Cambridge Folk Festival - Cherry Hinton Hall, Cambridge - July 25-28 2013

The Cambridge Folk Festival is a national institution, and has been running for nearly 50 consecutive years.

Written by: James Ball | Date: Wednesday, 31 July 2013

Zervas And Pepper - Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff - July 25 2013 (Live Review)

Some artists just fit with certain situations. With the recent heatwave across the UK, Zervas and Pepper couldn’t have picked a better time to release their second album, 'Lifebringer'. Written in LA and packed with the breezy West Coast harmonies that made their debut a critical favourite - earning radio play on Radio 2, 6Music and more - it’s a record which drips with sunshine.

Written by: Dave Ball | Date: Friday, 26 July 2013

Bruce Springsteen - Millennium Stadium, Cardiff - July 23 2013 (Live Review)

Dee Dee Ramone might once have taken a run at it, but these days nobody yells ‘one, two, three, four’ like Bruce Springsteen. Nobody. From the scream that introduced the squalling guitars of Adam Raised A Cain, to the breakdown in Born To Run and the drop in Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out, every one was belted out like its was his last during a 33-song celebration at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Wednesday, 24 July 2013

Pelican - Brudenell Social Club, Leeds - July 16 2013 (Live Review)

With a new album finally on the horizon, Pelican returned to the Brudenell Social Club with a renewed sense of purpose. Last year’s ‘Ataraxia/Taraxis’ EP was a step in the right direction for sure, but with an all-too-brief running time it also felt somewhat anticlimactic for fans who have been craving a full-length follow-up to 2009’s ‘What We All Come to Need’.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Tuesday, 23 July 2013

Ricky Warwick - Brudenell Social Club, Leeds - July 21 2013 (Live Review)

There’s something about rock 'n' roll being stripped back to a singer and acoustic guitar that just works. Leeds' Brudenell Social Club showcased some of Britain’s best when Ricky Warwick (the Almighty, Thin Lizzy, Black Star Riders) and Terrorvision duo Tony Wright and Milton Evans stopped by.

Written by: Daniel Lynch | Date: Monday, 22 July 2013

NASS - Bath And West Showground, Shepton Mallett - July 11-13 2013 (Live Review)

NASS 2013, one of Britain’s biggest extreme sports and music festivals, finished as it started: bathed in glorious sunshine and littered with flat-cap wearing teenagers.

Written by: Adam Holden | Date: Friday, 19 July 2013

2000trees - Upcote Farm, Withington - July 11-13 2013 (Live Review)

Another year, another weekend of getting soaked to the skin while watching a selection of the finest British bands around. Wait a second, what’s this? Arriving on site for the early entry Thursday night line-up, the sun is out, with barely a cloud in the sky, and the temperature is rocketing. This is pretty much a 2000trees first, and a welcome relief after the mudbath that was last year’s event.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Thursday, 18 July 2013

Dan Bettridge - St Donats Arts Centre - July 13 2013 (Live Review)

Nestled on the coast, around 20 miles west of Cardiff, St Donats Arts Centre is rarely used as a venue for live music but, luckily, Dan Bettridge isn't your typical 19-year-old singer-songwriter. 

Written by: Dave Ball | Date: Monday, 15 July 2013

Dinosaur Pile-Up - Brudenell Social Club, Leeds - July 10 2013 (Live Review)

“It all started here,” proclaimed Dinosaur Pile-Up's Matt Bigland as his band thrilled a hometown crowd at Leeds’ Brudenell Social Club. The frontman has battled through a revolving door of band members and two self-recorded albums in recent years, but the return to the floor where he cut his teeth as both a fan and a musician couldn’t have gone much better.

Written by: Daniel Lynch | Date: Friday, 12 July 2013

Frank Ocean - Brixton Academy - July 9 2013 (Live Review)

It’s safe to say that Frank Ocean is a man in demand. All 10,000 tickets were snatched up in minutes for his brace of shows at Brixton Academy and, as anticipated, the reception he receives is nothing short of hysterical.

