LIVE REVIEW: Alter Bridge's triumphant return to Belfast's Ulster Hall

AFTER playing two gigs at the Royal Albert Hall in London earlier in the week it was clear the band was pumped up and that Belfast was in for yet another spectacular Alter Bridge show.

Playing to another nearly sold out crowd they brought with them London formed rock band As Lions playing songs from their début album ‘Selfish Age’ it was evident from the start that this band had energy and a good stage presence of a band that had been performing for a while, playing songs such as ‘White Flags’ and ‘Bury my Dead’ they got the crowd’s attention.

The lights dimmed a shout went out to the crowd take lighters out phones out and raise them then they played ‘World on Fire’ Finishing up with ‘The Great Escape’ and the Ulster Hall was showing appreciation for a young talented band.

After a short break it was yet again time for Alter Bridge to take the Belfast stage.  After teasing the crowd accordingly, the band emerged onto the stage to kick off what would be a memorable show.

The rock legends opened the night with the heavy riff of one of the more immediately recognizable songs from the ‘Fortress’ album Addicted To Pain; a common staple for the band’s live performances.

Next up was ‘Ghosts of Days Gone By’, described by Mark Tremonti as a track that starts out like a feel-good song but then takes you straight to hell, it was a great follow up and shows off the two sides of the Alter Bridge.

After two classics – ‘Come to Life’ and ‘Brand New Start’ – it was clear that even AB fans were blown away by. ‘Cry of Achilles’ rattled the speakers and ears of the crowd and the cheers from the crowd was clearly heard by the band in appreciation for an Alter Bridge classic.

Myles then handed the mic over to Mark to take control on vocals as he unleashed ‘Waters Rising’. He perfectly showcased his ability to play guitar and sing a true talent; hopefully a new album from Tremonti is imminent.

After a strong finish, it was time for Myles to take it down a notch for a more mellow and personal touch. The singer with guitar in hand, strummed the intro to ‘Wonderful Life’. It was a great reminder to the crowd that Alter Bridge have a vast catalogue of music.

After the conclusion he played a melody of Watch Over which seen him sway from side to side in a deep trance and grabbing the crowd’s attention by the slow melody.

The ‘last’ song of the night was 'Metalingus'. Being one of the first songs of AB it didn’t disappoint sounding as fresh as the day it was released the crowd banging their heads in approval of a true rock classic. Hopefully 2018 will see Alter Bridge return with another rock spectacular.

Review-by Warren Stewart
Photos by Darren McVeigh

LIVE REVIEW: Alter Bridge deliver elegant power in Belfast

ALTER Bridge's stock has never been so high, with their last release 'The Last Hero' solidifying an already high estimation. Yet, the live arena seems, on the evidence of the show in Belfast's Ulster Hall on June 21st this is where they excel.

But on the longest day of the year it felt like an eternity, rather than 30 minutes, listening to the openers Red Sun Rising.

There is nothing wrong with their music, it has melody and AOR hooks aplenty, but doesn't seem to fit well in a sweaty venue. At times it is almost insipid and seems almost aimed at American soft rock radio stations.

The evidence was clear by the amount of people populating the bar and smoking areas at the end of their set. Having said that the couple of dozens who did remain at the front were seeming to enjoy the set and the apparent congeniality of the band.

There was nothing insipid or middle of the road about Alter Bridge's arrival on stage - full of intent, striding tall but never appearing arrogant and musically kicking out the proverbial jams.

Shit - three of these guys were in Creed! How did they get so good? No need to wonder, because after the rampant opener 'Come To Life' the iconic hall's walls were reverberating with roars of approbation.

With 'Writing on the Wall' from last year's release the acclaim from the audience was a wave of energy reverberating from each corner and the packed front.

Feeding off that the band seemingly wanted to push the whole affair up to another lever. Kennedy was beaming, Tremonti was throwing all the shapes and the entire unit was gelled tight.

