HOW many keyboard warriors does it take to change a lightbulb? Answer: None, they'd rather stay in the dark. By the same measurement we always hear from the key clicking bunch about there being nothing to do, no gigs etc etc etc.
How wrong they are. Take the next five days as an example...
Tonight NOLA stalwarts and stoner maestros EyeHateGod play Limelight2 with support from the mighty War Iron and Burden of the Noose.
Come on! It's hump day so you can get a break from the drudge of the office with some righteous noise.
Thursday, however, is when the weekend unofficially starts...who works that hard on Friday anyway? So on Thursday night you can wend your way to Paradise City's 30th Birthday show in the Voodoo. Helping Paradise City blow out the candles will be Sinocence, St Hellfire and the last ever gig from Worldsend.
Last chance to see 'em folks so get along and raise a glass to them!
Friday....ahh the joy of walking out the door of the office/factory/coal mine (apologies to weekend workers...call in sick say you're suffering from metal deficiency!).
Not normally the preserve of rock venues, McHugh's Bar is hosting Pat 'The Professor' McManus. If you have ever seen Pat play you know he is an entertainer and the real deal when it comes to guitar heroes.
Speaking of heroes, 'Tallica always hailed NWOBHM act Diamond Head as their heroes. The question of whether we can ask 'Am I Evil' remains moot, but Diamond Head play Limelight2 on Saturday, with support from Rabid Bitch of the North and Conjuring Fate. Tasty!
When it comes to taste, your delicate taste buds should be wet with drooling saliva at the prospect of Mastodon playing in the Ulster Hall. Anyone who saw them last time knows just how good - no great they are live.
And, the fact that they were all 'killed' by White Walkers in Game of Thrones adds ever more to their kudos score.
Support from Bad Breeding.
And, if the prospect of Mastodon seems too much (get thee behind me!) there's always Lo Mejor at the Hudson.
Tickets for all these shows are available at the various doors.
Nothing to do? Bored? No shows in town? No gigs? These are five days when you can experience the varied delights of rock and metal in Belfast, where, as Mr Daly of CJ might say the eagles fly.
See y'all there!
Showing posts with label St Hellfire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label St Hellfire. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Sunday, February 15, 2015
LIVE REVIEW: Hydrocarbon powered rock as Murray, St Hellfire, Baleful Creed & Gasoline Outlaws rock the King's Head
PETROL may have powered the vehicles that drove along the King's Head on the Lisburn Road, their owners unaware that a new force was raging inside the venue on Thursday (12th February) as the Gasoline Outlaws débuted in Belfast.
Promoted by SO:NI the evening's proceedings featured three acts before the headliners took the stage.
The ears of those in early were softened up before the storm as Stef Murray took up his acoustic and serenaded, cajoled and crafted a set that had heads-a-nodding in appreciation. The new arrangement of 'Silver and Gold' enhanced the song, even if we didn't need to know about Murray's pre-gig sex life...
Concluding with a medley of 80s rock standards it was a crowd-pleasing opening to the show.
But if Murray's acoustic was the foil to what was to come later, St Hellfire blazed into their own rock 'n' roll, hard-hitting diabolically fun with barely a pause for breath as Mark bestrode the stage like the colossus he is. With Decky and Micky anchoring it all down Dean was able to weave lead solos around Mark's rhythm and vocals.
While songs like 'Rock Star, Porn Star' St Hellfire are always a potent live force, with an almost 'punk' feel to their hard rock. Having said that Mark maybe has to work on his between song jokes a little bit...
With the high octane fuel poured on the incendiary evening by St Hellfire Baleful Creed brought bounteous tales from the shadows as the flames of rock created the deep, dark places were many fear to tread.
With Fin and John joined by Davy (bass) and Dave (drums) Baleful have been given a shot in the arm, and sound meatier in their journeys to the parts of the world lesser mortals tread. By now a standard in their dark arsenal, 'Autumn Leaves' has evolved into a dark evocation, with its southern groove metal rolling menacingly along.
At times the volume of the bass was a little too dominant to hear the intricacies of the work of John and Fin, but that's a minor quibble.
With headliners revving, the beer-fuelled audience ready Gasoline Outlaws took the brakes off and rolled their heavy rock onto the stage, roaring through 'Nothing On Me', 'Lie' and 'Come On' with barely a pause.
Tight, well rehearsed, it was hard to believe that this was only the second show for Matt and his merry rockin' troubadours.
Stretching his voice to beyond what was previously shown, reaching for each note, Matt has developed a lot; and now with Adam P (guitar), Chris (bass) and Adam C (drums) this is a potent band. The heady petroleum of their name, translated into a set that was sublime at times.
It is no small tribute to the song writing that many of the tracks were welcomed as old friends, and the choruses already familiar to everyone who has seen the band's first show.
If we were forced at knife point to pick a stand-out track amidst the superb songs on show then it would have to be 'Heart and Soul', an ode to the hard rock that we all embrace.
