O2 Academy Islington (2014)
. . . .
The Garage Islington (2012)
. . . .
Wulfrun Hall Wolverhampton (2009)
. .
GD Manofmetal.
Saturday 31 May 2014
Metal Racer [Doro Videos]
O2 Academy Islington (2014)
. . . .
The Garage Islington (2012)
. . . .
Wulfrun Hall Wolverhampton (2009)
. .
GD Manofmetal.
Sunday 25 May 2014
30 Years Strong And Proud
Doro
O2
Academy
Islington
19.05.14
When
you get the Manofmetal on an express train to London It’s got to be for
something special, well it doesn’t get much more special than a one off gig by The
Queen of Heavy Metal Doro Pesch. As part of the ongoing celebrations of
Doro’s thirty year anniversary, it’s 1983 since she burst onto the music scene
with her band Warlock; Doro is playing just one show in England
Having
travelled down to the capital I find myself in the middle of theatre land where
I’m staying for the night and after the disappointment of finding rock pub The
Intrepid Fox boarded up plan B comes into operation, a pub crawl round Soho
before it’s time to journey over to Islington via one of the nine circles of
Hell that is the tube.
So
the scene is set and as the Doro ‘clan’ gather we’re entertained by support act
Nulldb (pronounced Null Dee Bee) a German metal band who sing all their
songs in their native language, not too much of a problem except they manage to
sound like a Teutonic Metallica. The guys in the band were super confident
however and must have thought in their heads they were playing to an audience
of thousands at Wembley stadium instead of a few hundred in the Islington O2
academy. The half hour set they played couldn’t come to an end soon enough for
me, sorry guys, nice try though.
So
after the Metallica flavoured starter let’s move on to the main course and boy
what a main course, like an all you can eat carvery with four meats and real
Yorkshire puds.
Known
as heavy metal’s Queen, Doro Pesch fronts the eponymously named band Doro
whose current line-up is Johnny Dee (Drums) Luca Princiotta (Guitar, Keyboards)
Nick Douglas (Bass) Bas Maas (Guitars) and Harrison Young (Keyboards). They
arrive on stage to a raucous reception from the crowd who’ve crammed into the confines
of the venue to enjoy this special anniversary show.
Doro
herself looks so happy just to be there on stage as she always does, applauding
and thanking her fans at every opportunity throughout the set. A set which
begins with no fewer than four Warlock songs, I Rule the Ruins, Earthshaker
Rock, Burning the Witches and Fight For Rock all classics from the early period
of her career. The next pair of songs are from Doro’s last two studio albums,
Night of the Warlock and the titular Raise Your Fist in the Air, by now both
crowd and band are hot and sweaty as the emotive show gets better and better.
More
than half the material in tonight’s set comes from Doro’s Warlock albums, every
one a gem, songs like Metal Racer, Für Immer, Out of Control, Metal Tango and
the Anthemic chant along song All We
Are. The lyrics are so familiar to the devotees in the house, there’s singing
along aplenty coupled with much chanting and raised ‘horns’ these antics are instigated
and encouraged by Doro herself. Also there’s always room in her shows to pay
homage to her hero’s and influences so Judas Priest’s Breaking the Law and
Dio’s Egypt (The Chains Are On) were enthusiastically received by the knowledgeable
audience, Warlock toured with both Priest and Dio in the past and Doro wrote
the song Hero as a dedication to the late great Ronnie James Dio.
After
what seemed like an infinite drum solo from the spirited Johnny Dee we are
acquainted with the band members by The Queen of Heavy Metal herself while
bassist Nick Douglas does the honours for Doro, with his American drawl and
delivery sounding like he was introducing the heavyweight champion of the
world.
Then
Doro mentions her meeting with fellow metal Queen Jody Turner (I honestly
thought she was gonna walk on stage) Jody is the front woman of Rock Goddess
who have recently re-formed after many years and are currently working on a
brand new album (plug over) Doro seemed hopeful of a collaboration of sorts
‘maybe we can do something together, I always like to do collaborations’ was I
think the quote.
