Crazy Crazy Nights

Blindsight

2011-11-12T09:59:00.000-08:00

Bob and Devin

Blindsight, a metal band from Ilkeston, were a last minute addition to the Notts In A Nutshell line-up at The Maze on Monday night 21^st September. Notts In A Nutshell is a regular occurrence at The Maze on Mansfield road, where unsigned local bands have a regular slot to play live, get exposure as well as experience. Call it Community Service from a venue that is dedicated to promoting local talent.

Henz

A mate plays in Blindsight and there is nothing more nerve wrecking than going to support someone you know, as you may have that awkward moment where you have to truthfully but tactfully tell them what you thought of their performance. It’s a tricky situation as people can pick up on even a hint of unenthusiasm. There was no need for all this pre-gig worry, as Blindsight were good. They were very very good. The set was effortless. There was no forced shouting or ‘trying too hard’ that you get with some bands. The guitar work was pure metal melody, just the way heavy metal should be played.

Frontman Grant

Although the bands own songs are brilliant, they cleverly threw in a Metallica cover midway through their set. Being a relatively unknown band, no-one knew their song lyrics, however, everyone knew the lyrics to Seek and Destroy and it got the crowd participation that is so important at a live gig.

Scott

Blindsight have since ventured out of Ilkeston and have played at the Run To The Sun motorbike rally at Catton Hall as well as a few gigs in Nottingham city centre. Their next gig is at The Maze on Monday the 12th December. One not to be missed!

Henz and Bob

The Defiled Interview

2011-11-12T09:26:00.000-08:00

Stitch from The Defiled

My interview with The Defiled was published by Left Lion http://www.leftlion.co.uk/articles.cfm/title/the-defiled/id/4003

The AvD from The Defiled

This Halloween Nottingham will be in for a TREAT when Tru-Metallers The Defiled once again rock out the city’s popular haunt for rock and metal gigs, Rock City. And yes, I meant Tru-Metallers and not Nu-Metallers. Prior to opening the Ronnie James Dio stage at Bloodstock this year, they got death threats for not being ‘true metal’. They proved their critics wrong, as The Defiled delivered a fervent, energetic, HEAVY, horn throwing set that did the great late RJD proud.

The AvD with his keyboard smashing antics is as entertaining to interview as he is to watch on stage. Living the rock ‘n roll lifestyle, he had been partying for 4 days with no sleep when I interviewed him, and yet he was still full of charisma and energy. Lead singer Stitch D joins us and we chat about life in the band, "being in a band is all about the free stuff...oh and the blow jobs…" The boys showing their naughty and humorous side.

Vincent Hyde

The reality is, there have been no lucky breaks, just five years of pure hard work, phoning and emailing every day for gig opportunities. Their persistence paid off and there was a time when it seemed as if every gig I went to had The Defiled as a support band. Halloween will not be their first visit to Nottingham either, they have played Nottingham’s Rock City supporting Sonic Syndicate in The Basement way back in 2009, and have played the main stage when supporting Murderdolls earlier this year.

Aaron Curse

Now that they have their own fan base and are headlining shows, the hard work hasn’t stopped and there is no rest for the wicked. Offstage there are fans to mingle with, signings and interviews to do, as well as their involvement in all the other creative aspects such as designing the merch and creating their music videos. The video for The Resurrectionists is one of my favourites and was funded by the proceeds of an advert that The AvD appeared in. The dark, yet fun and lively video perfectly captures the essence of The Defiled.

I remember seeing The Defiled for the first time a few years ago when they supported Deathstars on their UK tour. The AvD explained how they learnt a lot from the Deathstars, just watching what they do on stage. "They are so professional and really know how to put on a show. We watch, learn and deliver the type of show we would want to see live."

The Defiled may take tips from other bands, but they have a strong identity of their own and have a clear idea of what they like and what they want to project as a band. The uniforms were also a conscious decision right from the start, and evolved from their own personalities. Lead singer Stitch D advised that they don’t wash their uniforms, and yes they do smell! It’s only when the uniforms are on and they get that sick feeling, that’s when they know they are ready to go on stage.

The Defiled clearly enjoy being on stage, so I asked The AvD if he enjoyed watching other bands live. He excitedly answered yes, it’s been his favourite thing to do since he was a kid. Nine Inch Nails being his favourite live band… then he corrects himself, "Nine Inch Nails when they were on drugs. When a band stops doing drugs and becomes sensible…." The bottom line is, he shares my passion for the kind of live music that gives you a natural high, pretty much what I feel when I am watching bands like The Defiled go wild on stage. He sums it up, "we’re not trying to be anything. We play what we enjoy and we play the music we like".

Headlining the Jägermeister stage at Sonisphere this year was a turning point for the band. Thinking that everyone would be watching Metallica, they came onstage to find a large crowd of dedicated The Defiled fans. It was a WOW moment. It’s a far cry from back in the day when they used to wonder if anyone would pitch up at all! Now they have people recognising them at metal festivals and gigs.

Some The Defiled fans at Bloodstock

The AvD loves meeting their fans and has a habit of taking some of them backstage after a show. He explains further, "even at signings, you want to meet the people that come and see you and not just sign a piece of paper. I know bands say this all the time, but it’s the only reason we’re anything."

Talking of Jägermeister, I asked The Avd how he likes his Jäger. He smiles and answers ‘Warm, out of the bottle’. Now that’s ‘true metal’!

Bloodstock

2011-11-12T09:06:00.000-08:00

Being a Bloodstock virgin, it was with much excitement that I arrived on the Thursday evening with no pro-conceptions of 'previous years' to live up to. I was so looking forward to seeing The Defiled on the Friday that I hadn't given any thought to the rest of the weekend's entertainment. I was glad that I hadn't given the Thursday night a miss as Revoker and Beholder were an impressive taster of what the rest of the weekend would be like.

Revoker

Beholder

The comedians Steve Hughes and Jason Rouse were hilarious. Steve Hughes has an intelligent wit and canny observation of life, while Jason Rouse got everyone laughing with his unpolitically correct and crude humour. One of many highlights of the weekend was having the pleasure of meeting and chatting with the naturally funny and genuinely nice guys.

Jason Rouse

Steve Hughes

Friday, and my biggest highlight of the weekend were The Defiled who opened the Ronnie James Dio stage. I got the opportunity to interview and photograph them which was the cherry on top.