Written by: Owen Sheppard | Date: Thursday, 11 July 2013

Glastonbury Festival - Worthy Farm - June 28-30 2013 (Live Review)

Ah, Glastonbury. It’s never dull, is it? In the months prior to the UK’s flagship festival, critics picked apart its lineup, while others tried to tar it with a soulless, corporate brush. But the fact remains that Glasto has always faced haters, and once it’s all over and time to go home the music world sighs at its passing.

Written by: Owen Sheppard | Date: Thursday, 04 July 2013

The Black Angels - The Haunt, Brighton - June 25 2013 (Live Review)

Named after a Velvet Underground song, the Black Angels hail from Austin, Texas and are firmly established in the American psychedelic rock scene. Curators of the annual Austin Psych Fest, they have put on the likes of Pink Mountaintops, the Brian Jonestown Massacre and the Raveonettes in recent years.

Written by: Graeme Marsh | Date: Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Muse - Etihad Stadium, Manchester - June 1 2013 (Live Review)

Even if you're not a big fan of Muse, it's hard to watch a clip of their live show without getting excited. With bangers such as Supermassive Black Hole and Panic Station, their latest single, Muse are able to break free of their roots in rock to appeal to a wider audience. That much was apparent as they took the stage at Manchester's Etihad Stadium.

Written by: Emma Dodds | Date: Friday, 21 June 2013

These Monsters - Wharf Chambers, Leeds - June 15 2013 (Live Review)

After making their fans wait an age for second record ‘Heroic Dose’, These Monsters at least had the decency to put together a noise-rock fan’s wet dream of a bill to celebrate the release, dragging along Hawk Eyes and Blacklisters to open the show.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Friday, 21 June 2013

Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards - IndigO2, London - June 17 2013 (Live Review)

For the sake of a little perspective, let’s start at the end. The podium was removed from the IndigO2 stage, where famous feet had trodden only moments before. Duff McKagan, he of Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver, walked into the spotlight, speech in hand, to announce the winners of the final award: Metal Hammer's Golden Gods of 2013.  

Written by: Anna Ghislena | Date: Thursday, 20 June 2013

Download Festival - Donington Park - June 14-16 2013 (Live Review)

After a 10,534 hour journey via taxi, train, bus and camper van, some tears, some cider, a fight, a Happy Meal and a couple of broken promises, we made it to Download Festival – the biggest weekend in the rock calendar. Screeeaam for me Donington!

Written by: Jon Stickler | Date: Thursday, 20 June 2013

Rockness - June 7-9 2013 (Live Review)

Rockness continues to carve out its own niche, and this year it re-established its position as Scotland's premier dance music festival after a more open field last year. Basement Jaxx and Fatboy Slim were at the forefront of things and proved to be a big draw at a festival capable of providing something different.

Written by: Jonathan Rimmer | Date: Friday, 14 June 2013

Bon Jovi - Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff - June 12 2013 (Live Review)

Multi-million selling rockers Bon Jovi returned to Cardiff on June 12, bringing with them a superb stage show. Currently in the UK on their Because We Can world tour, the New Jersey legends presented an incredible set of greatest hits to thousands of screaming fans at the home of Cardiff City Football Club.

Written by: Jon Stickler | Date: Thursday, 13 June 2013

Dragged Into Sunlight - The Library, Leeds - 28th May 2013 (Live Review)

The Library looks an unlikely venue for an act as extreme as Dragged into Sunlight to turn up and blow apart. A ‘Scream’ pub down the road from Leeds University, there is no mention of live music outside to any casual passers-by. The place strikes a curious contrast to the mysterious, shadowy aesthetic of this evening’s headliners.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Sunday, 02 June 2013

Thunder, Whitesnake, Journey - Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff - 26th May 2013 (Live Review)

Its not often you get the opportunity to see performances from three of the biggest names in stadium rock. Let alone all under the same roof. Sunday May 26th saw the welsh capital host over 4 hours of greatest hits from a triple-header of performances from Thunder, Whitesnake and Journey, all three bands raising the roof, each with over 35 years of boisterous rock anthems and Zippo lifting power ballads.

Written by: Jon Stickler | Date: Tuesday, 28 May 2013

The Great Escape - Various Venues, Brighton - 16th-18th May 2013 (Live Review)

One thing is certain about Brighton's Great Escape, with so much diversity in its music, everyone goes home talking about different bands.

