Tag Archives: Bilston.

British Progressive Rock Sensations Touchstone To Release Offical Live DVD.

Further to the release of their fourth studio album, Oceans Of Time which entered the official U.K. Rock chart at No.24 in autumn 2013, British progressive rock quintet Touchstone are proud to announce the release of their first official live DVD: Touchstone – Live Inside Outside (3 Disc DVD/CD Edition)

The DVD features previously unreleased footage of Touchstone’s full set from 2010’s High Voltage Festival in London’s Victoria Park, as well as the entire set from the last date of the Ocean’s Of Time 2013 launch tour at Bilston’s Robin 2 venue. Filmed, directed, edited and mixed by Magenta’s Rob Reed, this set features tracks from Oceans Of Time including Contact and Fragments, as well as older classics and crowd favourites such as Corridors and Strange Days.

British Progressive Rock Sensations Touchstone To Release Offical Live DVD. full post

(252 words, estimated 1:00 mins reading time)

Francis Dunnery, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

There is an aura of the prolific, of almost inexhaustible abundance when it comes to Francis Dunnery’s career. Certainly when a listener takes in his output of solo recordings and then weighs them up in time honoured fashion against his fantastic live sets, it is enough to leave you dizzy and overwhelmingly impressed with his work ethic.

Francis Dunnery, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston. full post

(433 words, estimated 1:44 mins reading time)

Steve Harley, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Whether you are a dedicated music fan or someone who goes once a month in search of something to listen to to avoid the endless repetition of uninspiring music talents shows that television produces in the name of making money, occasionally you can’t help but feel that you may just have witnessed the finest gig by the artist you are ever likely to see them do. It doesn’t matter if it is the second, third or tenth time you have seen them perform on stage, something whispers to you at the back of your mind, “Wow, you will never beat that for a superb night.” Your instincts maybe correct but there is always hope that the artist may surprise you.

Steve Harley, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston. full post

(551 words, estimated 2:12 mins reading time)

Roy Wood, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston.

Roy Wood celebrating Christmas at the Bilston Robin. Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

Originally published by The Birmingham Mail. December 2009.

Fresh from his triumphant support slot on Status Quo’s U.K. tour, Roy Wood arrived in Bilston to headline his now annual Christmas show.

He wasted no time in warming up everyone who had braved the sub-zero temperatures by opening the set with the infectious California Man.

Roy Wood, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston. full post

(202 words, 1 image, estimated 48 secs reading time)

Steve Hackett, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston.

Nick Beggs and Steve Hackett at the Bilston Robin. Photograph by Ian D. Hall

Originally published by the Birmingham Mail. November 2009.

Thanks to the popularity of his latest album, Out Of The Tunnel’s Mouth, Steve Hackett is enjoying success once more where it matters, in front of audiences who never stopped believing in the prolific musician/songwriter.

Steve and his band kicked off with the maniacal Mechanical Bride before heading straight into the childlike but message-heavy Fire On The Moon from the new album. An array of other songs from his long solo career followed.

Steve Hackett, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston. full post

(199 words, 1 image, estimated 48 secs reading time)

The Bad Shepherds, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston.

Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

Originally published by The Birmingham Mail. October 2009.

It might be hard to get past the idea of comedian Adrian Edmondson being on stage with musicians playing folk versions of punk classics but after opening with The Clash’s I Fought The Law they had the near-capacity crowd in the palm of their hands.

Other songs getting the Bad Shepherd’s treatment included The Stranglers’ hit No More Heroes, The Jam’s Down In The Tube Station At Midnight and Talking Heads’ Once In A Lifetime.

The Bad Shepherds, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston. full post

(181 words, 1 image, estimated 43 secs reading time)

The Enid, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston.

Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

Originally published by The Birmingham Mail.October 2009.

Some might baulk at the idea of a gig with a set list containing just a handful of songs but with The Enid what you lack in quantity you more than make up for in quality.

Starting the show with the wonderfully dynamic Apocalypse…Judement Day was a masterstrokea as it enraptured the audience and set the tonefor the rest of the evening.

Much praise must go to lead guitarist Jason Ducker whose presence at the front of stage was equal to the founding father of the band and superb pianist Robert John Godfrey, as he proved elegantly on the tracks Chaldean Crossing and Riguardon-The Dancing Lizard.

The Enid, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston. full post

(177 words, 1 image, estimated 42 secs reading time)

It Bites, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston.

Photograph by Ian D. Hall

Originally published by The Birmingham Mail. September 2009.

It Bites arrived on stage with a mission to prove that last year’s critically acclaimed tour with John Mitchell at the helm was not a one-off success.

By starting the evening with the barnstorming Ghosts and All In Red, any fears were put aside as keyboard player John Beck, bassist Lee Pomeroy and drummer Bob Dalton blew the fans away with the edginess of the music.

The night was more about celebrating the 21st anniversary of the album Once Around The World and the guys played every song from the record.

It Bites, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston. full post

(184 words, 1 image, estimated 44 secs reading time)

The Men They Couldn’t Hang, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston.

Originally published by The Birmingham Mail. September 2009.

By opening their set with the title track from their new studio album The Devil in the Wind, The Men They Couldn’t Hang made a musical statement to the loyal crowd that not only were they back, but back with a bang.

There was nonetheless the familiar feeling of brotherhood as they played the fantastic Ghosts of Gable Street and Shirt Of Blue from the 1986 album How Green is the Valley.

The Men They Couldn’t Hang, Gig Review. Robin 2, Bilston. full post

(196 words, estimated 47 secs reading time)

The Levellers, Gig Review. Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton.

Originally published by The Birmingham Mail. May 2009.

Opening the night with Life Less Ordinary and the Battle of Beanfield, The Levellers played a set full of tunes to a Wulfrun Hall that was almost bursting with fans.

Main vocalist and guitarist Mark Chadwick along with Stephen Boakes on didgeridoo and Jeremy Cunningham on bass, seem to encapsulate all that is good within the band.

It was hard to see which tracks they would have to leave out of their huge back catalogue but those receiving an airing included Beautiful Day and the excellent Death Loves Youth, Dirty Davey and the Cholera Well.

The Levellers, Gig Review. Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton. full post

(123 words, estimated 30 secs reading time)