The
show went on and on, twenty two songs in total, nearing and passing the curfew
time Doro just didn’t want to leave the stage asking the crowd to suggest songs
for them to play. Love Me in Black and Unholy Love seemed to bring the curtain
down on a fantastical show however one more request was forthcoming, Evil a rare
Warlock song eventually brought to an end a superb performance by a brilliant
heavy metal band. All six members take a protracted ovation from some of the
most loyal fans in the world, in fact Doro herself seems to feed off the
adulation of her fans like a benign succubus, she is only a year younger than
me and at fifty she still looks like she’s in her early thirties I think that
portrait in her attic was painted by Dorian Gray.
As
we near the halfway mark of 2014 tonight’s show has been a major highlight of
the year so far for me and with the promises of a return to these shores in
December as Saxon’s special guests (for the London show at least) it’s
beginning to look a lot like Christmas…
For
more info on Doro visit the official website:
Doro
on facebook:
Doro
on youTube:
GD
Manofmetal.
Rock Paper Scissors
Sack
Sabbath + Thin Lizzy Experience +
Hi-On Maiden
March
– October
The
rock paper scissors tour features three of the best tribute bands around at the
moment. If you’re a fan of Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden then this
is for you. The tour runs from March to October covering many towns and cities
in England Sheffield the city of steel, here
are my videos from that gig… Enjoy:
To
learn more about these bands check them out on-line:
Sack
Sabbath: http://www.sacksabbath.co.uk/
Thin
Lizzy Exp: http://www.thinlizzyexperience.com/
Thursday 22 May 2014
Noize Leval Critical [Videos]
- Little Mammoth
- Spill 16
- Teenage Casket Co.
- Dirt Box Disco
- Gypsy Pistoleros
- Dead Audio Saints
- The Goddamn Electric
- Hellbound Hearts
- Suicide Tuesday
- The Maze
- Nottingham
- 03.05.14
Saturday 10 May 2014
Noize Leval Critical [Festival Review] Part 2:
Hellbound Hearts + Suicide Tuesday
The Maze
03.05.14
This review is the ‘edited highlights’ of
the first day of the annual two day festival hosted by Noize Level Critical
Radio Show (NLC) in aid of RACP UK (Rock Against Child
Pornography). With around two dozen bands playing over the weekend of the 3rd
and 4th of May at the Maze on Mansfield Nottingham
it’s a positive feast of the best underground bands around at the moment. This
year The Manofmetal only attended day one so here’s my highlights of the second
half of that first day of the festival.
Exit State
are a Lancashire based band I’ve seen many times before, I caught them headlining
this very venue back in January of this year, they always deliver an
entertaining set and today is no exception. Fronted by the likable Roy Bright
(lead vocals/guitar) along with Matt Harris (lead guitar) Phil Ireland (bass)
and Peat Hicks (drums) Exit State fit into the hard rock genre of music but
they make many forays into the realms of heavy metal, punk and indi. They’re
signed to the Rocksector Records label and have achieved much over the last few
years but it’s the quality of their songs that is the main reason why they are
so popular and with three full albums already under their belts there’s plenty
to choose from. Playing for a meagre half hour here at the maze today must have
posed somewhat of a dilemma when compiling their set list, ‘I Know Where You
Are’ off their first album ‘Death of a Rock Star’ and the sing along ‘Is There
Anybody Out There’ being particular favourites of mine, while bringing us bang
up to date ‘Pull the Thread’ from their current album ‘Let’s See it All’ are
the highlights of a quality set.