Written by: Adam Holden | Date: Wednesday, 22 May 2013

Parlour Flames - Sticky Mike's Frog Bar, Brighton - 12th May 2013 (Live Review)

With the release of Parlour Flames’ self-titled debut album scheduled for Monday 20th May on Cherry Red, Mancunians Vinny Peculiar (Alan Wilkes) and guitarist Bonehead (Paul Arthurs) are currently touring the UK with a full live band featuring Cherry Ghost bassist Ollie Collins and Badly Drawn Boy drummer Che Beresford, with newest recruit Rob Steadman on keyboards completing the line-up.

Written by: Graeme Marsh | Date: Monday, 13 May 2013

Tom McRae - The Glee Club, Cardiff - 5th May 2013 (Live Review)

There’s something more than a little ironic about a performer like Tom McRae - who has built a career on tender songs full of loss, despair and heartbreak - playing his first official Cardiff date for around a decade at a venue called ‘Glee Club’ which is normally used for comedy. It’s been a long time for McRae to come back to this side of the border with fans based in South Wales typically travelling across to Bristol to see him. The crowd of around 200 or so people then may be small but is enthusiastic on arrival.

Written by: David Ball | Date: Tuesday, 07 May 2013

Neon Neon - National Theatre Wales Warehouse, Cardiff – 4th May 2013 (Live Review)

Gruff Rhys has made a career of being different, maintaining a level of interest and surprise in every one of his albums whether with Super Furry Animals, his solo work or various guest appearances. His latest album with Neon Neon, where he combines with American hip hop producer Boom Bip, may be the most experimental project yet.

Written by: David Ball | Date: Tuesday, 07 May 2013

Barn Owl - Wharf Chambers, Leeds - 29th April 2013 (Live Review)

Wharf Chambers may seem a funny place for a drone gig but this little co-operative club, just a short walk from the centre of Leeds, has been getting a reputation locally of late for staging some of the best leftfield gigs in the city. Aidan Baker was here earlier in the year, and Barn Owl have arrived to promote their newest opus, the brilliant ‘V’.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Tuesday, 07 May 2013

Minus The Bear - King Tuts, Glasgow - 27th April 2013 (Live Review)

For a band of Minus the Bear’s reputation, I must admit I was slightly surprised that wee, beloved King Tuts was the venue of choice for tonight’s show in Glasgow. This is a band that managed to bring math rock into the mainstream over the Atlantic long before Foals did so here. With that said, the band we see today are not the same quirky quintet of a decade ago, operating on a much smoother and pop-orientated terrain with their latest release.

Written by: Jonny Rimmer | Date: Wednesday, 01 May 2013

Peace - O2 Academy, Birmingham - 27th April 2013 (Live Review)

Most bands I really like have already released an album (or a few) and had a few tours. There’s not been very many occasions where I’ve been able to say “yeah, I was there at the beginning”. It grates on me a bit, because there are those annoying people in the world that think, just because they discovered the band before they were famous, they are a bigger fan than you. It’s very silly and childish. But it must be a nice feeling to see something you care a lot about grow into something big.

Written by: Emma Dodds | Date: Tuesday, 30 April 2013

Ludovico Einaudi - St Davids Hall, Cardiff - 28th April 2013 (Live Review)

Reviewing this concert provided a first for me. I’m pretty sure everything I’ve reviewed previously would sit neatly in the ‘rock and pop’ section of your local record store, so given the opportunity to review a classical show in Cardiff’s St David’s Hall, I was looking forward to a new experience.

Written by: David Ball | Date: Monday, 29 April 2013

Jessica Bailiff / Boduf Songs - Café Oto, London - 17th April 2013 (Live Review)

Somebody once said to me that a good song is a story, not necessarily in terms of its lyricism but in terms of what it tells us about its creators. If that is the case then Mat Sweet (aka. Boduf Songs)’s life must be one, perhaps unsurprisingly, of subtly bubbling tension. His songs, even those given a full band treatment on recent album ‘Burnt Up on Re-Entry’, are reduced to bare bones at Café Oto tonight. Perched in front of a mostly seated crowd, Sweet’s voice cracks lightly above his gently reverberating guitar work. It’s a performance that verges into hauntingly insecure territory on more than one occasion.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Tuesday, 23 April 2013

Rival Sons - Solus, Cardiff University - 10th April 2013 (Live Review)

Blues-rockers Rival Sons were at Cardiff University's Solus last night for the welsh leg of their current European tour. Returning to the UK earlier this month for a handful of live dates, the Long-Beach four-piece took a near sold-out crowd back to the glory years of blues rock while roaring through a set drawn from all three of their albums.

