘ASHES’, Mimi Barks shares, “Women who posed a threat during the dark ages were accused of being witches, intimidated, burned alive, and sentenced to execution. Today, ever since the Age of Enlightenment, a creative, strong-willed, and self-assured woman still gets burnt to the stake verbally by those led by their own anxieties.”

XL LIFE – ‘Baby Steps’

XL LIFE shared new single ‘Baby Steps’ featuring Bob Vylan!

On working with Vylan for the new single, vocalist Traxx says: “We always felt a kinship with Bob because of his message, his boldness, and his morals, so with this song we took the opportunity to have him on the album and co-sign each other’s work. We will support him to the end.”

Commenting on the relevance of the new single, vocalist Traxx says: “We knew this song had to be made, because we had all been going through some heavy stuff outside of the band. The band has been stop-start/stop-start the whole time, trying to prioritise our health and coming up against some really traumatic circumstances, so this song had to address that. The healing journey. Baby steps. Holding onto the promises.”

News Report
News Report
Fountain Island – ‘Pretty Little Nightmare’

Pop-punk newcomers Fountain Island reveal their contagious new single, ‘Pretty Little Nightmares’.

The band remark about its creation: “’Pretty Little Nightmares’ explores the bittersweetness of the first time with a loved one, and the realisation that one day it will just be a memory and can never be experienced again. The track takes cues from Blink182’s ‘I Miss You’, with its melancholy gothic tone whilst retaining the youthful pop feel.”

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 Alter Bridge live in London

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Live Reviews

Alter Bridge

O2 Arena, London

Monday 12th December 2022

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ALTER BRIDGE – LONDON – LIVE REVIEW

As the year draws to a close, music publications such as us turn our attention to our end of year lists. There will be nods to the best albums, singles, festivals and gigs as December progresses towards it festive finale. The only problem is that 2022 isn’t quite done yet!

Tonight for example the O2 Arena in London welcomes a fantastic package tour with three incredible acts set to grace the stage. Perhaps then those engravers should hold fire on etching the award winner’s names just yet!

This evening is the final night of a tour that has hit five other UK and Irish arenas already this month having first made its way around Europe, and there’s an end of tour / end of year atmosphere in the venue.

WATCH ‘EPIPHANY’ FROm MAMMOTH WVH ON YOTUBE
Mammoth WVH – ‘Epiphany’

Find Full Pelt Music on Youtube

The first band up is Mammoth WVH led by Wolfgang Van Halen who showcases his natural talent and feels right at home on this massive stage. Playing a blistering set of material from their self-titled debut release, the band finish with ‘Don’t Back Down’ and leave the stage with many more fans than when they arrived.

WATCH ‘THE STEEPLE’ FROM HALESTORM ON YOUTUBE
Halestorm – ‘The Steeple’

Read our review of ‘Back From The Dead’ from Halestorm

Next up are a band who debatably should be headlining arenas themselves these days, as the screams of Lzzy Hale welcome Halestorm to the stage. Opener, ‘The Steeple’, sets the theme with new album, ‘Back From The Dead’ taking centre stage. That’s no bad thing though as it’s a fantastic album as demonstrated by the likes of ‘Wicked Ways’, ‘Mine’ and the title track.

All the usual Halestorm fun is packed into an abridged set where we still get crowd interaction, over-sized drumsticks and massive rock songs such as ‘Love Bites (So Do I)’ and ‘Familiar Taste of Poison’. ‘I Miss The Misery’ closes out the short but sweet set and leaves you thinking surely a Halestorm arena headline tour must be next on the cards.

WATCH ‘SILVER TONGUE’ FROM ALTER BRIDGE ON YOUTUBE
Alter Bridge – ‘Silver Tongue’

A band very familiar with headlining arenas at this point though is our headline act tonight, Alter Bridge. Another band with a new album to show off, the huge ‘Silver Tongue’ gets the ball rolling as the group once again demonstrate their obscene talents.

A musically sublime performance features their debut album more than recent tours with ‘Shed My Skin’, ‘Burn It Down’ and ‘In Loving Memory’ all highlights. The set list weaves between albums and highlights the musical dexterity of the band along with the commitment of their fans that stand in awe through hits and deep cuts alike.

‘This Is War’ and title track ‘Pawns & Kings’ show that the band remain very much on form as far as new material goes, but naturally it’s favourites such as ‘Metalingus’ and ‘Blackbird’ that elicit the best audience responses tonight.

An encore of ‘Rise Today’ and ‘Open Your Eyes’ seals the deal and sends the crowd into the wintery embers of 2022 happy and thoroughly entertained. It’s tours like this that remind us what we’ve been missing in the past couple of years, and serve as grounds to hold back on those end of year awards until all the entries have made their case!

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Read our review of ‘Pawns & Kings’ from Alter Bridge

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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

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”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZaBAnR-4bw
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