If you’ve read part one of this review you
might remember a reference I made to ‘rock family trees’ well the next band to
take the stage are progeny of that particular genealogy. Dead Audio Saints
were born only last year, brought forth into the world kicking and screaming
out of the ruins of Velvet Star, upon first viewing both bands don’t seem
dissimilar however there are several contrasts. Lead singer Danny Jones has
reinvented himself for Dead Audio Saints, gone is the shirtless Iggy Pop like
posturing in favour of a darker more erratic performance. The shirt remained on
throughout (despite the pleas of some ladies in the crowd) and using two mics
for the duration of every song (one normal, one with echo) Danny manages to
look and sound considerably different from the Velvet Star days. Inevitably
Dead Audio Saints do play some old Velvet Star songs an occurrence given time
I’m sure will cease to happen. Their facebook blurb says DAS are “Bolstering
gritty garage punk vibes with contemporary loops Dead Audio Saints blur
standard genre lines!” This is a pretty accurate description of what they sound
like but don’t take their word for it or mine, go see them for your self and
report back to me, I’d be interested in your opinions.
The next two bands on the bill here at NLC
festival are new to me, The Goddamn Electric hail from the Manchester
area, they claim to spend more time in the rehearsal room than they do on
hairstyles, this is a fact. With an eclectic appearance The Goddamn Electric
comprising of Tommy (lead vocals) Al (lead guitar) Justin (bass) and Gavin
(drums) took their name from the Pantera song of the same name however they’re
definitely not Pantera clones, they’ve got more in common with bands like Black
Stone Cherry with southern rock and blues overtones to their music. I
definitely want to see this band again as they seemed to be on and off the
stage before I had chance to blink, a hors d'oeuvres when I wanted a three
course meal… with chips.
The penultimate band of the night are Hellbound
Hearts a three piece from York they describe their brand of rock music
thusly: “Saw toothed guitars and a rhythm section capable of levelling a city
block.... rock and roll as it should be.” A bold claim and one they delivered
in a short space of time. Front man Danny Lambert (lead vocals/lead guitar) is
both charismatic and amusing as he chats to the crowd between songs while
constantly retuning his guitar, his brothers in arms are Jase Brooks (bass) and
Andy Black (drums). Again, like the previous band I need to see Hellbound
Hearts again, the too short a set proving tantalising, not satisfying, they
were good solid stripped down hard rock a trait of most three piece bands that
always proves refreshing.
And now the end is near and so I face the
final curtain… Suicide Tuesday ceased to be a functioning band toward
the end of last year but being staunch supporters of the NLC and RACP they’ve
reunited to put in one last performance, to headline day one of the 2014
festival.
So for one last hurrah! Rikki Valentine
(lead vocals) Oz Paul (lead guitar) Luke James (drums) and Jonny Suicide (bass)
have taken to the stage here at the maze to play an emotional set of memorable
songs we all know and love. Songs like ‘Church of Sin’, Dirty Little Thing’ and
the poignantly titled ‘Last Time Around’ It’s like they’ve never been away, in
fact that’s not true, whether it’s the fact that we will never see Suicide
Tuesday again or whether the band members themselves are functioning under a
different mind set to normal I’m not sure but tonight’s show is one of their
best ever performances.
Last year Suicide Tuesday and Gaz Harris
from Gypsy Pistoleros teamed up to record Twisted Sister’s ‘We’re Not Gonna
Take It’ which has become Rock Against Child Pornography and Abuse’s anthem,
the song is available to download, all proceeds going to RACP. Tonight’s show
was finished on that song with Gazz joining Suicide Tuesday on stage along side
guest guitarist Kezza T and the girls of Hell on High Heelz to bring the curtain
down an a fantastic first day of such a worthy festival in aid of such a worthy
cause.
Just one thing though, although Jonny
suicide has moved on to join New Generation Superstars I don’t think we’ve
heard the last of Suicide Tuesday, it aint over till it’s over and in
one form or other I think we will see this popular Nottingham based rock band
return at some point in the future… Watch this space.