In lesser hands the lead work of Tremonti could seem extravagant to the extreme, but every lick and run is measured to match the tone and sentiment of the track, especially on 'Blackbird' and 'Open Your Eyes'.

Kennedy is commanding and the between song banter doesn't seem forced, even if like every major touring band it is largely the same spiel each night.

What is notable is that the relatively unsung heroes of Marshall and Phillips are such a mighty force. It is they that maintain the momentum throughout the muscle behind the melodies, the power for the axe trickery.

By the time the regular set ended with 'Metalingus' the audience were exhausted and ecstatic after witnessing a band that delivered a set worthy of arenas.

The trio of tracks for the encore was measured to maul avid fans with delight. 'Fortress' from the album of the same name, 'Show Me A Leader' from 'The Last Hero' and 'Rise' from 'Blackbird' encapsulated what this set was about - a band that know how to balance the new and old, treat the fans to what they want and more.

Review by Jonathan Traynor
Pictures by Darren McVeigh

COMIN' ATCHA: Mastodon fan Bill Bailey brings his comedy chaos to Belfast

QI REGULAR, Mastodon fan, headliner at Sonisphere and a comedian, are just some of the credentials of Bill Bailey is bringing his critically acclaimed 'Limboland' show to Belfast.




Yes, I know we very rarely do 'stuff' about comedians, but c'mon it's Bill Fuckin' Bailey!




He will be playing the Ulster Hall slot on October 4th. And, he claims to love playing Belfast - and sums up the crowd for comedians and rock and metal acts.




He said: "I always have a great time in Belfast and had to bring my new 'Limboland' show to the Ulster Hall.




"It's one of the best comedy rooms the world and seems to draw some of the best hecklers and nutters to it.


"See you in October!"


Right - that's plenty of time to work on your heckling and we know that we're all nutters anyway!

Day Two of Richie Sambora's tour of the island of Ireland: Review

Review by Darren Seaton

In the Dublin review from yesterday I wrote “tonight was brilliant, not perfect, not flawless” and if you’re looking a summary of tonight in Belfast, that pretty much does it!

 

Taking the stage at 8.30 with a pretty similar set list to the previous night, again opening with A Song For You and by the time we reached Lay Your Hands On Me the crowd were sparked into massive sing a long mode!

 

Tonight probably wasn’t as tight as Dublin, but as I said in the previous review rock n roll is supposed to be flowing and entertaining, not sterile and over produced!

 

While the set was broadly the same, there were more extended solos and jamming on some songs, there were also occasions where the set list basically went out the window, none more so than when the opening bars of Seven Years Gone started and Richie called a halt, had a quick word with the band then spoke to the crowd about what the song meant to him, and that he’d also had another song come into his head that day that related well, there was then a brief gap while they tried to work out if the band knew it etc, then in typical Sambora humour he asked the crowd what they wanted to hear, queue hundreds of voices all shouting at once before a laughing Sambora announces “you know what I’m just gonna play the shit I wanna hear” before taking on a cover version of Kite by U2.

 

Sambora’s banter with the crowd was very entertaining, his cheekily toned “And you thought I was just a guitar player” was hilarious, writing it down just doesn’t do it justice!

 

At times tonight Richie reminds me of Gary Moore, improvising here and there, extending where the emotion takes him and getting lost in his own music before leading the band back into wherever they were originally.

 

His partner in crime, Orianthi, riffs, solos on command, sings her heart out and shows what an amazing talent she is, maybe at some point we’ll get a solo show from her too, now that would be something!

The main set ends with I’ll Be There For You, cue massive sing a long, wonderfully bluesy emotional extended solos, and as the band leaves the stage, some idiot in the Ulster Hall turns the lights on and people on the balcony start leaving…..ah hello, have you been to a rock show before?

As the lights dim again and the band return to the stage, Richie brings out the five local support artists to join him on stage for a cover of Lean On Me, each getting their turn to sing.

