Raging Speedhorn Return!
New album and Tour Announced for 2017
Album – Lost Ritual
Release Date – July 15th 2016
Label – Independent
Track Listing:
1. Bring Out Your Dead
2. Halfway To Hell
3. Motorhead
4. Evil Or Mental
5. Ten Of Swords
6. Dogshit Blues
7. The Hangman
8. Shit Outta Luck
9. Comin’ Home
10. Unleash The Serpent
“Raging Speedhorn still give the impression that they could cheerfully burn the venue down and piss on its smouldering remains!” - Dom Lawson, Metal Hammer
After nearly a decade in the wilderness, Raging Speedhorn have finally returned with their brand new album, “Lost Ritual”! The band’s first record in eleven years with vocalist Frank Regan, the debut release for guitarist Jim Palmer, and made possible by the incredible Pledge donations by fans round the world. “Lost Ritual” mixes together classic Speedhorn elements with dark, new dimensions never before attempted by the band.
Since reforming, Speedhorn have spent the last two years reminding the British metal crowd why they were, and still are, one of the most beloved and best live bands on the planet. Between decimating small venues at flattening volume, the band have also annihilated stages at some of the UK’s biggest festivals; including Sonisphere, Bloodstock & Damnation, to name a few.
Away from the live circuit, Speedhorn have busied themselves in the studio, with 2015’s “Halfway To Hell”. The single received its debut on UK rock radio, and went on to receive airplay across Europe. While its accompanying video scored its first screening on Scuzz TV. The track was later picked up for a Split 7” with New Jersey space rockers Monster Magnet through German label, H42 Records.
With a string of dates lined up, and more to come, one thing above all is clear; Raging Speedhorn are back.
Skindred/Raging Speedhorn UK February Tour:
Jan 31st - Brighton - Concorde 2
Feb 2nd - Derby - The Venue
Feb 3rd - Edinburgh - Liquid Room
Feb 4th - Inverness - Ironworks
Feb 5th - Carlisle - Brickyard
Feb 7th - Liverpool - O2 Academy
Feb 8th - York - Fibbers
Feb 9th - Holmfirth - Picturedrome
Website – facebook.com/ragingspeedhorn
Beth Hart Live
Bridgewater Hall Manchester, 21 November 2016
November and December 2016 have given up some of the best live performances of the year for us. Up to this point it had been a good year but not a great one, albeit one of the most diverse for a long time. Then came the amazing Christine and The Queens show in Manchester that blew me away with its skill, musicality and artistry. Rachael Yamagata maintained the momentum with her empassioned solo performance in a tiny pub venue in Manchester. Finally, Beth Hart who visited Manchester’s wonderful Bridgewater Hall as part of her world tour. Three ladies, three genres, all at the very top of their art, and 100% in touch with their respective audiences.
Vancouver blues man Colin James provided a more than adequate warm-up act along with sideman Chris Cadell. This was pure blues rock with wonderful guitar artistry and a vocal that was totally convincing. With numerous albums under his belt, James played a brief best-of that the audience loved.
I came to know Beth Hart via her masterful collaboration with Joe Bonamassa in 2011. The album was DON’T EXPLAIN; a collection of classic soul interpretations. If you love either artist or just love your music, you owe yourself this album. It was at this point in her recording career that Hart chose to use as she opened her concert in Manchester.
Hart’s band arrived on stage and started the intro to ‘Your Heart Is As Black As Night’ when Hart’s voice seemed to appear from nowhere. Then, looking back, Hart was at the rear of the venue singing her way down one of the aisles. I should mention that this special galleried venue was packed with several punters vying to shake Hart’s hand as she went. She responded by hugging and greeting up to the point she reached the stage. It was a wonderful opening gambit and an appropriate introduction to a show that was generally highly personnel and emotive.
Then comes a rocky ‘Rhymes’ from her 2013 Joe Bonamassa collaborative album and an invitation from Hart to us to join in and boogy! There followed a best-of setlist which of course majored on the latest album, FIRE ON THE FLOOR, a more optimistic collection of songs that her previous, more intimate opus. Her band provided great support with an especially great rhythmic display from her drummer Bill Ransom.