For part one of this review check out my
previous posting: http://gd2014reviews.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/noize-leval-critical-festival-review.html
For more information on the bands in this
review follow the links:
Suicide Tuesday: http://www.suicidetuesday.co.uk/
Hellbound Hearts: https://www.facebook.com/wearehellboundhearts
The Goddamn Electric: http://www.thegde.co.uk/
Dead Audio Saints: https://www.facebook.com/DeadAudioSaints
Hell on High Heelz: http://hellonhighheelz.wix.com/hellonhighheelz
GD Manofmetal.
Wednesday 7 May 2014
Noize Leval Critical [Festival Review] Part 1:
Little Mammoth + Spill 16 +
Teenage Casket
Co. + Dirt Box Disco +
Gypsy Pistoleros
The Maze
03.05.14
This review is the ‘edited highlights’ of
the first day of the annual two day festival hosted by Noize Level Critical
Radio Show (NLC) in aid of RACP UK (Rock Against Child
Pornography). With around two dozen bands playing over the weekend of the 3rd
and 4th of May at the Maze on Mansfield Nottingham
it’s a positive feast of the best underground bands around at the moment. This
year The Manofmetal only attended day one so here’s my highlights of the first
half of that first day of the festival.
I got there in time to see a band I’ve been
hearing lots of good things about recently, Little Mammoth are a brand
new female fronted four piece band from the Nottingham area. Lead singer Holly Bolus
is an old acquaintance of mine; I say old she’s still only in her early twenties,
previously I’ve seen her sing in the very heavy metal band Keltic Jihad and the
progressive hard rock band Inner Eden. Well her new group Little Mammoth who
formed only last year couldn’t be more different from those early forays into
the live music scene, playing a blues rock style of music akin to what bands
like Rival Sons are doing so well with these days and having more than one foot
onboard the dirigible that is Led Zeppelin, Little Mammoth are the perfect
outfit for Holly to showcase here singing and song writing. The three guys
behind her are Mark Davies (lead guitar) Alex Leggett (bass guitar) and Sam
Renshaw (drums) together they make a tight unit, not surprising as they were
all former members of The Vulcans and are the perfect accompaniment for Holly’s
‘Joplinesque’ vocal abilities. With a full album set for release later this
year things are moving fast for this elfin elephantine ensemble and judging by
the four tracks that are available on their reverbnation page it’s gonna be a
debut album to savour.
It’s a quick turnaround here at the maze
and next up are Spill Sixteen or Spill 16 if you prefer. Last
year the Yorkshire based band had some line-up issues which verged on the
farcical in fact casting my gaze around this venue today I spy many other
Yorkshire muso’s who’ve been at one time or other members of different bands
playing this festival, all very confusing, I don’t envy the person who gets to
compile that particular rock family tree. Personnel issues aside it’s good to
see Spill 16 back and playing live again, they take inspiration from everyone
from Bad Company to Shinedown according to their facbook blurb, they do have an
eclectic sound, front man Stevie is in possession of a powerfully soulful voice
and along with his fellow cohorts of JJ (guitar) Mewsy (guitar) Indy (bass) and
Jon? (drums) I can’t say for sure it’s Jon on drums but that’s the name I’m
sticking to. With line-up debacles hopefully a thing of the past I trust these
guys will keep going as they have many great songs and are always entertaining;
it’s good they’re back. If you want to read my review of Spill 16’s debut album
check out my Discworld blog: http://discworlddog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/spill-sixteen-let-it-all-hang-out.html
The heat and humidity inside today’s venue
is to say the least uncomfortable so during the changeover periods it’s advisable
to exit the building and goldfish like, gulp down copious amounts of fresh air.
When everyone is suitably re-oxygenated it’s time to get our selves back into
the fray to catch the next act, a band I’ve eulogized over many times before, Teenage
Casket Company. Always giving a good show, these days TCC are riding high
on the back of their new album, ‘Still Standing’ once again returning to the
top of their game, pleasing both old and new fans alike. The constitutional
parts of TCC are Rob Wylde (lead vocals/guitar) Dave Kerr (lead guitar) Rob
Lane (bass) and Mike ‘Spike’ Hollinshead (drums) all of the above have many
strings to their collective bows but today they’re 100% Casket cases playing a
short but rousing set of vintage numbers alongside more contemporary songs. As
ever with these guys they leave me wanting more especially today as all the
bands are playing around half hour sets, basically between six and eight songs.