Stitch D from The Defiled

There were so many great bands that weekend, but the other one that caught my eye (and ears) was Hammerfall.

Hammerfall

Then there was Devin Townsend who pulls the funniest facial expressions on stage. Every picture of him is a gem.

Devin Townsend Project

Morbid Angel -- now that's a guitar!!!

A nice surprise was seeing Napalm Death on stage as they conjure up nostalgia of my teenage punk days.

Napalm Death

Although there was much controversy over Motorhead's performance at Bloodstock, I felt much love and respect for Lemmy as he growled their intro 'We are Motorhead and we play Rock n Roll'. After The Defiled got death threats for not being 'metal'enough for Bloodstock, I loved the fact that he openly flaunts that Motorhead are not a metal band and yet there isn't a single soul that would look Lemmy in the eye and tell him he wasn't metal enough. I know I had the most Rock n Roll weekend at the metal of all festivals and next year I will be back - but this time with a lot of pre-conceptions and one helluva party to live up to!

Iron Maiden

2011-07-28T16:41:00.000-07:00

THE FINAL FRONTIER WORLD TOUR 2011

Nottingham Arena 27 July 2011

Iron Maiden

Despite my whining that Trivium weren't supporting Iron Maiden in Notts, I couldn't have enjoyed the night anymore if they had. Airbourne rocked the arena!!! My only regret was that I was in a box seat instead of the standing space on the floor, as Airbourne made me want to dance and jump up and down. They are not a band to see sitting down. Playing shirtless, lead guitarist and vocalist Joel O’Keeffe is a pleasure to watch on stage as he thrusts his guitar into the air, or slides onto his knees and plays his guitar with passion. What a brilliant start which was really needed as Iron Maiden started their set off quite slowly, only really playing one song in the beginning that I recognised, and that was Two Minutes to Midnight. I was mostly fixated on Janick Gers who is such a character on stage, posing and pulling all the rock star moves. He has an amazing stage persona, and bundles of energy.

Airbourne

Things livened up considerably when Iron Maiden played Iron Maiden. Clearly it wasn’t just my favourite Maiden song as the crowd went wild! Sometimes you could barely hear the band for the crowd singing along or cheering so loudly. It created such an amazing atmosphere. That could well have been the highlight of my night…until Eddie strutted on stage….. He jammed with the band and his visit on stage was way too short. He did make another theatrical appearance as a giant Eddie head rising up from behind the stage creating the most spectacular backdrop. The stage setting and props were very well done, with another beastly prop for The Number of the Beast.

Eddie jamming with Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden

Number of the Beast set. Iron Maiden

What an absolutely brilliant evening with two superb bands. So what did it for me in the end, Rock n Roll or Metal? In the first half of the Maiden set I had Airbourne down as my firm favourite for the night. The turning point was towards the end when Iron Maiden played Iron Maiden and the whole atmosphere changed and it was Eddie and Metal that ruled the night.

Eddie

What am I Looking Forward To..... Iron Maiden, Bloodstock, OC/DC

2011-07-24T06:26:00.000-07:00

Iron Maiden

Notingham Arena, 27th July

They are supported by Airbourne, who put on a helluva show. I am however a bit gutted that Trivium, who are supporting them on one of their London dates, aren't supporting them in Notts. Still, this is an evening I am very much looking forward to.

Notley Crue and OCDC

The Running Horse, Nottingham, 30th July

OCDC are so spot on as an AC/DC tribute band. Notley Crue should be awesome to photograph.

Bloodstock Open Air Festival

August 12^th to the 14^th, Catton Hall, Derbyshire

To be the opening support band on the Ronnie James Dio stage at Bloodstock on Friday 12^th August, must be the ultimate support slot for The Defiled. In the two years I have been following them, they have grown from a support band, to gathering a young following of their own. Still, it must be the ultimate honour to be playing on the same stage as established heavy metal bands such as Exodus, Wasp and Motörhead.

The Defiled

There are three stages at Bloodstock, which cater for every taste in Heavy Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal and Power Metal – the emphasis being on METAL. It’s the one festival where you know Biffy Clyro will NEVER be on stage, let alone a headlining act.

Playing alongside bands from all over the world is Derbyshire’s own one man metal band, Foul Body Autopsy who will be playing on the New Blood stage on the Saturday.

One man metal band Foul Body Autopsy

Horns to a wicked line-up at Bloodstock.

http://www.bloodstock.uk.com/

OCDC

Sonisphere 2011

2011-07-14T15:07:00.000-07:00

See my Soni review on the Rock and Metal News site http://www.rockandmetalnews.com/index.php?prod_id=1211

Friday afternoon at Sonisphere I walked into the arena to Diamond Head playing Am I Evil. It would be much later that evening that Brian Tatler, Diamond Head guitarist and co-writer of Am I Evil, would join the Big 4 on stage for the ultimate climax of the day. To have Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer and Metallica playing together at the same festival is mind blowing enough, but to have the Big 4 on stage at the same time playing Am I Evil, was out of this world!

The theme of any metal festival or gig are the size of the circle pits and The Wall of Death, so it was appropriate that Anthrax started off their set with Caught In a Mosh. Slayer and Metallica were amazing on the big stage, but nestled in-between them and playing on the much smaller Jägermeister stage, were one of my favourites of the weekend, The Defiled. They were brilliant at Soni last year, and having seen them live several times indoors, I really enjoyed seeing them outdoors this year. The gentle downhill slope to the Jägermeister stage ensured a perfect view of band and they looked great on stage.

Saturday morning was the first time that I actually enjoyed seeing Sylosis live. I love their music, but usually find them quite bland live. Watching them on the large stage, close to the front with a cup of coffee, I couldn’t think of a better way to wake up on a Saturday morning after a fantastic Friday line-up. Richard Cheese was a funny follow up to Sylosis, but the crowd loved him and he made everyone cheer when he tried to get the security guards to do a step and kick line dance. Gallows followed with the biggest mosh pit I saw that weekend. I watched a bit of Cavalera Conspiracy who were great, but I wanted to see Panic Cell play their last gig. There was a lot of Jäger drinking on stage, which reminded me of the first time I saw them, where bottles of Jäger were being passed around the audience and saying No to a swig from the bottle wasn't an option. It was therefore fitting that their last gig was on the Jäger stage and they did the Jäger proud!