Written by: Jon Stickler | Date: Thursday, 11 April 2013

Kodaline - Scala, London - 4th April 2013 (Live Review)

Backed by One Direction’s very own Niall Horan who tweeted “Everyone keep your eye on Irish band @kodaline! Gonna be big!” back in January, by the looks of the sold out venue in London last night a lot of people seem to agree with at least one statement the boy band star has expressed.

Written by: Ryan Crittenden | Date: Friday, 05 April 2013

Long Distance Calling - The Underworld, London - 22nd March 2013 (Live Review)

It’s hard to believe that this is Long Distance Calling’s first headline jaunt proper around the UK. They have been bringing their classic rock flavoured take on post-rock to our shores for a good few years, alongside the likes of Katatonia, Maybeshewill and Protest the Hero but now it is their turn to top the bill, and it is an opportunity they have well earned. With new album ‘The Flood Inside’ already looking set to win them a whole new legion of fans, one senses that their time is now.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Tuesday, 26 March 2013

Amplifier - The Duchess, York - 18th March 2013 (Live Review)

On the eve of this, their tour in support of fourth album ‘Echo Street’, Amplifier issued a stark message to their fans. In the face of declining record sales bands need fans to turn out at shows for them more than ever and, to put it simply, this has left Amplifier in a difficult position. Whilst attendances for them in Europe have never been better, fans in the UK seemingly lack the commitment to travel to shows in the same quantities, with the band struggling to sell many tickets for any of the dates on this latest jaunt around their homeland. As such the message has come loud and clear. This might be Amplifier’s last ever UK tour.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Thursday, 21 March 2013

Johnny Marr - Concorde 2, Brighton - 14th March 2013 (Live Review)

Many will say Johnny Marr’s recent Godlike Genius award from the NME was long overdue - Marr far surpassing, guitaring-wise at least, other recent icons presented with the title such as Paul Weller and Noel Gallagher. This award simply underlines the joy he has brought to countless scores of followers, all of whom have been captivated by the trademark Rickenbacker jingle-jangle tones which litter his phenomenal career with indie legends The Smiths and so many other acts including Modest Mouse, Electronic, The Cribs and Matt Johnson’s The The.

Written by: Graeme Marsh | Date: Friday, 15 March 2013

Humanfly - The Brudenell Social Club, Leeds - 9th March 2013 (Live Review)

As if the arrival of their brilliant new album ‘Awesome Science’ wasn’t enough, Humanfly have decided to treat their Leeds based fans to an evening of brilliant local live heaviness to celebrate the album’s release. First up are Himself. Quite what inspired the off the wall nature of this Yorkshire quintet is, as yet, unknown, but there is no doubting their serial oddness. Musically they mostly stay around a less travelled midpoint between searingly heavy post-metal and seriously batty noise rock. The vocals veer between group harmony and seriously strange spoken word (in a Yorkshire accent, obviously). Nobody knows quite what to make of it, but it’s different if nothing else.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Friday, 15 March 2013

Foals - O2 Academy, Bristol - 11th March 2013 (Live Review)

Over the years I’ve seen hundreds of live shows from international superstars at massive stadiums and huge festival headline performances down to no names playing in the back room of pubs, and I find something to enjoy in every one of them. Every now and again though, you leave a venue feeling you’ve genuinely witnessed something really special where a band are about to make a huge jump and Foals’ show at Bristol Academy had that in abundance.