 

Encores continue with Wanted Dead or Alive, again showing the fluidity of a Sambora show, as the song closes it transforms into a cover of Midnight Rider by The Allman Brothers Band. At this point based on Dublin’s set list I’m guessing Living on a Prayer is coming next, so was Orianthi apparently as she came out on stage with an acoustic guitar, only for the band to start jamming the reggae beats that take us into Get Up Stand Up and eventually the Jovi classic, These Days, so off she goes for a quick guitar switch.

 

Set List? Who needs a set list when you can call the songs as you feel! The band leave the stage once more, and while the lights stay off, again people get up to leave…..the band return and again

 

Sambora is issuing instructions to the rest of the band, Prayer starts acoustic, Orianthi on lead vocals, my friend from England who flew over for the show informs me she wasn’t singing it on the shows at the start of the tour on the mainland, Richie sings alternate verses with her and as we reach the mid solo section, a quick change of guitar and we suddenly have the full rocked up version of Prayer blasting out across the venue, a complete change to the version heard the night previously!

 

And so 2hrs 15mins since it began, it was over, Richie promising he would return and expressing his gratitude for the love shown by the crowd tonight, something he then went on to twitter only minutes later to reiterate!

It's been 21 years since Richie had graced the stage in Belfast, last time was the Kings Hall on the Keep The Faith tour, but tonight he seemed extremely happy to be back, and the Belfast crowd responded in kind.

 

I look forward to seeing where this journey continues, new album to come hopefully a new tour. Its always great to see someone loving what they’re doing and these past two nights have been a joy to watch someone great at their craft have the space to explore it with their own band! Long may that continue I say!

 

 

All photos Courtesy, and copyright of Paul Verner

Day one of Sambora's Island of Ireland tour in Dublin: Review

Review by Darren Seaton 

ALTHOUGH it’s a little under 2 hours down the road, Dublin can, at times, feel like a completely different world to Belfast, and nothing showed that more than the venue and staff at The Olympia Theatre, one of the calmest, most easy going entrances to a concert I’ve ever experienced, as opposed to the “Behind the yellow line” and “right drink up get out” brigade of a lot of Northern venues, lessons to be learned there folks!

And so to the nights events, as with the German run of shows, two local singer songwriters were chosen by Richie to open the show, they were limited to two songs each possibly because the show seemed to be running since Richie was apparently due onstage at 8.30pm and it was now past that when the second act finished.

Earlier in the day as your reviewer left Belfast around 4pm, Richie was apparently just leaving London due to an airline mix up, so one could have been apprehensive that his enforced late arrival into the city may have on the set a downbeat mode for the night…..thankfully not the case!

Just after 9pm, to the strains of Leon Russell’s Song for You, Richie makes his entrance sans guitar and demonstrates why many say he has the best singing voice in that there band from New Jersey he is or currently isn’t in!

I had wondered what type of crowd we would have tonight, would it be Jovi fans who didn’t really know Richie had solo stuff out, or a nice mix of those but also Richie fans who would know pretty much all the man’s back catalogue!

It was definitely the latter. Opening single from Aftermath of the Lowdown, Every Road Leads Home To You, was extremely well received and quickly followed by Nowadays from the same album.

If you’ve seen any festival coverage at the weekend, you’ll know Richie joined Dolly Parton onstage in London and Glastonbury, for her version of the Jovi classic, Lay Your Hands On Me, thankfully tonight the original lyrics were reinstated, and Richie’s slower grooving version wowed the crowd, although I think their singing back of the chorus possibly also wowed Richie!

Any concerns on whether the crowd would respond well to the non Jovi stuff were immediately laid to rest when the opening bars of Stranger In This Town filled the hall, the crowd singing every word, as Richie and indeed Orianthi let loose on some killer bluesy solo’s.

In our recent interview with Richie he said that one thing lacking in Jovi was creative freedom, to just play what he felt, there was no lack of freedom tonight, elongated solos, guitar duelling with Orianthi, impromptu sing alongs, who needs wide open fields where you’re a mile from the stage when you can be this close you can almost smell it?