The Bohemia stage proved to be very popular and I missed out on Steve-O and Gojira on the Saturday. I therefore made sure that I got to the Bohemia tent in good time to get in for The Sisters of Mercy. They opened spectacularly with smoke machines that filled the tent with a hazy mist, and the purple and red lights lent an eerie gothic atmosphere. Playing all the favourites, Dominion, Lucrecia My Reflection and Temple of Love, this was the highlight of my Saturday. The Sisters of Mercy were every bit as good as I had imagined they would be and my most surreal moment.

I missed Howard Mark’s Sunday Sermon, so it was Black Tide that started my Sunday off with a hot intro by their drummer. Guitarist Austin Diaz pulls some pretty awesome moves with his axe. Sunday got more powerful with Feed The Rhino who were insane both on the stage, or off the stage with lead singer Lee Tobin crowd surfing. The powerful performances continued with Parkway Drive who were immense. Guitarist Luke Kilpatrick played despite having a broken leg. Him playing in a wheelchair on stage just added to the craziness. As crazy antics go, the frontman for Airbourne climbed several metres to the top of the stage and continued performing. I was too far back in the arena to see Motorhead, but they sounded great. This is why I prefer the smaller stages, as you actually get to see the band on the stage rather than on a big screen. The Jägermeister stage was one of my favourite smaller stages, and the last band I saw on there was Anterior who were really really good. I got drenched during Bill Bailey so went back to my tent soaking wet and cold, and listened to Slipknot in a tent behind the arena.

Highlights of the weekend: The Big 4 doing Am I Evil, The Defiled (full set), Feed The Rhino (full set), The Sister’s of Mercy.

Soni Lows: Not being able to get in to the Bohemia tent to see Gojira or Cancer Bats. Festival organisers don’t seem to realise just how popular Cancer Bats are – they belong on a big stage!

MR NICE Howard Marks

2011-07-14T14:19:00.000-07:00

The poster read, Mr Nice An evening with Howard Marks … the man, the legend & the nicest international criminal you could hope to meet’. The venue was the trendy Home loungebar and restaurant in Arnold, Nottingham. It was an unusual choice of venue to host a night with someone who was at one time one of the most wanted dope dealers in Europe and America. I imagined the perfect setting to hear a reading from Howard Marks would have been a softly lit room, with incense burning, and an audience of weed smoking non-conformists hanging on to his every word. Instead it was a very noisy bar with no atmosphere and a very average looking audience. No hippies, no mohicans, no dreadlocks, no out of work stereotype ‘weed smokers’ but rather trendily dressed locals who asked him the type of questions you’d expect from Ok or Hello readers such as ‘Have you slept with anyone famous?’. It’s not really the type of question you would expect to be posed to a one time most wanted ‘criminal’. Howard Marks himself commented that he difficulty recognising his core audience.

Howard Marks

One thing was for sure, the 200 strong audience weren’t weed smoking hippies or drug addicts, but average ‘good citizens’ Some who just don’t buy into the concept that we need governments deciding that a naturally grown plant is ‘bad’ and that someone should be arrested for smoking something that makes them feel good. To clarify, I am not a weed smoker, but I am pro-choice and believe everyone has a right to choose their own path in life and make their own decisions. I don’t believe that weed is any more harmful than alcohol or smoking cigarettes. As a taxpayer, I would like to see my tax money going on catching real criminals, paedophiles, rapists, burglars, not going after someone who after a long day at work wants to smoke a spliff in the same way I enjoy a cider or a glass of wine. I also believe that by making something illegal it sustains a life of gangs, drug barons, unnecessary killing, drug wars, and natural plant life being grown uncontrolled with pesticides and goodness knows what other poisons added to it for bulk. It means that a natural form of plant life that can create hallucinations is turned into a poison. I am not saying that weed hasn’t lead to drug addiction for some people, but then alcohol, which is enjoyed modestly by some, makes alcoholics and violent criminals out of others.

Howard Marks

I am also sure that most of the audience were there out of curiosity, a bit like me. I love reading autobiographies and had read the book Mr Nice, enjoyed the movie and had seen Howard Marks on TV in a documentary. Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction and I love reading about other people’s lives, you just can’t make this stuff up! He is a fascinating man who has lived such a bizarre and crazy life. If anything, I see him as a canny businessman and not as a criminal. Howard Marks has been smoking weed for 47 years and is still coherent, intelligent, funny, witty, charming, polite and has old school manners. After his talk, he signed our books and was so very sweet. He could not have chosen a more suitable alias – he is Mr Nice.

Howard Marks

Internal Conflict

2011-06-23T15:27:00.000-07:00

SHOUT OUT! FOR HAITI AND JAPAN CHARITY GIG

Tuesday, May 31 · The Maze · Nottingham

Internal Conflict

Internal Conflict headlined the Shout Out! For

Haiti

and Japan Charity gig held at the Maze and were the highlight of the evening for me. They started off with The Sociopath Next Door which I instantly recognised thanks to their youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nguVtpZAFGQ

Internal Conflict

Internal Conflict are an AMAZING live band and delivered a set that was just the way I like my metal – Loud, Heavy, Fast, with catchy guitar chorus’s, and spell binding guitar solo’s. I picked up their EP Echoes of Ruby Ridge after the show. All four songs on the EP are brilliant. You can have a listen to the songs on Reverbnation http://www.reverbnation.com/fan/control_room/319289#!/internalconflict
I didn’t realise until after the show that the lead singer Harley Anderson was poorly with tonsillitis. It must have added to the growl, because I didn’t notice at all. The band delivered a professional performance and an outstanding set.

Internal Conflict

Stars in their Eyes 5

2011-06-07T15:20:00.000-07:00

Stars In Their Eyes, Sunday 22nd May, THE MAZE, Nottingham

ASBO PEEPSHOW as The Village People

The Maze recently held the fifth of their wildly popular Stars in their Eyes, a fun filled event showing just how entertaining some of Nottingham’s local talent can be. It takes talent to be a good musician, but it takes a true performer to put on a good show, and most of the performances were hilarious, with a lot of poetic license. While the boys were all out to get the laughs, the female vocalists were out to captivate. Alexa Hawksworth, Parisa Eliyon and Per Kie have the most beautiful quality to their voices and it’s always a pleasure hearing them sing, whatever the occasion. I am tempted to mention Liam O’kane with the ladies, as he was covering Madonna, and he was wearing a sequined tank top. No cone bra though, as the cones apparently get in the way of playing the guitar...

