They always say that there’s a first time for everything, so here I am at The Factory Theatre in Sydney to see not only a spoken word tour, but my first experience in seeing one. So a pretty good way to start is with David Ellefson, Megadeth’s co-founder and bass player, but more on him shortly… Carbon Black open proceedings […]

This was the second of two nights in London, and the last night of the 15 date UK tour for this cracking double bill, and on early arrival at the venue, there were already two long lines of people queuing for the doors – 40 minutes prior to them opening. Despite the competition from the 6 nations rugby, this was […]

Turning up at the O2 Academy Islington half an hour before the doors opened, I was surprised to find a couple of hundred people already in the queue….many of the potential audience would already have gone off to North Wales for HRH AOR, so it was excellent to walk in to find the 800 capacity venue pretty well full. There […]

It’s weird, it’s come around so quick that I feel like I was only just at Soundwave yesterday… oh wait… that’s right, welcome to Day 2 of the Soundwave extravaganza… now after yesterday I’m sore and weary but that doesn’t stop me getting in nice and early and already losing about 15kgs from sweat in the most ridiculous heat possible, […]

Well here we are again, trusty old Soundwave… This will be our sixth time covering the festival and we get to do it twice… Yeah in 2015 Soundwave is one louder taking on a two day monster. Today obviously is day 1… As I sit here on the train I reminisce, how many times have I done this Journey thinking […]

As I caught the Incutrain on my way to Incubus tonight I was thinking how I’d never seen them before and that somewhat confused me, as I’ve always been a fan of what they’ve done but have no idea why I haven’t. So tonight, that changes… Le Butcherettes are on nice and early and although there’s only no word of […]

Gotta love a week where we cover Roxette and the next night we’re all about the METALLLLLL at Lamb of God and Killer Be Killed for their Sidewave… As the show isn’t even close to starting, many people behind me are clearly peaking to early, they are pumped. It’s actually quite cute as they are shouting out lyrics and getting […]

Roxette, you know the songs, you know the sound and you know ‘The Look’ (pun intended) but for 30 years the Swedish powerhouse have been making music and tonight here to showcase the hits of their career they couldn’t have picked a better place to do it than on the steps of the iconic Sydney Opera House. Boom Crash Opera […]

What a pairing! This Sidewave is one for the rockers, when you take a band from day one of Soundwave and a band from day two of Soundwave and put them together, what have you got? Slash Panther! Well, that’s what I’m calling it… This one is going to be off the charts, so without further ado, it’s almost 7pm […]

Kid Rock has come a long way from his days of a flat topped rapper and thank god for that… his last few albums to me have been perfect, so when we get a chance to check out ‘First Kiss’ before anyone else, there is a little bit of excitement. I’m also going to review this on first listen too, […]

Let me start by saying this, I love the word fuck. I use it far too much, well at least I thought I used it a lot until I put on this new EP from Buckcherry called you guessed it, ‘FUCK’ and I know I’m going to like this, oh yeah… ‘Somebody Fucked With Me’ fuckin’ opens the fuckin’ EP […]

Now, If there’s a band that I’ve really attached to over the last few years it’s The Gaslight Anthem, particularly when an album like ‘Handwritten’ was my album of the year in 2012, so seeing them live only for the second time tonight is something I’ve been looking forward to, so let’s see how the last few years has been […]

Now, I’ve been a fan of Papa Roach for some time now, well actually all the time, since I heard ‘Last Resort’ I knew there was something about this band that was pretty cool, so 1, 2, skip a few and with a number of albums under their belt they are back in 2015 with their new album ‘F.E.A.R’ The […]

Marilyn Manson is back, back with a new album, his first in three years, a new band in tow and a sound that may surprise many, if not all, well maybe not all, some… The album opens with ‘Killing Strangers’, an odd, almost groovy type track full of buzzing guitars and that typical Marilyn Manson vocal you’ve known to love […]