Despite having no other songs to play the audience demanded an encore, and Gasoline Outlaws duly obliged.
Overall the evening showcased four great acts, and from Steff through to St Hellfire and Baleful Creed, each pushed each other to strive harder; an energy that gave Gasoline Outlaws a platform to produce an accomplished set. If the band keep this level up, and produce recorded material soon, then they will quickly ascend to heady heights.
Promoted by SO:NI the evening's proceedings featured three acts before the headliners took the stage.
The ears of those in early were softened up before the storm as Stef Murray took up his acoustic and serenaded, cajoled and crafted a set that had heads-a-nodding in appreciation. The new arrangement of 'Silver and Gold' enhanced the song, even if we didn't need to know about Murray's pre-gig sex life...Concluding with a medley of 80s rock standards it was a crowd-pleasing opening to the show.
But if Murray's acoustic was the foil to what was to come later, St Hellfire blazed into their own rock 'n' roll, hard-hitting diabolically fun with barely a pause for breath as Mark bestrode the stage like the colossus he is. With Decky and Micky anchoring it all down Dean was able to weave lead solos around Mark's rhythm and vocals.While songs like 'Rock Star, Porn Star' St Hellfire are always a potent live force, with an almost 'punk' feel to their hard rock. Having said that Mark maybe has to work on his between song jokes a little bit...
With the high octane fuel poured on the incendiary evening by St Hellfire Baleful Creed brought bounteous tales from the shadows as the flames of rock created the deep, dark places were many fear to tread.
With Fin and John joined by Davy (bass) and Dave (drums) Baleful have been given a shot in the arm, and sound meatier in their journeys to the parts of the world lesser mortals tread. By now a standard in their dark arsenal, 'Autumn Leaves' has evolved into a dark evocation, with its southern groove metal rolling menacingly along.
At times the volume of the bass was a little too dominant to hear the intricacies of the work of John and Fin, but that's a minor quibble.
With headliners revving, the beer-fuelled audience ready Gasoline Outlaws took the brakes off and rolled their heavy rock onto the stage, roaring through 'Nothing On Me', 'Lie' and 'Come On' with barely a pause.
Tight, well rehearsed, it was hard to believe that this was only the second show for Matt and his merry rockin' troubadours. Stretching his voice to beyond what was previously shown, reaching for each note, Matt has developed a lot; and now with Adam P (guitar), Chris (bass) and Adam C (drums) this is a potent band. The heady petroleum of their name, translated into a set that was sublime at times.
It is no small tribute to the song writing that many of the tracks were welcomed as old friends, and the choruses already familiar to everyone who has seen the band's first show.
If we were forced at knife point to pick a stand-out track amidst the superb songs on show then it would have to be 'Heart and Soul', an ode to the hard rock that we all embrace.
Despite having no other songs to play the audience demanded an encore, and Gasoline Outlaws duly obliged.
Overall the evening showcased four great acts, and from Steff through to St Hellfire and Baleful Creed, each pushed each other to strive harder; an energy that gave Gasoline Outlaws a platform to produce an accomplished set. If the band keep this level up, and produce recorded material soon, then they will quickly ascend to heady heights.
Review by Jonny
Pix by Jonny
Sunday, November 17, 2013
BIg Truck rumbles through the Pavillion with compadres in rock
AS we move merrily towards the last month of the 2013, Trucker Diablo rounded up a tremendous year of development and success with a storming show at Belfast's Pavillion on the Ormeau Road with three hard rockin' compadres as a top supporting cast.
This SO:NI event saw a four-way phenomenon of rock that teetered gloriously towards the metallic edge, such was the ferocity of the performances; performances that displayed some of the diverse nature of hard rock in this wee country.
Opening proceedings with a low-down and dirty riff assault were Baleful Creed who delivered a deliciously tight rendering of Sabbath inspired songs, with more than taste of Down and other deep south groove merchants.
Thorazine teased and terrorised in equal quantities and the dark Autumn Leaves wove its spell around the evening, like a dark mist ensnaring the unsuspecting and a chorus that makes it presence felt when least expecting it.
From thence came St Hellfire, providing an up-tempo rock party showing, infused with a punk-ish rhythm attack. At times this contrast jarred, but when it melded it caught the mood of the 80s that many post Gunners acts on the other side of the Atlantic strove to achieve but failed.
It was a particularly impressive set from Mark Fanjo and his colleagues given that stand-in guitarist Dean had only played two shows yet still managed to lay down solos as if his life depended on it.
Where St Hellfire declared their attitude to be about the usual suspects (sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll), NASA Assassin where pretty clear about the source of all their tunes...Carrickfergus!
Part performance art, part rockin' rap, part metallic assault and part sheer lunacy NASA Assassin penetrated cynicism and alcohol-infused delirium to shake off the cobwebs and challenge musical conceptions.