LIAM O'KANE as Madonna

The 'supergroup' BEAUTIFUL MOUTH as Motown

THE RUTHERFORDS as Duran Duran

For some of the bands, getting the costumes ‘just right’ was even more important than getting the songs right, and a lot of effort and creativity went into the outfits. The Rutherfords in their 80’s get up, would have done Simon le Bon proud. Alex Hel and Shankland dressed as hip hop rappers covering The Beastie Boys. Arse Full of Chips in their colourful outfits as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The Human Targets were all dressed as Elvis and the ladies in Beautiful Mouth added a bit of glitzy glamour while covering Motown classics. However, it was Asbo Peepshow and guest backing vocalist Jon Frank who stole the show with their outrageously camp outfits and performance, emulating 70’s band, The Village People.

ASBO PEEPSHOW as The Village People

ALEX HEL and SHANKLAND as The Beastie Boys

ROGER

The show was compeered by Roger Caney who is affectionately known as 'Daddy'. David James started off the show as a one hit wonder, only covering one AC/DC song. He filled the rest of his set with acoustic rock classics, and entertained his audience with his quick witted sense of humour. It almost seemed as if Stanley Mackerel, more commonly known as ‘naked guy’ in Arse Full Of Chips, would manage his S Club 7 set fully clothed. His audience weren’t having any of it though and off came his trousers mid song. While some performances were clearly for laughs, others took their task very seriously such as Molotov covering Foo Fighters and Sam Wilson as Marvin Gaye. Cleaverhook delivered an amazingly good set and were spot on as Public Enemy.

CLEAVERHOOK as Public Enemy

If you have ever wandered what Green Day would sound like ‘ska style’ – well it sounds very good indeed. Breadchasers sounded great covering Green Day and seemed to be having way too much fun belting out their hits. I wonder if we will see some random heaviness showing it’s way in future Breadchaser songs? They can certainly pull it off, even if they eventually trailed back into their reggae roots.

BREADCHASERS as Green Day

The night ended with Stuck in 2nd who eventually gave up being Sum 41, and did what they do best, being Stuck in 2nd. Superb every time!

STUCK IN 2ND

ASBO PEEPSHOW as The Village People

Slam Dunk

2011-05-30T14:20:00.000-07:00

Hatfield - Sunday 29^th May 2011

Bands seen: The Skints, Feed The Rhino, Anti-Flag, Bury Tomorrow, Yashin

Yashin

After reading a few facebook posts about the unmanageable queues at Slam Dunk in Leeds, I am happy to say there was none of that at Slam Dunk in Hatfield. There was a good atmosphere in the queue and at the festival. The security guards were friendly and helpful, and we got in with plenty of time to spare before The Skints came on stage. I have been spoilt by seeing them in more intimate venues such as The Maze in Nottingham, so it was strange seeing them outdoors at a festival and so far behind a barrier. The very talented Marcia still impresses as she not only has a beautiful singing voice, but also plays a different musical instrument in almost every song. The Skints were a popular start with the early festival crowd.

The Skints

Next on my program was Feed The Rhino. Having seen FTR three times in as many months, I can confidently say that they are consistently AMAZING on stage. Well, the singer wasn’t always on the stage, transforming from Rhino to monkey; he jumped on top of the speakers and at one point was swinging off the rafter. Another lively and energetic show from Feed the Rhino. I bought their Mr Red Eye CD for the drive home, and all it did was make me want to turn round, drag them back on stage and watch them live all over again!

Feed The Rhino

We were sitting taking a break between bands, when my son dashed over and insisted we all saw Bury Tomorrow, as he had walked past the Honour and Glory stage and immediately liked the sound of them. I have to say, they were pretty impressive.

Bury Tomorrow

Anti-Flag had a few sound problems on the Jagermeister stage, but that didn’t stop them. Dragging the loudspeaker into the crowd for an impromptu sing along, who needs a sound system when you have a crowd who were happy to be vocalists for one of the greatest political punk bands. Other bands might have packed it in, but Anti-Flag were in the crowd creating a very special moment with their fans. When the sound problems were fixed, the crowd went wild and a mosh pit evolved without any encouragement. At one point even the drummer and his drum kit were set up in the pit. One trillion dollars could buy most anything – this memory – Priceless.

Anti-Flag

Yashin have come a long way since I first saw them over a year ago at The Rock in Copenhagen. I hadn’t heard of them before then, but my choice was a night alone in a hotel room or a night at Copenhagen’s best rock club. Some things are just meant to be, as I was totally blown away by the sheer talent of these young guys. They gave their all even though the venue wasn’t particularly full. I was so impressed with their onstage performance that I texted my son and told him to you tube this band Yashin. I saw them again in the basement at Rock City when they supported GOTK (and yes I was the only ‘grown-up’ there...). It was clear then that the fans weren’t just there to see GOTK and that Yashin were growing in popularity. Nothing however, prepared me for the crowd of screaming I love you jumping pushing teenage girls at Slam Dunk. The band are heavy enough to appeal to the teenage boys, and cute enough to appeal to the teenage girls. They have finally been discovered by the teenage masses and are now seriously hot stuff. Yashin are playing at Download and are then supporting Papa Roach on tour (screaming!!!).

Yashin

2011-05-15T14:09:00.000-07:00

Anterior supported by Sephirothic

The Old Bell, Derby, 11 May 2011

Sephirothic

Playing their second gig as Sephirothic, the support band for Anterior’s gig at The Old Bell Derby had me mesmerised right from the start. At one point I put the camera down and just let the music wash over me. I enjoyed what I was hearing, but I enjoyed watching the band on stage as well. The lead singer has the most gorgeous long wavy hair which enveloped him as he sang with an other worldly quality to his voice. To the right of the stage, the lead guitarist Simon C. Clarke rocked out with his work of art, a white ESP LTD EX400, which is so hot it deserves a mention. The bassist Richard Langridge looks every bit the rock star who belongs on a stage. Guitarist Sean Van Rock and drummer Rich Magee complete the band that sound so good it feels like they have been jamming together for years. The band, just like the Sephirothic, or tree of life that provides directions to heaven, did just this, and with Anterior on next, they showed me the way to metal heaven.

that ESP LTD EX400...