Written by: David Ball | Date: Thursday, 14 March 2013

Wednesday 13 - Rock City, Nottingham – 9th March 2013 (Live Review)

Okay, I feel like I should apologise to you, dear, lovely reader. I should apologise to you and the bands who supported Wednesday 13 tonight. Due to a massive malfunction on my camera’s behalf, I spent the majority of the support acts’ stage time sat in a corner, weeping uncontrollably whilst trying to get it to work again. Due to this unfortunate smattering of fate bestowed upon me, I didn’t really pay as much attention as I should have done. What I can tell you is Skarlett Riot are ones to watch out for; their balls to the wall, garage-tinged hard rock made for an entertaining opener, with front-woman Skarlett’s voice proving to be an absolute powerhouse of melody. They’re worlds apart from Stockholm’s favourite sleezeballs, Sister, who took to the stage with all the subtlety of a Frankie Boyle gag. They had the crowd eating right from their filthy, gloriously nasty palms before they even played a note of music. Their stage presence alone was enough to keep the eyeballs firmly glued to the action, coming across like Mötley Crüe’s homeless cousins. Of course, the music helped; songs such as ‘Spit On Me’ had enough muscularity and power to appeal to the baying crowd, with the lyrical content also lending itself nicely to the witty smut that Wednesday 13 fans are used to. They were both admirable support bands, but now I must switch to the present tense in order to keep things rolling.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Tuesday, 12 March 2013

The Darkness - Hammersmith Apollo, London - 7th March 2013 (Live Review)

It has been nineteen months since The Darkness staged their comeback and played a Download warm up gig at Shepherds Bush Empire which showcased hints of promising new material. That was a humbling, stripped back to basics experience, which experimented with the unconditional love they hoped for from their starved loyal fan-base. Perfecting the new album seemed to drag for a while, but with 'Hot Cakes' finally on our plates, the sweet smell of triumph has put the “D” back in “Arkness”.

Written by: Anna Ghislena | Date: Friday, 08 March 2013

The Virginmarys - Barfly, London - 6th March 2013 (Live Review)

Macclesfield has produced some interesting and legendary musicians over the decades. Joy Division’s Ian Curtis grew up there; and then there was, ahem, The Macc Lads. Yes, the last time I went to see a band from Macclesfield, (and it was some time ago now), I ran home to my mummy in fear of losing my dignity and compassion for my fellow mankind, never even making it across the threshold of a notorious Macc Lads gig. The Virginmarys, however, are the North’s new legends in the making, and for all the right reasons. The fact that the words “Sold Out” were pasted on the door was a very good indication of this too. The moment the trio emerged from the darkened “off stage” sides of Barfly’s intimate sweat box, I was spellbound and enchanted by their unassuming presence; their lyrical poetry and the driving blast of ear battering riffs, tub bashing and vocals like barbed wire that had me tightly bound to the spot with imaginary nails driven into my feet.

Written by: Anna Ghislena | Date: Thursday, 07 March 2013

Steven Wilson - Royal Festival Hall, London - 4th March 2013 (Live Review)

The inexorable rise of Steven Wilson as a solo artist continues to the point that he is now headlining venues almost on a par with those he formerly played with Porcupine Tree. Amongst the most prestigious of these is London’s Royal Festival Hall, although his presence here tonight should not be considered symbolic of newfound recognition of progressive rock by the mainstream; the fact that Liza Minnelli played here a couple of days earlier rather puts paid to the idea that they are particularly fussy about who packs the place out. To be fair to Wilson it is worth mentioning that this show is pretty much packed to the rafters. His decision to take his solo project into the live arena has prompted a terrific response, to the extent that excited whisperings about this show have already billed it as the essential prog gig of 2013.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Thursday, 07 March 2013

Palma Violets & Splashh - The 100 Club, London - 4th March 2013 (Live Review)

This Converse Presents Gig at the legendary 100 Club in London saw some of the brightest and exciting new bands around entertain lucky competition winners.

Written by: Ryan Crittenden | Date: Wednesday, 06 March 2013

Deftones - Barrowlands, Glasgow - 15th February 2013 (Live Review)

Can we rank this Californian quintet among the greats yet? If we're talking sheer consistency, Deftones score highly, maintaining a standard of output that is at least as strong as any metal band in the world. From the exuberant 'Adrenaline' to the dignified success of 'Koi No Yokan', these guys don't do bad albums (although they themselves seem to disagree).

