The Visitation, Magnum. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. January 17th 2011.

Sixteen studio albums down the road and the Magnum story keeps on going. Two years ago the band produced the stunning and critically acclaimed Into the Valley of the Moonking; they follow this up with the quite frankly incredible The Visitation.

Once more Tony Clarkin’s signature song writing style is very much in evidence as he deals with subjects close to his and the bands heart. There can be very few bands where the main song writer and the vocalist are so in tune with each other’s requirements that the songs they come up with are stirring and poignant at the same time.

The Visitation, Magnum. Album Review. full post

(373 words, 1 image, estimated 1:30 mins reading time)

The World Is Yours, Motorhead. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. January 17th 2011.

The very name of British heavy metal band Motorhead was once enough to strike fear into the hearts of fans worldwide, their overpowering guitar driven anthems, Lemmy’s persona and the very image they fully lived up to always meant they were a bit of a Marmite band, you either didn’t get them or you thought they were out of this world. There was no way you could be indifferent about the band.

The World Is Yours, Motorhead. Album Review. full post

(315 words, 1 image, estimated 1:16 mins reading time)

The British Pink Floyd Show. Gig Review. Liverpool Echo Arena.

Orignally published by L.S. Media. January 23rd 2011.

It seems that no matter what, there will always be a call for some sort of tribute band dedicated to the stalwarts of the British Progressive Rock movement that was simply known as Pink Floyd. Whereas for the last few years Liverpool and the rest of the country has had the multi talented Australian Pink Floyd to thank for keeping the memory of the band alive and in really good health, we now have quite possibly the only tribute that could top them for sheer energy and musical knowledge, The British Pink Floyd Show.

The British Pink Floyd Show. Gig Review. Liverpool Echo Arena. full post

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

What if… Mr. Big. Album Review.

 Originally published by L.S. Media. January 25th 2011.

What if…is the first studio album in ten years by the L.A rock giants Mr. Big and if you are going to go away for that long and then do an album, it has to be a cracking one. Thankfully Eric Martin, Pat Torpey, Billy Sheehan and Paul Gilbert deliver an album high on octane and memories of past glories withheld at the studio door.

What if… Mr. Big. Album Review. full post

(394 words, 1 image, estimated 1:35 mins reading time)

Twin Atlantic, Gig Review. o2 Academy, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S. Media. January 24th 2011.

Twin Atlantic have come a long way in a really short space of time, having only formed in 2007, the band seem to have had the good fortune to be in the right place at the right time. The band have already supported the likes of Blink 182 and Biffy Clyro in the last couple of years and have quite rightly become very big on the festival map.

The band came to the Liverpool with a lot of expectation on behalf of a very vocal and hyped up crowd and the lads didn’t disappoint one bit.

Twin Atlantic, Gig Review. o2 Academy, Liverpool. full post

(335 words, estimated 1:20 mins reading time)

Jailbreak, Thin Lizzy. Remastered Deluxe Edition. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 2nd 2011.

For those that lived through 1976, the time came to remembered for the heat wave that struck Britain culminating in drought conditions unseen for generations, it was also noted for the then Chancellor of the exchequer Dennis Healy applying to the I.M.F for a loan of 5.3 Billion Dollars to help bail out Britain and the death of the Peoples Republic of China leader Mao Zedong. In the world of rock music it was the coming of age of a band that had threatened to become one of the biggest recording acts of the decade.

Jailbreak, Thin Lizzy. Remastered Deluxe Edition. Album Review. full post

(518 words, 1 image, estimated 2:04 mins reading time)

The Waterboys, Gig Review. Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.

Photograph by Ian D. Hall

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 2nd 2011.

For some, the divisions between poetry and music are so entrenched that they, no matter what, should never be crossed. However for Mike Scott and The Waterboys and a full house of appreciative fans of W.B Yeats, the genre was not only blurred but redrawn and redefined. Billed as an Appointment with Mr. Yeats, the band pushed the realms of performance art with their reading of the Irish poet’s familiar poems set alongside some of the most stunning music to grace the Philharmonic Hall.

The Waterboys, Gig Review. Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. full post

(347 words, 1 image, estimated 1:23 mins reading time)

Taking Dawn, Gig Review. Stanley Theatre, University of Liverpool.

Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 8th 2011.

It’s not every band that gets to open for the legendary rock band Kiss, to do so you must have something really special in your armoury. Nevada based band Taking Dawn are one such band that have passed the acid test of touring with Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons and matched them in desire, ability and in some respects even showmanship.

Even with the last album having been in every decent metal fan’s collection for the last year, the crowd that greeted the band as they come on stage was as loud and full of expression for the new metal heroes.

Taking Dawn, Gig Review. Stanley Theatre, University of Liverpool. full post

(381 words, 1 image, estimated 1:31 mins reading time)

Feeder, Gig Review. o2 Academy, Liverpool.

Feeder at the o2 Academy, Liverpool. Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 8th 2011.

Feeder have gone from Indie Rock heroes and not getting the credit they deserve to one of the best live acts that currently ply their trade in front of fans, new and old. With their style of whimsical musings disguised in heavy, brutal, pounding riffs, it is no wonder they have become household favourites.

Feeder, Gig Review. o2 Academy, Liverpool. full post

(376 words, 1 image, estimated 1:30 mins reading time)

Rumours of Fleetwood Mac, Gig Review. Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 9th 2011.

You don’t get a better recommendation to watch a band than a small introductory film by one of the most respected men in rock and one of the founding members of Fleetwood Mac, Mick Fleetwood. The drummer extolled the virtues and friendship of one of the finest tributes bands around and as his introduction was played out, the audience grew more excited as they sensed the impending night ahead.

Rumours of Fleetwood Mac opened an exquisite night of superb musicianship with Rhiannon. From the moment the first note was played, the audience was treated to a night of pure, unadulterated brilliance that never once dropped below nothing short of stunning.

Rumours of Fleetwood Mac, Gig Review. Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. full post

(380 words, estimated 1:31 mins reading time)