Special moments arrived one after another but if I was to pick just one it would be Hart playing at her piano performing ‘Sister Herione’ with its intimate meaning and deeply expressive delivery. Hart touches just about every genre but underneath the surface is always her commitment to the blues. Most songs performed came with a brief Hart background explanation and a feeling that she loved her audience who responded with great acclaim at every turn.
Finally the inevitable encore arrived which signalled another walk amongst the fans during ‘Waterfalls’. Some years ago I witnessed a BB King arena concert and was taken aback by how powerful his voice was - it effortlessly reached every corner of the 11,000 seater venue. I was similarly struck with Hart’s voice which was both powerful and able to adapt to the mood and vibe of her songs - at times deeply intimate, at others boldly rocky. This was the most passionate performance of the year from a true world star. Adele could learn something here…
SETLIST
Your Heart Is as Black as Night 2011 (Melody Gardot cover)
Rhymes 2013 (Al Green cover)
Bang Bang Boom Boom 2012
Swing My Thing Back Around 2012
Love Gangster 2016
Good Day to Cry 2016
Delicious Surprise 2000
Let’s Get Together 2016
I’ll Take Care of You 2011 (Bobby “Blue” Bland cover)
Sister Heroine 2011
Leave the Light On 2007
Picture in a Frame 2016
Wash Your Feet
Today Came Home
St. Teresa 2015
Love Is a Lie 2016
Tell Her You Belong to Me 2015
Encore:
Waterfalls 2007
Fire on the Floor 2016
Woman You’ve Been Dreaming Of 2016
As Long as I Have a Song 2015
A Thousand Horses Live
Club Academy Manchester, 1 December 2016
The Band Members
Michael Hobby – Lead Vocal
Bill Satcher – Lead Guitar
Zach Brown – Guitar and Vocal
Graham Deloach – Bass and Vocal
“I first heard “Smoke” (A Thousand Horses debut single) on US country radio earlier this year, I loved it and immediately hit the Shazam button to find out more. It seems I was not alone and over the course of a couple of months “Smoke” steadily climbed the country airplay charts to hit the Number 1 slot just prior to the release of Southernality. No mean feat when you consider that Zac Brown Band were the last country band to do it with “Chicken Fried” in 2008”
This was to be my introduction to this relatively unknown new Nashville, USA band and their music. However, word seems to have got out about this band and its debut album…Manchester University’s Club Academy venue was packed and on a very cold Manchester winter’s evening, the venue was humid and hot like a Summer’s Nashville night.
As the band mounted the stage I noticed that there were a few ‘extra’ players on board made up of a couple of extra musicians and two female backing singers. A brief welcome from leadman Michael Hobby and off they flew with a humdinger of an intro called ‘Blaze Of Something’. This doesn’t appear on the bands latest album and is either penned for the next album or a historic and much loved remnant. Be that as it may I was left in no doubt as to the country rock nature of the band’s music and the crowd reaction was instantaneous.
Then came the first new song in ‘Travelin’ Man’ full of Southern Rock bravado with relentless and heavy waves of drums and guitar backed by a class vocal and backing harmonies. Hell, there’s even a tangible melody and a develish guitar solo to hold this muther together. More loud cheers and the band seems a little surprised by the warm reception from this very mixed aged crowd.
Then another newie called ‘Heaven Is Close’ but this time slower, more emo and a prime example on how Hobby’s gruff vocal can deliver any mood or pace. It’s a cowboy rock beauty made even more special with pedal steel and female backing vocals making making their musical mark! ‘(This Ain’t No) Drunk Dial’ is also somewhat toned down but feels like a hook laden radio belter in the making.
Unusually, the band opted for an acoustic set of seven more songs which garbered even more audience acclaim. Included were more great songs from the new album including the beautiful and heartbreaking ‘Back To Me’ and bittersweet tale in ‘Landslide’.
An encore was demanded and delivered in spades with the Stateside country rock hit ‘Smoke’ and rollicking ditty ‘First Time’. A Thousand Horses completed one of the best sets seen and heard by me in 2016. There was more enthusiasm, love of music and skill than you could poke a stick at, and I’ve got to hand it to those Manchester fans who have picked a rather special winner.
