Another monster week of gigs...

IT'S Bank Holiday Monday, the day when we are - if you believe the mainstream media and its advertising support - meant to be in the garden or scouring the shelves of the DIY emporium.  Are we? Like hell we are!

Tonight (August 26th) we're making a beeline for Belsonic to see the festival come to its conclusion when Bullet for My Valentine and Bring Me The Horizon play with opening act, the mighty, earth-shatteringly heavy Gojira.

Taking a pause for all of 24 hours we'll then be hitting Alkaline Trio, those Illionois dark punk masters of catchy tunes with sinister overtones. The Matt Skiba lead act are one of those creative bands that don't come along too often; for every chart bothering song there is a melancholic tale of murder, betrayal, lust and wasted love. There are still a few tickets left for this Limelight1 show - and don't forget their afternoon acoustic set at Head Records.

Then there's guitar maestro Stevie Vai on Thursday in the Mandella Hall and Altus and Astralnaut...more information when we get a chance and see what way the land lies after tonight and tomorrow....

See y'all there

[PS don't forget our Soundgarden competition]

Alkaline's caustic and the trio are bringing a double treat to Belfast

IN the nineties and the noughties most pop punk bands sang about boy meets girl, elope to set up home before they break up...

Alkaline Trio, on the other hand, sang about boy meets girl, set up a Satanic Coven, mourn the death of innocence and generally behave contrary to what US pop punk bands seemed to believe.

And, not only are the Illinois maestros playing a date in Limelight1 on 27th August, they are also storing up a surprise treat for fans - a free acoustic set....

Yes, on the afternoon of 27th August Alkaline Trio will be at Head Records playing an all ages, free in gig at the Belfast store - and it is strictly first come, first served up for a treat.

With their new album, My Shame Is True, just released it is quite a coup for the Limelight to score the date on the Alkaline Trio tour and a real coup for the band to agree to the acoustic set at Head Records...Frankly even though we're generally all metalheads here we can't wait for both events!