Continuing the solo run, Burn That Candle Down, Weathering The Storm (written with Bernie Taupin) Sugar Daddy, Learning How To Fly With A Broken Wing all retain the same impressive band crowd repartee.

The emotional, and possibly the best track from Aftermath, Seven Years Gone, sees Richie open his heart a little about the situations that caused him to write it, and the crowd continue singing every word.

One thing noticeable from my vantage point in the Circle, is this isn’t the polished almost sterile production of the big Jovi arena shows, this is a band recently put together - albeit featuring long time Sambora/Bon Jovi contributor producer Luke Ebbin - who like jamming, who can extend and change songs when called for by Sambora, from the gesturing to Orianthi that says your turn play some guitar, even back to the keyboard player frantically flicking his cheat book on how one of Richie’s solo songs go…..its all part of a rock n roll show!

Orianthi for her part shines when asked and returns to “rhythm” guitar when not required, her chops are impressive, her vocals even more so, and when they play one of her tracks, You Don’t Know, with Richie pretty much taking a back seat, you can just see how talented this lady is and why she’s been playing with Alice Cooper, Steven Tyler, Steve Vai, Michael Jackson, never mind her own solo career!

She and Sambora play a fine version of Storybook Love by Wille Deville/Mark Knopfler and to be honest it was almost as if they wrote it together, anyone can sing a cover version, but its when you take it and make it your own that's when things shine.

This gives way to Jovi classic and biggest sing along of the night, I’ll Be There For You, Sambora unleashes some of that wonderful emotional soloing in an extended outro of the song and the who oh ohs from the audience continue for another two tes even after the song has finished!

In act, on previous nights Richie has used songs like Stick To Your Guns as an intro to Wanted Dead or Alive, tonight he takes the guitar off, grabs some water and lets the crowd continue singing, before putting the six string back on and taking us through an amazing version of the Jovi national anthem!

And so the main set ended, hardly a Jovi song in the first hour, then a run of classis, where do you go from here?

You bring out more! Asking the contestants for the opening slot to come out and join him and the band for Living On a Prayer, sung amazingly by Orianthi; she owns that song vocally!

Rounding off the evening with an impromptu version of Get Up Stand Up, before continuing the reggae theme into the start of These Days.
The night finishes on a high as we hit curfew, clocking in around 2 hours and the crowd still woh oh oh-ing as the band leave the stage.

I’d waited 16 years since my last Sambora solo show, tonight was brilliant, not perfect, not flawless, but what rock n roll should be, flowing and entertaining. Now for round number two in Belfast!

ENDS

Richie Sambora Belfast bound

ONCE known only as the guitarist standing beside Bon Jovi Richie Sambora has grown in stature over the past few years...and now he's set to play Belfast's Ulster Hall as part of a run of dates across Europe.

Sambora now has three solo albums under his belt, to add to the 130m album sales accumulated as part of Bon Jovi, with the latest release Aftermath of the Lowdown receiving both critical acclaim and fan backing.

The date for Sambora's Ulster Hall date is July 1st - the same day thrash icons Anthrax - lay waste to Limelight1. It has some resonance that these two ends of the rock and metal spectrum are still going strong so long after the 80s.

The venues may be smaller than the tours of that decade which saw Bon Jovi and Anthrax play Belfast, but the audience age range is greater; and arguably more devoted. How many of today's so-called stars will still be touring in 30 years time...

The soft rock hero Sambora will be backed by six-string wunder-kid, Orianthi, who was last spotted wielding her axe with the venerable Alice Cooper.

Tickets for Sambora go on sale this coming Thursday, April 17th (the same day as Cheap Thrill with members of Cinderella and White Lion play the Diamond Rock Club (yet more stars of the 80s still touring!).

The fee to gain access to see Richie Sambora is £36 including booking fee, which you can proffer via www.ticketmaster.ie, at the Waterfront and Ulster Hall ticket desks and at Ticketmaster outlets across the country.