Written by: Jonny Rimmer | Date: Tuesday, 26 February 2013

LostAlone - The Borderline, London - 24th February 2013 (Live Review)

Sunday night in Soho and it was a little quiet. Everyone had obviously stayed at home to watch Adele blubbing at The Oscars Award Ceremony in Hollywood or had succumbed to the pulling power of One Direction on stage at the London O2 Arena. For, despite much favourable, even excitable press coverage over recent live shows and of course, their acclaimed second album “I Am a UFO In This City”, LostAlone’s audience was disappointingly thin for the last night of their headline UK tour.

Written by: Anna Ghislena | Date: Monday, 25 February 2013

Girls Aloud - Metro Arena, Newcastle - 21st February (Live Review)

Tonight was the night that all fans, including me, have been waiting for since Girls Aloud announced their 'Ten' Tour.

Written by: Lara Rainsforth | Date: Friday, 22 February 2013

The Lumineers - Shepherds Bush Empire, London – 20th February 2013 (Live Review)

Denver-based folk rockers, The Lumineers, have come from nowhere to make their name as one of the biggest new bands in both the UK and the US. Debut single ‘Ho Hey’ helped to catapult the band into the mainstream and has been doing the rounds on adverts, movie trailers, and in TV shows, not to mention the regular plays on the radio – basically, you can’t get away from it! The success of the single and self-titled debut album, plus a performance and nominations at this years Grammys has lead to the band currently enjoying a hugely in-demand sold out tour.

Written by: Katie Territt | Date: Friday, 22 February 2013

Darwin Deez - Oran Mor, Glasgow - 16th February 2013 (Live Review)

All right folks, grab your thick rimmed glasses, drink a foreign beer that nobody has ever heard of, slip on your hemp loafers and climb aboard your fixed wheel bike because Hipster-hero(es) Darwin Deez are/is in town. And I'm not just being indecisive, Darwin Deez is the name for the band/guy/both/run away before your brain melts... Their show comes off the back of the second album released 11th February and the date was near the start of a tour stretching over a whole lotta spring, and the Atlantic.

Written by: Luke Bailey | Date: Wednesday, 20 February 2013

Jake Bugg - Brighton Dome - Monday 18th February 2013 (Live Review)

What a talent, what a voice and on the back of this Brighton show you can include what a performer to the ever-growing list of this young man’s abilities. With his debut album topping the charts last year, the 18-year-old from Clifton has experienced an almost meteoric rise to the top, which has seen him transform into a modern day music icon.

Written by: Ryan Crittenden | Date: Wednesday, 20 February 2013

Stornoway - Town Hall, Oxford - 14th February 2013 (Live Review)

Heading out to a gig on Valentine's Day is always a risky option; on one hand you get to side-step the hefty restaurant prices and hoards of women cradling bouquets, but on the other, there's always the half chance that your beau will get an elbow to the face after one mosh motion too many. Luckily, the strums of Stornoway offered little cause for concern in terms of impromptu nosebleeds, and the Oxford Town Hall backdrop set the mood for elegance for the collective couples and folk fans gathered under the venue's lavish chandeliers.

Written by: James Conlon | Date: Tuesday, 19 February 2013

Your Demise - Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff - 13th February 2013 (Live Review)

Days after the release of their four track EP 'Cold Chillin' things are indeed running smoothly for a band who have gone through four front men since starting ten year ago. But now on their third release with Ed Mcrae on the mic, Your Demise seem more stable and more focused than ever.

Written by: Owen Sheppard | Date: Monday, 18 February 2013

Pure Love - The Bodega, Nottingham - 12th February 2013 (Live Review)

Today’s turning out to be something of an odd one. After commuting from my day-job as a Dinner Lady (or Dinner Man) down to Nottingham, I interviewed Pure Love. There was chitchat about Honey Badgers and music, and then we shook hands and parted ways. Then I realised that the footage we shot had been corrupted, which, in turn, led to me and my mate trying to retrieve any decipherable audio from my prehistoric voice recorder. It took an hour and a half. So, to put it lightly, we’re a bit grumpy.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Friday, 15 February 2013