Sephirothic

Anterior are HEAVY metal! The kind of stuff that hits in you in your soul and flows through your veins until you are feeling nothing but pure bliss. I can see why fans complained that their half hour slot on the Metal Hammer Razor tour was simply not long enough. Even a full set leaves you wanting more. I would imagine that Anterior’s main audience would be the headbanging, crowd surfing, moshpit loving males, but on this particular evening, the band were pleased to note that there was a 50/50 ratio of ladies to men. The ladies were equally pleased at being noticed and having a song dedicated to them. I was pleased by the selection of Flying V’s used throughout the set, three in total. I can’t think of anything more visually pleasing at a metal gig than the combination of a flying V, being held in ‘a certain way’, with long hair flying in all directions.

Pleasing their audience is high on the agenda. The band explain that this is a home grown tour, in response to their fans demands. They didn't get to play in all the cities they would have liked to... this time round, but they will be back on tour again once their new album has been released. In the meantime they will aptly be playing on the Jägermeister stage at Sonsiphere this year. I love my jäger and I LOVE this band!

I did notice that two of the band members had Bleed From Within tee-shirts on. We have something in common then - dam good taste in music...

Groezrock Road Trip

2011-05-01T12:12:00.000-07:00

Groezrock Festival, Belgium, 22 and 23 April 2011
It was the combination of sunny weather and an excellent line-up at Groezrock that made me forget all about the camping and the queuing that goes with festival life. For those who arrived at Groezrock on the Friday, there would have been 6 queues to stand in before getting to see a band with drink in hand. It was all the queuing that meant I got to see my first band of the day thirsty. Half an hour in the queue to get searched before entering the arena, and then another queue to get a wristband for access to the arena, meant that there was no time to queue for drink tokens, let alone a drink. My irritation was short lived though and disappeared as soon as I heard Bleed From Within, as it was now all about the music. My mood was further lightened when much to my amusement, I saw three of the security guards bouncing to the rhythm. That was the first time I had seen security looking anything other than stern and on guard to haul any crowd surfers over the railing. They were clearly enjoying Bleed From Within as much as the crowd were, a crowd that went wild when the lead singer jumped off the large impersonal stage, and lunged himself into the midst of the screaming fans. It certainly made the three young girls standing next to me, very excited indeed.

Bleed From Within

The bands that have the best stage presence know how to connect with their audience; they know how to send the crowd into a frenzy. Cancer Bats were another band that did just that. With Cancer Bats, the audience were as much a part of the show as the band were, and there was a constant stream of fans climbing on stage to stage dive. It helped that there were no barriers to the Etnies stage and even the girls were clambering to be a part of the stage diving action. Cancer Bats were my favourite band of the weekend and I felt exhilarated watching them. When that feeling of euphoria stays long after the show has ended, you know it’s been a good one.

Cancer Bats

The weather was gorgeous most of the time and I blame the sunshine for missing a few good bands. It was pure bliss sitting in the sun with a girlie beer and a few jagers, soaking up the festival atmosphere. Unfortunately a shower of rain later on in the day drove me into the main tent where Cute Is What We Aim For was playing. Thankfully the rain didn’t last long, and I hotfooted out of that tent as soon as possible. I don’t think anyone over the age of fourteen could possibly have enjoyed that show. Later that evening, Hatebreed restored the balance with a brutal performance, and the evening ended pleasantly with Flogging Molly.

Campsite at Groezrock

We got up ‘early’ on the Saturday to watch Teenage Bottlerocket. Although it was midday, it felt like 8 o’clock in the morning. It may have been perfect weather during the daytime, but in the evening, it was freezing cold and sleeping in a tent is not comfortable at all. I did the girlie thing and complained bitterly about all the things I hated about camping, while wearily making my way to the main tent. I soon forgot all about showers, straighteners and how much I desperately needed a decent cup of coffee as I was soon wide awake when the band kick started the party mood for Saturday. They were just awesome! They even managed to get the teenage bottlerockers to start a circle pit. I had a good laugh when a grumpy guy with a KISS t-shirt walk out of the tent half way through the gig. Intentional? They may not be bigger than Kiss, but Teenage Bottlerocket played to a full tent, which for a midday slot in the main tent, is pretty impressive.

When you have a great line-up, it’s inevitable that there will be overlaps and you will have some tough choices to make. On the Friday I had wanted to see Miss May I, but not at the expense of missing Bleed From Within. On the Saturday, I thought I had a plan… watch Streetlight Manifesto then head on over to see Asking Alexandria. Unfortunately Streetlight Manifesto were so enjoyable I forgot to leave early to make my way to the Eastpak Stage. By the time I got there the tent was packed to capacity. Asking Alexandria sounded great from the outside, but there was no chance of getting in to see them, so I retired back to a spot in the sun with a delicious Rosée beer.

Artwork in the arena

Back at the camp site, we enjoyed the company of our weekend neighbours. Initially I was a bit annoyed that we were driven like cattle to a spot where we had to pitch our tents, unlike Sonisphere were you can choose your spot and camp with friends. It all worked out nicely in the end though, and we met some cool people from Austria and Holland, and it made spending time back at the camp site very amusing. It was also an oppertunity to swop notes on our favourite bands, and it was our 'neighbours' who suggested watching Blood for Blood before heading off to see Descendants. I enjoyed Blood for Blood so much that I slipped out of Descendants to continue watching them. After Descendants we made history by taking part in the world’s biggest gathering of air guitar players, and made a new world record in the process. Then on to more fun and the Dropkick Murphy’s, who got the main tent dancing and doing the jig. The festival ended with NoFX, who started off by insulting Belgium and then each other. No harm done, they played a show that almost never ended… until security eventually managed to get the accordion player off stage amidst much booing. His solo set at the end seemed to appeal to the very drunk and very devoted NoFX fans who were quite happy for him to continue. That may have ended the night of music in the arena, but back at the campsite, the parties were far from over….

After packing up, we headed for Amsterdam. There seemed to be quite a few like-minded people who had decided to do the same; the green wristband easily identifying other festival goers. We met people who had travelled from South Africa, Switzerland, Greece, and of course the UK. We also met up with Jordi from Jaya The Cat, who gave me a sneaky listen to one of the songs on the new album they are working on. With it's catchy beat, I still can't get that song out of my head. Hurry up Jaya The Cat and finish the album please - I want it!

