Pick Your Rock and Metal

Monday, June 27, 2005

Slayer

For those awaiting the Slayer review from Baal - our man on the edge of moshing - check out the comments after the post Slayer Review Awaited.

Friday, June 24, 2005

For all fans of Thin Lizzy and the late, great Phil Lynott the special event to mark the unveiling of his statue is taking place in Dublin's Grafton Street on 19th August - ticket only.

But the following night the Point in Dublin is hosting a special concert in honour of Phil - THE BOY IS BACK IN TOWN.

On stage will be ex-Lizzy stars Gary Moore, Eric Bell, Brian Downey, Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson among others. They'll be joined on stage by:

Brush Shiels
Wheatus
Therapy?
Biffy Clyro
Skye
Nutonic
Johnny Fean
Jack L
Danielle Pfiffner
Jason Swindle and
Alaska Lyle


Full details are available on http://www.roisindubh.info/

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Slayer review awaited

Now rumours abound that the Slayer gigs in Dublin were a good ol' metal thrashing mad night out. Our faithful reviewer (a.k.a Baal) has still to file his report...

Plans are now afoot to mount an assault on the Maiden, Manson and Mastadon end of summer bash. Look out for the tired and emotional Belfast crew...

Before that the statue of Phil Lynott is being erected in Dublin on the 19th August. The following night a host of former Lizzy band members and those who have paid tribute to the great man during their lives will be performing at the Point.

Sunday, June 12, 2005

Floyd back together for Live8

Ho hum, the dark side of the moon has been illuminated once more. Mere days after Velvet Revolver played an emotional version of Wish You Were Here at Belfast's Odyssey Arena we learn that Pink Floyd are reforming (well no Syd Barrett) with Roger Waters joining again for the Live 8 Make Poverty History concert at Hyde Park.

Now, while this is a momentous occassion for all Floyd fans; it is, of course, because of the rapturous singalong from the Belfast audience that Messers Watters and Gilmour have decided to contribute to the Live8 concert. Donington, Glasgow may all claim it was they 'what did it' but I have it from Sir Bob:

"Jaysus, they said dat it was dem crazy fuckers in Belfast singin' along to deir Wish You Were a Beer' song dat made dem say, Jaysus man we been fightin' for too long, let's give big Geldof a call. Or maybe it was 20 million starvin' Africans. Can't remember which it was now. Now I'm dead busy, can you just fuck off while me and Bono irritate some politicians. Jaysus, Belfast rockers, dey're never done askin' awkward questions!"

See, straight from Sir Bob!

Friday, June 10, 2005

Was your Biffy Clyro'd or were you ga ga...

So the Velvet's shredded the Odyssey, leaving all decimated in their wake. But what of the support acts. After all, it's rare to see a line-up in Belfast with two support acts oft-touted as up and coming in the pages of Kerrang, Metal Hammer, NME and even Classic Rock (well once in Classic Rock anyway...)

Well, while I thought both acts were pretty good and at times excellent I defer to my comrade in arms Baal (a.k.a. Mark) who offered the following assessment:
The Ga Gas "not bad"
Biffy Clyro "shite"

I of course, being of a contrary nature disagree, but hey that's rock.

Still lingering in the mind is the image of Slash's smiling bake, ciggie stuffed in mouth, and the burning question - with all that hair how can the great man smoke on stage without incinerating himself!

Thursday, June 09, 2005

It's so eeeeeaaasssssyyyyy!

The smell of sweat and pleasure as a pit swirls in smiling aggression, with cameras held aloft at the stage...the ecstasy of thousands of people jumping as one in time to a primal beat...yep Velvet Revolver rocked Belfast last night.

And by all accounts the band seemed to enjoy it from Slash's smiling congratulations to the crowds through to Duff's acclamation of Alternative Ulster and exhortation to "Fuck the Council".

Velevet Revolver are another rock sueprgroup cashing in on past careers. Right? You couldn't have been more wrong last night. If this is a bunch of has beens they didn't appear like it at Belfast's Odyssey Arena. From ripping through their own album tracks through to Guns 'N' Roses tracks, even kicking off the first encore with Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here, this band kicked Belfast's willing ass.

Closing with Slither, after shredding the hall with Falling to Pieces earlier the platitudes everyone expects from the stage seemed as genuine as one can expect from any band that has been touring the world.

More later, when I calm down some!

Wednesday, June 08, 2005

Tonight its all velvet in the Odyssey

Tonight the crusty metal fraternity turns out to see Velvet Revolver. For those of you sad souls not fortunate to have a ticket (or stupid enough not to want to see Slash et al) you will also miss out on Biffy Clyro and The Ga Gas on what promises to be a super fandabbydosy night of hard rock. If I'm not overcome by the emotion of it all, I might even write a brief review.

So far, Mark, Sylvia, Nadia, Sid, Mary-Anne and a host of others are among the crew turning out, but if any other Metalheads and rockers are there I know, remember or bump into I'll let you know.

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

Ash homecoming

OK, it's not exactly metal, but Ash have announced a small gig in Belfast - they're appearing at the Spring and Airbrake on 22nd June. The Downpatrick noisenicks are to playing the 'intimate' (aka tight as a duck's arse) venue for some unknown reason - but it will certainly do their credibility no harm. Wonder if Tim Wheeler will come on stage with his Flying 'V' in flames at the Spring...thereby razing the venue to the ground and meaning they'll have to build a half-decent venue in its place...