It’s always exciting to me when a band is touring Australia for the first time, there’s just that anticipation, not only from the concert goers, but I’d be assuming from the band, the questions of ‘oh my god, I wonder if anyone will turn up?’ and ‘Do people even know us there?’ and for the punters, ‘Man, I hope I’m […]

I’m quite partial to a concept record, one that sets up and tells a story and keeps you wanting to know what’s going to come from the beginning through to the final song, what it all entails and just why this was the story to tell. Wednesday 13 is back with a new album, this time with a concept and […]

I like the works of Black Veil Brides. I like that they make rock and roll that has a major throwback feel to the metal of old, and by old I mean the 80’s with the look, the hooks and the imagery. It’s what I like and I’ve never had an issue with bands like this out there flying the […]

When the Foo Fighters announced they were going on hiatus after they finished touring for ‘Wasting Light’, many were surprised, not sure of what that meant or how long it would actually last, but thankfully not too long as when the band decided they were ready to come back, well, why not do it in a big way… A series […]

OK, so I’ve never had the opportunity to review an instrumental show so tonight, what better way to pop my cherry than with arguably one of, if not the best guitarists you’ll ever hear. Joe Satriani. Within seconds of taking the stage, the entire audience is mesmerised, this cat can play, and I mean play. If this first song is […]

From the second this album begins simply with a violin, it’s a somber beginning, a mood is set with a two minute introduction called ‘Convocation’ and I listen and get taken away, taken away to a place that just feels nice, it gives me the feeling that Yellowcard have grown up, and I can’t wait to hear what this, their […]

It’s always funny to me when I know of a band but have never actually heard anything they’ve done, and after I do listen to them I kick myself and think why did I take so long to listen?! Why? So here I am today with Antiskeptic and their new album ‘Stare Down The Ocean’… you’ll see after reading this […]

In 2012 The Tea Party reformed, to a big Australian tour, recorded a live DVD and they were back. Went off to write and record an album and 1, 2, skip a few here we are two years on seeing The Tea Party again. This time in a theatre and I’m looking forward to seeing them here, as I feel […]

If there’s one thing I love about these small exclusive type shows it’s that the lucky 1,100 or so here are here as fans, they know these songs, they love this band and compared to an arena where you’ll get the casual ‘oh I’ll go and check them out’ type person, here we have fans who snapped up these tickets […]

To set this album up, all I need is one word… Slash. You get me? Ok, read on. I personally always enjoy it when the title track of an album is the one that leads it off, it makes the point known, it sets up exactly why the album is named after it and here we are, ‘World On Fire’ […]

It was exactly a year ago to the day that Anberlin were in Sydney on tour, and I was reviewing them at the Hi-Fi. Tonight for the final time, here I am at The Roundhouse to say goodbye to this band that Australia and myself loves so much. I managed to catch the last few songs from Breakaway who from […]

Even well before the doors open at The Roundhouse tonight there are so many people lined up, eagerly waiting to get inside to this sold out show staring the perfect pairing of You Me At Six and Tonight Alive. I know that I’ll be standing at the back tonight as there’s no way I’m getting anywhere near this pit tonight. […]

After their amazing run in February for Soundwave, Biffy Clyro have returned to our shores twice in one year to give those that may have missed them then the chance to marvel at one of the most amazing live bands I’ve ever witnessed. Calling All Cars get the job of warming up the crowd tonight and doing their best to […]

When some bands stop making music you can eventually be ok with that and deal with it, but when a band such as The Tea Party decides that they’re going to stop making music, well in my opinion that’s just not cool. What is cool is a big break and a return, a return in the way of a massive […]

So when you often hear about a band breaking up, you get the odds on bet that the singer will go on to make an album but you often forget about the other guys in the band, or they disappear into obscurity but it’s really cool to hear this album from former MCR guitarist Frank Iero or Frnkiero for short […]

I’m honestly quite intrigued as to what tonight will bring… so let’s see… The Mercy Kills get the opening slot tonight and do a good job of warning up those that are here in preparation for Courtney. Their songs are a whole lot of rock and roll with a two girl and two guy formula in the band the balance […]