If you want to read more about TCC from yours truly check out a couple of my
previous blogs: http://gd2014reviews.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/casket-case-gig-review.html
The last band before the forty minute ‘tea
break’ or kebab break (I had a meat pie) is the incomparable Dirt Box Disco
the neo-punk masters of mirth are an unusual choice to play this festival but
welcome none the less. I saw them a mere two weeks ago in Derby where they
played in front of over one hundred fanatical Dirt Box fans who danced, jumped,
pogoed, and sang along with all their songs, today however it was a bit
different. I think the NLC crowd didn’t know what to make of Dirt Box Disco but
what is there to make of a bunch of guys in fancy dress who play catchy rock
anthems that you’re bound to sing along to. Anthems like ‘Burning’ ‘I Just Want
to Be a Girl’ and ‘My Life is Shit’ are infectious and if you don’t like this
stuff then you’re a po-faced bore, this is what rock and roll is all about. DBD
tend to only play punk gigs but in my opinion they should branch out and start
doing rock gigs too, even if today’s crowd reaction doesn’t support that
theory. The Dirt Box boys were a man down today which didn’t help their cause
and rolling up from a late night playing a Welsh festival was also another
factor against them but they put in a short and memorable set, a taster of what
they’re really capable of.
To round off the first part of my NLC festival
review is a band that could to all intense and purpose headline the whole
event.
The Gypsy Pistoleros rode into town
like a bunch of desperados on the run from the law, packing six shooters they
burst through the saloon doors… Hold on thar cowboy!!! Sorry guys that’s the
opening draught of my next western novel, getting back to reality this is how
Gypsy Pistoleros describe themselves…
“The mongrel offspring of fiery gritty
gutter glam, the Gypsy Pistoleros’ were born roamin’ somewhere between Barcelona Birmingham America
These days the Pistoleros posse are Iggy
Pistolero (lead guitar/backing vocals) Jeff Pistolero (drums/backing vocals)
Kenny K Doll (bass/backing vocals) and newcomer and former Wrathchild front man
Gaz Harris (lead vocals). Playing a fast paced eight song set the Pistoleros
are glam n’ sleaze n’ attitude all rolled into one with song titles like ‘Sex,
Drugs and Rock & Roll’, ‘Go to Hell’ and ‘Psycho Bitch’ the boys put on a
show packed with every aspect of insurrection, their two fingered saluted
stance to society may sound like a cliché but it’s an entertaining one none the
less. My favourite song of the set was ‘Hear the Thunder’ a number which seems
to have more about it than some of the others. Their new single ‘Dirty Side of
Midnight’ saw the guys joined on stage by Hell on High Heelz, a duo of ‘rock
n’ pole’ dancers who for today have foregone their metal shafts for more of a
down to earth cavort with the Pistoleros. These beguiling sirens returned to
the stage for the finale a rocked up version of ‘Livin La Vida Loco’ which not
only drove the crowd loco but also brings the curtain down on part one of my
review, part two will follow after a short intermission, watch out for my next
blog posting… TBC.
For further info on the bands in this
review contact:
Gypsy Pistoleros: http://www.gypsypistoleros.co.uk/
Dirt Box Disco: http://www.dirtboxdisco.co.uk/
Teenage Casket Co.: http://www.teenagecasketcompany.co.uk/
Spill 16: http://www.spillsixteen.com/
Little Mammoth: https://www.facebook.com/LittleMammothUK/info
Hell on High Heelz: http://hellonhighheelz.wix.com/hellonhighheelz
GD Manofmetal.
Above: Hell on High Heelz with GD Manofmetal @ Wildside Nottingham
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