Hit The Deck Festival

2011-04-19T16:51:00.000-07:00

Hit The Deck Festival 18.04.2011

Venue: Nottingham Rock City, Rescue Rooms, Stealth

Bleed from Within

Hit the Deck Festival proved to be wildly popular, and was Sold Out days before the event. The various venues in Rock City, Rescue Rooms and Stealth were packed. I was one of the fortunate one’s that got my tickets just in time, but had to pay an extra fiver each for the privilege of a ‘door’ ticket. Still worth it, as there were three bands I really wanted to see, Feed the Rhino, Bleed from Within and Cancer Bats, three bands that I was curious about, Deaf Havana, The Ghost Inside and Comeback Kid, and as with most festivals, there is usually always an opportunity to discover a ‘new’ band. For £25 I felt I would get my money’s worth.

Feed The Rhino

Feed the Rhino

I started my festival experience with Feed the Rhino who played on the Atticus stage in the Rescue Rooms. They were every bit as good as when they played at Hammerfest. Mind blowingly good, every member gave 200% on stage and their performance was pure Hardcore energy. There was crowd surfing and everyone seemed to be having fun. My only gripe – their set was wayyyyy tooo short! This band is one of my newest favourites and I wanted more. I certainly think they will have outgrown the Rescue rooms by the time next year’s Hit the Decks comes around.

Feed the Rhino

After Feed the Rhino, I nipped over to the main stage at Rock City to see Deaf Havana. I had heard one of their songs on a CD that came with a copy of Metal Hammer and thought it sounded quite good. To be honest, I only stayed for one song, as that is all I could manage. After watching a band as wild as Feed the Rhino, I found Deaf Havana to be quite dull on stage. I was very surprised to see the main venue packed to capacity and people were singing along. I may have missed something, but personally, I don’t want to see tame at a hardcore festival.

Feed The Rhino

On to another band I am loving at the moment, Bleed from Within. I made my way back to Stealth, but due to the packed venues I decided to forgo seeing The Ghost Inside to get a good spot for Bleed from Within. A good call as I got right up front – which is exactly where I like to be. Again, lots of crowd surfing, and due to not much of a barrier between the stage and the crowd, there was lots of stage diving too. Bleed from Within played an intense set. Even better, thanks to the boys with their beautiful long hair, there was lots of headbanging. Nice – just the way I like it! Placed a big star next to their name on my Groezrock itinerary. To say that I am delighted at seeing them play again in a few days is an understatement. I could see that performance night after night after night!

Bleed from Within

Being the first Hit The Deck, I think some bands popularity may have been underestimated. We tried to meet some friends in the Rescue Rooms to see Comeback Kid. The people waiting in the queue could easily have filled the venue, and I think there were quite a few disappointed people as we waited in the queue for the duration of the concert and we didn’t get close to the door. Despite realising there was no chance we were going to get in, we decided to wait in the queue anyway as Cancer Bats were on afterwards. Apparently Comeback Kid were incredible, or so said the people leaving the venue after the gig, covered in sweat. Main stage next year perhaps?

Bleed from Within

Despite queuing for ages to see Cancer Bats, it didn’t get me a good spot in the front, what it did get me was a spot right in the mosh pit! All I can say is – it was INSANE! I think the only thing that prevented the venue from going even wilder was that everyone was packed like sardines. I managed to move to the back of the venue, but it was so packed I couldn’t see a thing. When are venues going to design rooms with sloped floors so that those at the back can also see the band. A gig is very much a visual experience, or at least it should be. I can listen to music at home. At a gig, I want to actually see the band.. So despite having been to a Cancer Bats gig, they are still very much on my bands I would love to SEE live list.. Next year, Cancer Bats… MAIN STAGE.

Feed the Rhino

Children of Bodom

2011-04-09T17:13:00.000-07:00

The Ugly World Tour, Rock City, Nottingham, 7th April 2011-04-08 Supported by Machinae Supremacy, Ensiferum and the mighty Amon Amarth.

I’ve mentioned the thrill of discovering a new live band when going to a gig with no expectations. Unfortunately the opposite is true when you have high expectations, and it’s not all that. The band I was most looking forward to seeing in 2011 was Children of Bodom. I even booked a half day off work to go to the pre-show signing, my first for a band. Why? Alexi. If you are a girl reading this, then no further explanation needed. If you are a guy, let me spell it out; A-L-E-X-I. I admit it is rather sad for a woman of a certain age to be queuing up with teenagers to see a boy in a band. I texted a mate to tell her what I was up to, and she texted back ‘Loser’! Indeed! But for me the formula hasn’t changed since my teenage years: Cute Guy + Flying V = Swooooon. Back to reality and the signing process was very impersonal and a bit of an anti-climax. The band looked bored, as if it was just another day in the office. In fact, I have seen colleagues show more enthusiasm for their office jobs, one of which had asked if I was going to see Children of Boredom. He may have been on to something. And who wouldn’t be bored of their jobs without the human interaction. Security guard grabbed the single out of my hand and handed it to the first band member, who signed it and handed it to the next, until it made its way to the end of the assembly line and back to another security guard who handed a signed copy back to me. There was no interaction or photo’s with the band, not even the opportunity to tell them how excited I was at the prospect of seeing them play later. Surely bands feed off the energy, devotion and love of their fans? The only hint of a facial expression was when I took a photo and Alexi looked up, surprised and caught off guard. I was really hoping the mood of the band would change when they got on stage. It was clear they didn’t want to be there.

Children of Bodem

Children of Bodom

Alexi Laiho

Despite a long queue to get into Rock City, I still managed to get right to the front. An almost coveted position…the most coveted is centre stage, right in front of the lead singer. I was to the right of the stage, in the same position where I had seen Hardcore Superstar two weeks earlier. My excitement dissolved when I realised I was standing near someone who smelt of cabbage. No chance of moving though. The kid next to me also spent most of the gig with his arms folded! Maybe there was another show called Children of Boredom, maybe that kid should have been there. What he should have done was give up his space to the girl behind us who was desperately trying to worm her way to the front for Amon Amarth. Sorry sweetheart, but I had to suffer through the first support band who were awful (I only googled to see who they were to ensure that I never see them again). The next support band, Ensiferum, were a vast improvement. They came out in the kind of outfits I have always hoped to see Amon Amarth in, viking skirts! They did however make the mistake of going topless. Reminder to bands: unless you have a taught tummy, don’t go shirtless on stage…. I’m not saying that all band members should be in perfect shape, as great musicians come in all shapes and sizes. It’s just not a pretty sight to see someone bent over their guitar with fat rolls distracting you from an otherwise magical moment. Cover it up with a nice band tee-shirt…please.