Setlist
Blaze Of Something
Travelin’ Man
Heaven Is Close
(This Ain’t No) Drunk Dial
Trailer Thrashed
Tennessee Whiskey
Preachin’ To The Choir
Feelin’ Alright
Acoustic Set
Just For Tonight
Back To Me
Hard To Handle
Sunday Morning
Bridges
Landslide
Southernality
Encore
Smoke
First Time
The Boxer Rebellion Live
Gorilla Manchester, 1 December 2016
Boxer Rebellion Band
Nathan Nicholson - vocals
Andrew Smith - guitar
Adam Harrison - bass
Piers Hewitt - drums
It’s been several months since I heard The Boxer Rebellion for the first time when their latest album, OCEAN BY OCEAN, arrived for review. I was both surprised and impressed. Surprised by the strong dance vibe of the record and impressed by the quality of songs and performances. It became an early contender for our albums of the year list. I just had to see the Boxer Rebellion live.
That ambition was realised a few weeks out from Christmas in Manchester at a venue that I thought would suit the band and their latest music down to the ground. I wasn’t wrong. Opening with the closing song off the new album, ‘Let It Go’, was a relatively gentle introduction to the band with its mid-paced speed and dreamy vibe. The deep railway arch acoustics suited the echoed sound of synth, percussion and Nicholson’s falsetto tones.
‘Big Ideas’ from the new album pushed the envelope a little more with its more aggressive sound led by Nicholson’s powerful vocal, Smith’s plucked guitar and Hewitt’s driving drums. The sell-out audience swayed big time to this Spektor-esque soundstage and a song that almost managed to match its recording studio sound quality. It’s rushed climax gave way to 2011’s ‘Step Out Of The Car’ which immediately left me with the impression that Boxer had moved on apace, and in a good way.
This was followed four more songs from between 2005 and 2013 which further underlined the how the band had progressed through the years. Then a song that I did recognise. ‘Weapon’ opens the new album and offers a bit of gentler respite with its slower, rolling vibe, strong melody and lighter ambience. It was then back to the past with a vintage fan-friendly ‘Diamonds’ and others from the past that provided some of the strongest positive reactions of the night from the packed audience.
The band’s well deserved encore featured one of my highlights of the show in the brand new ‘Keep Me Close’ with its slow burning opening, assertive rhythmic beat and wide ranging vocal that reached impossible heights. The song builds in scope before eventually giving way to vintage favourites ‘No Harm’ from 2011 and finally ‘The Gospel of Goro Adachi’ from 2009.
This was a fabulous show with popular setlist that covered every Boxer album, and performances from each of the players that came together as an accomplished whole. Nicholson’s falsetto struggled occasionally to keep its composure but given the demands of many of these songs it was a vocal performance to cherish. This band delivered, big-time!
Setlist
Let It Go (2016)
Big Ideas (2016)
Step Out Of The Car (2011)
We Have This Place Surrounded (2005)
Semi-Automatic (2009)
New York (2013)
You Belong To Me (2013)
Always (2013)
Weapon (2016)
Diamonds (2013)
These Walls Are Thin (2009)
Let’s Disappear (2016)
Caught By The Light (2011)
Evacuate (2009)
Flight (2005)
Keep Me Close (2016)
No Harm (2011)
The Gospel of Goro Adachi (2009)
The Slow Show Live
Gorilla Manchester, 29 November 2016
Slow Show Band
Rob Goodwin (vocals, guitar)
Frederik’t Kindt (keyboards)
Joel Byrne-McCullough (lead guitar)
Chris Hough (drums)
James Longden (bass)
“Silence is the loudest noise you can possibly have in music. Whether on an album or at a concert, silence brings tension and an uncomfortable feeling that’s so powerful” Rob Goodwin, The Slow Show
One of the best gigs of the year showcasing a Manchester band who have made a significant impact on those who have heard the band’s two albums. Radio/TV airplay has been non-existant as major players like the BBC tend to ignore the very best of music while prefering to honour the acts, like the venerable Coldplay, that are most favoured on radio. Yet despite this unjust and unfair bias Slow Show sold out the Gorilla venue while still securing the admiration of serious, independent critics.