Despite the on-stage antics and carefully constructed chaos NASA Assassin are conundrum wrapped up in a mystery. The music they deliver is not easy listening, yet live, that self-same music just works....weird but good.
Then came the Big Truck. What a year it has been for Trucker Diablo, with a superb album released, tours in England and France and rave reviews from the USA to the Far East and Australasia all notched up.
This was Trucker's last show of 2013 before they re-group for yet more Diabolic rock. Superlatives abound in a crowd watching Trucker, and they are justified. Managing to capture that elixir of rock that is a mix between loose and tight Tom and Simon lead a merry dance, while Glenn and Terry lay it down as if they were still fresh-faced youths in their teens determined to tear down the walls.
Songs of Iron outstanding out-pouring of singalong anthems were all delivered with a pounding precision and generated an electric charge to the audience.
From Rebel to Drive, from Voodoo to Year of the Truck, from When's It Gonna Rain to Juggernaut the songs are familiar now to fans who know each word and inflection.
But that is not to say that there is over-familiarity from the band themselves: take the headlong rush of the party anthem Drink Beer, Destroy. What was a straightforward ode to drinking has on stage become a overdriven beast, as if the Dead Kennedys and AC/DC got together with a load of crystal meth and a case of Special Brew. And that is not a criticism, that is a complement.
Rounding things off with an encore of Black and Blue this was a fitting Coda for Trucker's 2013, and a sure sign that they stand ready for a global assault that really could lift them to the proverbial next level of international recognition.
Following on from Friday's six-band metal display for The Distortion Project this weekend proved ghat hard rock and heavy metal in Northern Ireland are growing in success and stature - as Tom Harte said about their album "We should have called it Songs of Norn Iron" rather than Songs of Iron. We heartily agree because for such a small 'market' from such a small population 'Norn Iron' punches well above its weight, and we love it!
This SO:NI event saw a four-way phenomenon of rock that teetered gloriously towards the metallic edge, such was the ferocity of the performances; performances that displayed some of the diverse nature of hard rock in this wee country.
Opening proceedings with a low-down and dirty riff assault were Baleful Creed who delivered a deliciously tight rendering of Sabbath inspired songs, with more than taste of Down and other deep south groove merchants.
Thorazine teased and terrorised in equal quantities and the dark Autumn Leaves wove its spell around the evening, like a dark mist ensnaring the unsuspecting and a chorus that makes it presence felt when least expecting it.
From thence came St Hellfire, providing an up-tempo rock party showing, infused with a punk-ish rhythm attack. At times this contrast jarred, but when it melded it caught the mood of the 80s that many post Gunners acts on the other side of the Atlantic strove to achieve but failed.
It was a particularly impressive set from Mark Fanjo and his colleagues given that stand-in guitarist Dean had only played two shows yet still managed to lay down solos as if his life depended on it.
Where St Hellfire declared their attitude to be about the usual suspects (sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll), NASA Assassin where pretty clear about the source of all their tunes...Carrickfergus!
Part performance art, part rockin' rap, part metallic assault and part sheer lunacy NASA Assassin penetrated cynicism and alcohol-infused delirium to shake off the cobwebs and challenge musical conceptions.
Despite the on-stage antics and carefully constructed chaos NASA Assassin are conundrum wrapped up in a mystery. The music they deliver is not easy listening, yet live, that self-same music just works....weird but good.
Then came the Big Truck. What a year it has been for Trucker Diablo, with a superb album released, tours in England and France and rave reviews from the USA to the Far East and Australasia all notched up.
This was Trucker's last show of 2013 before they re-group for yet more Diabolic rock. Superlatives abound in a crowd watching Trucker, and they are justified. Managing to capture that elixir of rock that is a mix between loose and tight Tom and Simon lead a merry dance, while Glenn and Terry lay it down as if they were still fresh-faced youths in their teens determined to tear down the walls.
Songs of Iron outstanding out-pouring of singalong anthems were all delivered with a pounding precision and generated an electric charge to the audience.
From Rebel to Drive, from Voodoo to Year of the Truck, from When's It Gonna Rain to Juggernaut the songs are familiar now to fans who know each word and inflection.
But that is not to say that there is over-familiarity from the band themselves: take the headlong rush of the party anthem Drink Beer, Destroy. What was a straightforward ode to drinking has on stage become a overdriven beast, as if the Dead Kennedys and AC/DC got together with a load of crystal meth and a case of Special Brew. And that is not a criticism, that is a complement.
Rounding things off with an encore of Black and Blue this was a fitting Coda for Trucker's 2013, and a sure sign that they stand ready for a global assault that really could lift them to the proverbial next level of international recognition.
Following on from Friday's six-band metal display for The Distortion Project this weekend proved ghat hard rock and heavy metal in Northern Ireland are growing in success and stature - as Tom Harte said about their album "We should have called it Songs of Norn Iron" rather than Songs of Iron. We heartily agree because for such a small 'market' from such a small population 'Norn Iron' punches well above its weight, and we love it!
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