May I suggest a nice band tee Ensiferum

Ensiferum

The support bands only got better and I already liked Amon Amarth. The lead singer is a beast of a man, and it wouldn't work any other way. This is a band of Vikings, so a petite pretty boy for a lead singer wouldn’t be very convincing at all. The audience LOVED Amon Amarth, and once done, wanted an encore. Come back, come back, they wanted more of the Vikings. Now this is a band that really enjoyed themselves on stage. They lapped up the love and gave it back in abundance with an awesome show.

Amon Amarth

Amon Amarth - having fun on stage

Amon Amarth

If I had to describe in one word how I felt about seeing Children of Bodom on stage, it would be ‘meh’. It wasn’t a bad gig but it lacked enthusiasm and the band didn’t appear to be having nearly as much fun as Amon Amarth had earlier. Alexi seemed more reserved on stage than I expected. I expected showmanship, and there was an ooh moment when he did that guitar swinging around his neck thing – but that was about it. I am used to band members ‘visiting’ the sides of the stage to connect with the audience on all sides. Now I appreciate that being the lead singer and a guitarist can’t be easy and you have to stay close to a mike so can’t spend too much time running around the stage. However, he choose to spend his non singing moments stepped back into the centre of the stage, or up with the keyboardist. We had noticed the keyboardist; he had a pair of bright red knickers and other ladies undergarments attached to his keyboard, so he was unmissable. I would have been in my element if Alexi had made his way to my side of the stage, but sadly that wasn’t going to happen. My camera also decided to break halfway through the show (system error…) which was a blessing in disguise. He wasn’t going to get close enough or pose for the shot I had in my head, so I gave up my front row place for what turned out to be a better position closer to the bar. The sound was a lot better from there as well. Highlight of the evening for me was when they played Angels Don’t Kill. Before the show I had thought that if there was one song that I wanted to hear, then that was it. So although the show wasn't exactly what I expected, it was still definately worth it.

Children of Bodom

In the end I didn’t end up running away to rock n roll heaven with Alexi, and some of you may be wondering if boyfriend is at all bothered by my ooo’ing and ahhhhhing over pretty band boys. For the record, he’s not bothered at all, and finds it quite amusing that he has a groupie for a girlfriend. He knows who I wake up next to in the morning, and the morning after the COB gig it wasn’t Alexi. On the bright side, boyfriend does make a nice cup of coffee, and what more does a girl need first thing in the morning than a nice hot steamy…. cup of coffee.

Alexi Laiho

Into Ruins

2011-04-06T13:15:00.000-07:00

March 30th, Grosvenor Pub Nottingham
I love supporting local bands. It’s not all about the big names and Rock City. Nottingham is brimming with talented musicians. Into Ruins is a very young, very new band, and they were playing one of their first gigs in Notts. It’s exciting to see a band in its infancy, so full of eagerness and confidently playing all 6 of their songs. There’s no playing to the crowds.. yet, although I was impressed by the turnout as I have seen more established bands play to less. They showed they can get a crowd going when they covered Drowning Pool's 'Let the Bodies Hit the Floor'. With time, experience, and a few more songs, they will just get better and better. I predict we will be seeing a lot more of Into Ruins. Watch this space.

Into Ruins

Hardcore Superstar

2011-04-06T11:42:00.000-07:00

Saturday 26^th March, Rock City, Nottingham
I love living in Nottingham. It has an amazing variety of live musical offerings and I am often spoilt for choice when it comes to deciding what bands to see. The last weekend in March saw me thoroughly enjoying a weekend of glam rock and rock reggae. The highlight being the glam rockers Hardcore Superstar, one of the bands on the Dark Decadence tour. They quickly got everyone in Rock City in the mood, playing favourites such as Into Debauchery, My Good Reputation, Wild Boys and Dreamin in a Casket. The lead singer gave a very energetic performance, fit in every sense of the word; he ran and danced around the stage leaving everyone else breathless. There was no shortage of eye candy on stage and the Swedish glam rockers put on quite a show, engaging the audience, and pulling fans onstage to sing along. After stirring the crowd up with Last Call for Alcohol, the band left the stage to chants of ‘We don’t Celebrate Sundays’. Surely they hadn’t left it off the setlist... then to everyone’s relief, they walked back on stage for a spectacular encore that left everyone satisfied when they ended off the night with the long awaited for, We Don’t Celebrate Sundays. With that I left the front of the stage with a big smile on my face. But wait….the show wasn’t over, they were one of the support bands not the Headliner! Knowing nothing could top that performance, I headed over to the bar, where I was engaged in a debate over who was the hottest, the lead singer or the shirtless drummer who looked a little like Tommy Lee from Mötley Crüe…

Click on this link for more photos of the Hardcore Superstar gig in Nottingham Rock City

Hardcore Superstar

Jaya the Cat

2011-04-06T11:03:00.000-07:00

Sunday night, the 27th March, and The Maze in Nottingham was a total contrast to the previous night at Rock City watching the Swedish glam rockers. Dreadlocks instead of teased hairdo’s and the more laid back intimate feeling of The Maze compared to the big stage of Rock City. With Hardcore Superstar songs still playing in my head, I was finding it difficult to get into the mood of the night at first, even though I love Jaya the Cat, and have seen them live many times. They have a set of very catchy tunes that make you want to dance, but that’s where their similarity to the glam rockers end. There’s no pretty boys wearing eyeliner running around the stage, it’s a different sort of energy. There’s no glam, but there is rock. Jaya have a unique sound, a bit of reggae, a bit of ska, bit of punk, bit of edgy rock. They start off with Twist the Cap, and that’s it, the dance floor is packed, everyone is singing along and Jaya have put me in the mood to party. El Camino, Thank You Reggae, Closing Time, they are playing all my favourites. With Jaya the Cat, the party continues all night long and the next morning everyone is singing Hello Hangover.