For Slow Show I reckon this homecoming show will be their favourite as they ploughed their way through a best-of setlist and garnered increasing acclaim from loyal locals as the show progressed. While I love the quality, emotion and distinction of their albums I was a little surprised by how good live this band is. Goodwin has to be one of the most sincere and expressive frontmen around at the moment. He has this enormous talent of effortlessly connecting with his audience and of course inspiring with his distinctive voice. His support musicians are of great quality as each of them demonstrated their talent individually and as a homegenous whole with each passing song.
I’ve been struggling in 2016 to be truly inspired by a British live band so on the night I was delighted to strike gold - 24K gold! You need this band!!
Setlist
Strangers Now
Breaks Today
Augustine
Dry My Bones
Paint You Like a Rose
Dresden
Lullaby
Brawling Tonight
Hopeless Town
Hurts
This Time
Last Man Standing
Flowers to Burn
Ordinary Lives
Lucky Me, Lucky You
Encore:
Brother
Bloodline
God Only Knows
Blue Aeroplanes Are Back!
THE BLUE AEROPLANES RETURN WITH “WELCOME, STRANGER!” ON JANUARY 6TH 2017 AND ANNOUNCE UK TOUR
The Blue Aeroplanes’ unique amalgam of rock, folk, poetry, punk, dance and art has been an acknowledged influence on a wide range of bands including REM and Radiohead. Combining pop smarts with serious weirdness, they have released almost thirty albums on various labels, several of which have charted in the UK Top 40 and the US Alternative Top 10.
Their 1990 album ‘Swagger’ was ‘Rock Album Of The Year’ in many publications including The Sunday Times. Ex-members have gone on to play with Massive Attack, Suede, Placebo, Goldfrapp and Primal Scream, while for many years they shared multi-instrumentalist Ian Kearey with folk legends the Oyster Band. They remain the only group to have been banned from The Rainbow Lounge, Lemmy’s favourite hangout, and been invited to play at the Hay-On-Wye Literary Festival.
Now comes the release of the band’s twelfth studio album, ‘Welcome, Stranger!’, recorded by the longest-lasting Aeroplanes line up to date. Original members Gerard Langley (poet/singer), and John Langley (drummer), sometimes with Wojtek Dmochowski (dancer), are joined by Gerard Starkie, formerly the main man of Witness and an Aeroplane since 2006, Chris Sharp (bassist and owner of The Fleece venue in Bristol), a band member since 2008, and the more recent additions Bec Jevons (guitarist and front-person of I Destroy) and guitarist Mike Youe. John and Mike also play with Bristol punk legend (and ex-Aeroplane) Rita Lynch, while Gerard is also Head Of Songwriting at BIMM Bristol, where he was responsible for guiding the early steps of George Ezra, among others.
The Blue Aeroplanes will be touring the UK in January 2017. See full dates below:
LIVERPOOL
O2 Academy 2 Liverpool
Wed, 11/01/17
MANCHESTER
Manchester Ruby Lounge
Thu, 12/01/17
NEWCASTLE
O2 Academy 2 Newcastle
Fri, 13/01/17
EDINBURGH
Voodoo Rooms
Sat, 14/01/17
GLASGOW
Stereo, Glasgow
Sun, 15/01/17
NOTTINGHAM
Nottingham Rescue Rooms
Wed, 18/01/17
LONDON
O2 Academy Islington
Sat, 21/01/17
OXFORD
The Cellar
Wed, 25/01/17
SHEFFIELD
Sheffield Leadmill
Thu, 26/01/17
NORWICH
Norwich Arts Centre
Fri, 27/01/17
BRIGHTON
Patterns
Sat, 28/01/17
EXETER
The Cavern, Exeter
Sun, 29/01/17
Buy tickets here:
|
|
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs |
LATEST GALLERY IMAGES
Israel's Secret? 
The Faces of Gaza |
|
|