Pick Your Rock and Metal

Sunday, August 26, 2007

MM2: Summer Slaughter

MM2: Summer Slaughter at the Spring & Airbrak is but a few hours away from kick-off. However, some clarification is needed...Firstly, GO! It's worth it! Secondly, sorry guys but it's an over-18s gig only! Secondly, please read the line-up (below or at www.myspace.com/valentinemetalmassacre) and stop sending me emails asking who is playing! Lastly - tickets are priced £12, available at thedoor, and with that line-up you have NO excuse not to be there (unless you are under 18)
See you there...and if you are so minded I will accept either lager or Jager to ensure a mention in gig review...(though timing may be crucial as after about 6 I may not remember your name :)

Saturday, August 25, 2007

MM2: Summer Slaughter - be there

On Sunday MM2: Summer Slaughter takes place. Great rock/metal; raising money for charity; raising glasses for inebriation and raising hell at the Spring & Airbrake. Ten hours of metal mayhem. £12 on the day and a tenner if you rush to Katy Daly's and snag a ticket tomorrow! See ya there!

Check out the bands myspace sites below for a taster of the fun that lies in wait on Sunday!

www.myspace.com/standup_guy
www.myspace.com/sorrowfall
www.myspace.com/runecastermetal
www.myspace.com/darkestera
www.myspace.com/devilmakesthree666
www.myspace.com/interrogate
http://www.myspace.com/handoffuckingdeath
www.myspace.com/novemberdeadlist
www.myspace.com/littlenightmaremusic
www.myspace.com/alittlebittermusic
www.myspace.com/escapefails

PS - Sinnocence had been billed to play but other, unavoidable, commitments have forced them to withdraw.

Black Crusade in Dublin

Machine Head are bringing their Black Crusade mayhem to Dublin on November 18th...that's MH, with Trivium, Dragonforce, Arch Enemy and Shadow's Fall. It's at the Ambassador but it's one gig that deserves a bigger venue!

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Come to the slaughter!

With Saturday's No Fake ID Required onslaught of metallic mayhem over bands and over-18 metalheads will be warming up for Sunday's MM2: Summer Slaughter on August 26th at the Spring and Airbrake.

It's a diverse metallic line-up...check out Darkest Era and Escape Fails to start with...

In the coming days we'll post further links to the bands that will be destroying the masses in aid of Clic Sargent, together with profiles and pix.

And if you want to know more (or but a ticket in advance and save £2) visit the official site.

Monday, August 20, 2007

Boxing Clever

THERE is perhaps no better sight in music than seeing young people really getting into the effort being put out on stage. It’s even more powerful to see it when they are getting off to music laid down by local bands.

At Belfast’s Black Box venue on Saturday almost 150 fans of hard rock and heavy metal gathered for the debut concert under the ‘No Fake ID Required’ banner.

Hosted by a not-for-profit organisation determined to provide opportunities for metal musicians and fans alike the No Fake ID Required gig was by any stretch of musician, critic or fan’s imagination a complete success.

Mosh pits, massed headbanging, autographed arms – even the obligatory dude in a Hawaiin shirt dancing in the middle of a pit – young and (not-so) old alike were into the music and the general good vibe emanating from the Hill Street venue.

Arcane kicked off proceedings (taking an early slot as one band member was heading for the more sedate surroundings of Slane Castle and the Strolling Bones. As usual Arcane can deliver tight sounds, and in recent months have developed a tighter attitude without losing the freedom of a good live performance.

Next up were teen sensations – help, I’ve just written a pop cliché! Well in this occasion Circadian are worth dipping into hyperbole. All under 15, and with a 12-year-old lead guitarist, these aspiring contenders have the potential to grow into something special.

With a drummer that sings the front three just need to impose themselves a little more to make sure that Circadian reach the heights that the potential of their tender years can surely reach.

Dark Light District changed the mood a little, mixing hard rock tendencies with classic rock aspirations they still managed to have heads a’banging…even straying into 80’s style metal when the crowd (and they!) least suspected it. Closing the set with a power ballad won over many in the hall.

Escape Fails are just back from a tour of the underground scene in Norway, and the legacy of that gigging was evident in a tight and controlled set. They have managed to bridge a style that combines out and out metal and melody that echoes 36 Crazyfists, Drowning Pool and Panic Cell…and they managed to get a ‘wall of death’ started.

Darkest Era brought 80s thrash to the fore with more than a dollop of Celtic styling. Obviously engaged with the crowd, the singer's desire to join in with the headbanging hordes proved a master stroke and sustained much merriment against the metallic background of noise assault.

The crowd had barely time to draw breath (or a quick ciggie outside…) before Sorrowfall took the stage.

With new album ‘Prayers for the Faithless’ already shifting significant units (What? You haven’t bought it? Shame on you!) Sorrowfall have garnered the sort of following from young and old alike that they deserve from their constant gigging.

Sleeve’s vocals are as always seering, matched by the conviction of a stage presence many had suspected was lurking there all along. One young punter, awed by his performance, said “Yer man’s built like Geddy Lee but he sings like he’s ragin' with everyone, fu**in’ great!”

Eddie’s bang on drumming, combined with Chris & Chris’s increasingly sublime guitar understanding (at times telepathy seemed to be in the musical air) and Sleeve’s bass pummelling had the crowd cowed.

Pits, synchronised banging and a mass reaching out at the stage had all agog.

As the crowd filed out into the Belfast evening air punters and bands alike asked when the next ‘No Fake ID Required’ gig would be.

Soon, soon…watch this space!

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Expect requests for replacement livers and neck braces

If y'all recover from Saturday's 'No Fake ID Required' gig at the Black Box, then next weekend will be one hell of a three day party...expect desperate online pleas for liver transplants and neck braces to appear online....

On Friday 24th August Sorrowfall have their album launch party at the Rosetta - ably assisted by Residual Effect, Devil Makes Three and the one-off return of The Watch.

Then on Saturday night The Dwarves are at Spring and Airbrake.

And then on Sunday there's MM2:Summer Slaughter (same venue) with 12 bands in 10 hours in aid of Clic Sargent.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

No Fake ID Required – all ages metal concert

In response to requests from young people to access music that is otherwise played in over 18s venues a not-for-profit organisation is hosting the first in a series of All Ages gigs at Belfast’s Black Box on Saturday 18th August.
For the reasonable price of £4 you can check out six local metal acts, including headliners Sorrowfall who have just released their debut CD – Prayers for the Faithless. The line up is:
  • Arcane
  • Circadian
  • Dark Light District
  • Escape Fails
  • Darkest Era
  • Sorrowfall

    Doors open 2pm

Monday, August 13, 2007

Nazareth Belfast date

For those with long memories...or a fondness for classic rock, Nazareth are playing Belfast's Spring & Airbrake on 8th February 2008.

August....rockin' month!

Hey there...been away a while...catching the rays in the sunshine state of Florida with Belfastmetalheadsreunited's junior eds (a.k.a. my kids). Rest assured though that we'll be catching up with all things rock and metal in days to come.

In the meantime don't forget August 18th's No Fake ID Required gig at the Black Box headlined by Sorrowfall, (who have a launch party for their CD on August 24th). And on August 26th there's Summer Slaughter: MM2 - 12 bands in 12 hours in aid of Clic Sargent....metal on a mission for charity!

When my body clock adjusts back to UK time more details, more gossip and more rock and metal!