Jaya the Cat

Hammerfest III Day I

2011-04-05T23:56:00.000-07:00

Friday 18^th March 2011, Pontins Holiday Camp in Prestatyn, North Wales

The only reason I went to Hammerfest this year was because I won tickets. I had only heard of three of the bands, so wasn’t planning to go. That would have been a bad choice on my part. What an amazing amazing weekend! The sun was out; it was gorgeous outside, and even better inside. We arrived on the Friday afternoon deliberately in time to see Ravenface. I enjoyed them, and along with the pre-show Jäger, it was a very good start to the weekend. My mates put them down as a firm favourite of the weekend. The band members were so young, so polite, and they kindly posed for fan photographs after the gig.

Ravenface

After a frenzy of you-tubing before Hammerfest to get a feel for the bands I wanted to see, Feed the Rhino was in the YES column on my ‘bands I have to see spreadsheet’. I hit the Replay button on Mr Red Eye several times. Live – well they lived up to my expectations. Definitely a band I want to see again, and they make the Hit The Deck Festival 2011 at Rock City a very feasible option.

Feed the Rhino

Next on the spreadsheet was Sylosis, but only because it was the band that everyone else in the group wanted to see. I had seen them before and wasn’t blown away. I was hoping that the main stage would show them in a different light. I enjoy listening to their music, but on stage, there’s nothing much that does it for me. I can’t put my finger on it; I just have no desire to see them live… I did get a nice picture though so wasn’t all in vain. My mates disagreed. They thought Sylosis were all that and then some.

Sylosis

Bleed from Within was one of the reasons I entered the Metal Hammer competition. I love the song The Novelist. I would travel all the way to Wales just to hear them play that song. Wow (I said that a lot that weekend). I just loved them. So far, and Hammerfest was soooooo good. So glad I will be seeing Bleed from Within at Groezrock in a few weeks – yes yes yes!

Bleed from Within

It had been a long day of drinking, playing football in the sun outside the chalets during the afternoon, and watching some pretty awesome bands. We were all exhausted and battling to stay awake for Ill Niño who took to the main stage after 12.30. I was instantly awake when Ill Niño came on and just ruled the stage. I was in awe, their music is so much heavier live – and they were well worth the wait. Went to bed happy and with my head reeling from one of the most perfect days. A gathering of great friends and great music - good times.

Ill Niño

Hammerfest III Day II

2011-04-05T15:37:00.000-07:00

Saturday 19^th March 2011, Pontins Holiday Camp in Prestatyn, North Wales

For the Friday line-up at Hammerfest, I had my list of bands I ‘Had To See’, but for the Saturday, there was nothing in particular I wanted to see. I just wandered around following friends who had their own itinerary. Sometimes having no expectations is the best thing. I had no idea what pleasures I was going to experience.

Taiwanese band CthoniC

We wandered into the Stage Two Jagermeister arena to find a band I had never heard of before, Cthonic playing. An instant Wow went through my head. This band has to be on the main stage next year. I didn’t know a single song they played, but it was all good. Very powerful stuff. I’m sure the sexy female bassist was a welcome sight for the male audience. I certainly enjoyed photographing her.

CthoniC

Talking about sexy bass players, I have to thank my friend Paul for wanting to see Entombed, as this was the pinnacle of the weekend for me. Wow wow wow wow wow. Victor Brandt is HOT on stage. The End.

Victor Brandt of Entombed

Oh yes, I also saw a bit of Satyricon. They don’t have Victor Brandt playing for them anymore – pity….

Satyricon

Entombed

Abgott

2011-04-05T14:06:00.000-07:00

March started off with Abgott playing in Leicester at Firebug. It was my first gig at Firebug and I loved the venue. It was a pain trying to get parking close to the venue though, and as a result I missed the first support band. This isn’t usually an issue, except that Adam Onslaught, the promoter for this event, usually has a sterling line-up and I get the feeling that he only puts on bands that he would want to see himself. Quality. I walked in as Funeral Throne were playing and was I glad I hadn’t missed them! Impressive. I also enjoyed Primitive Graven Image.

Funeral Throne

However, I was there to see Abgott. I had seen them at Hammerfest II and was looking forward to seeing them play locally. The lead singer Agamoth, is a charismatic front man, and I love the deep quality of his voice. He holds the crowds attention, although my eyes kept wandering to the gorgeous sexy black and red guitar that Thanatos was effortlessly playing like a rock star. The set seemed far too short but was very powerful. I could have listened to them play for ages more. The treat of the evening was when they covered Megadeth’s Holy Wars. But enough about the music, did I mention they have a very 'pretty' bass player – and excellent taste in boots!

Abgott

Abgott at Hammerfest II

Something Wild

2011-04-03T10:03:00.000-07:00

Deathstars

My passion in life is live music and photographing beautiful boys in bands (as well as my beautiful friends having the time of their life). I go to so many live gigs and festivals and fall in love with a new band on a regular basis. That heady exhilarating feeling of falling in love leads me to go on and on about a new band I've heard to anyone who will listen, hence this blog. My taste is so varied, but my favourite bands tend to have a heavy metal influence. I love songs where the heaviness of the lead guitar travels straight through my body to my soul. I can't be bothered with following specific labels and take the punk stance on this - labels are for trendies. I am not in the slightest bit interested in Chanel or Louis Vuitton, and likewise, I don't care much when Heavy Metal is dissected into Death Metal, Thrash, Black Metal, Glam Rock, Emo, or whether it's Hardcore, Punk or whatever. I listen to it all. As a girl, I have so many moods, and need different songs to work those moods. I love the energy of the bands I see and a visually pleasing show will have me wanting for more. I am a girly girl and love it when a hot boy holds his guitar in the air, or when the beautiful one's take off their shirts (note to band members who have beer bellies - keep ur t-shirt on boys!). I love men with long long hair, I love the way they headbang, I love their flying V's, I love the way they hold their guitars and tilt their bodies, I love the make-up, I love metal tees, tight jeans and boots. But most of all I love the way these bands make me feel; happy, carefree and young again. They make me forget that I work in an open plan office and that there's dishes and chores to do. Most importantly, they have been a part of many many crazy crazy nights!

Deathstars

The Pleasures

Hardcore Superstar