We are currently deciding which members of our review crew will be at each venue on July 1st...we may convene on April 17th...in the meantime "Oh, Oh, We're Living On A Prayer".

Six of the best, despite absent friends

THIS was heavy metal, and this was the six of the best Northern Ireland heavy metal on display, this was Belfast Music Week, this was The Distortion Project 13th Birthday and this was the Ulster Hall rocked to its very core.

Despite a thin crowd six bands came on to the vast stage of the Bedford Street venue with verve, vigour and no need for Viagra as they stood erect in the name of metal.

To the obvious delight of those that got off their backsides to attend this was six bands fulfilling dreams of playing in one of the metal meccas; and playing it as if the hall was filled to the rafters.

Opening proceedings at an obscenely early hour Rabid Bitch of the North delivered it old school metal style, three musicians leaning into a meaty slab of monster riffs and punchy rhythms; it was if the 80s hadn't gone away.

Skypilot's considered, yet heavy riffage merged into a melange of Clutch and Tool; all pretence that prog metal might bring dispelled by the entrancing weaves of musical metal collages.

Representing the dark side of the metal family Zombified brought the extreme death metal on stage in a flurry of right and left combinations of neck breaking, thorough and precise death as it should be played...as if blood-splattered corpses littered the floor of this venerable venue.

With barely a pause the riff then held sway as groove monsters and maestros of all-round Legenderry cool Triggerman brought summoned the river gods and bought thon strange brew to Belfast - total excellent personified.

Sinocence brought a dash of thrash and old school to the hall with their usual pananche; from Long Way Down to having Raymie Haller of Sweet Savage joining them for a blast of Killing Time, this was a band flexing their collective biceps built up with touring and playing wherever and whenever was appropriate.

Stormzone have become a force of nature; a conjuration of the weather gods brought this five piece together to rain thunder upon us; from Davey Bates and Graham McNulty's rumbling of elemental terror, to Davey Shields and Steve Moore's riffs and manic soloing and held together by charismatic Harv Stormzone know that the big stage is where they belong.

To say it was a fitting closer to six acts of all round 'immenseness' would be an understatement.

However, two things were to put a dampener on the night, otherwise lit up by six bands giving their all, illuminated by a tremendous lighting rig and set-up.

Firstly the sound was appalling - at times too muddy, and other times bright and sparky; and usually getting it the wrong way round.

A bigger crowd may have helped dampen down the reverb that was killing a lot of bands' dynamics. Where was this crowd? Lost on the back streets of Belfast? Too lazy? Too self-absorbed? Washing their hair?

Wherever they were: the thousands who have enjoyed the smallest to the largest gigs The Distortion Project has laid on over the last 13 years; the hundreds of bands that The Distortion Project have given an opportunity to ply their trade; and the thousands who had the chance to show that metal is alive - they were the ones who missed out. They are the ones who this weekend should hang their heads in collective shame.

To James Loveday and each and every band and fan who were in the Ulster Hall we raise the horns and a pint - for those who brought the metal, we salute you!

A challenge for the Little Matador

WHEN we all stumble from tonight's (Friday 15th November) show in Belfast's Ulster Hall with ears ringing with metallic tinnitus, and get over Saturday's rock - whether you are at The Pavillion with Trucker, at the Diamind Rock Bar with Tigertailz - there's always Queens of the Stone Age to look forward to on Monday....

You will all already be familiar with Josh Homme and the output of QOTSA, the majority of which you should be familiar with and if you haven't got your ticket tucked in your wallet or purse are planning a purchase on our before Monday night.

But, when you queue up at the Odyssey Arena on Monday are you prepared for Snow Patrol? Okay, panic not loyal readers, for you will not be exposed to Gary Lightbody's soporific drone.

Instead there will be the alt-noise attack of Little Matador, the side project of Snore Patrol's Natahan Connolly.

With the likes of Dave Mage of La Faro and Gavin Fox of Idlewild joining Connolly for this triple guitar act it most definitely is not the middle class safe Snore Patrol sound.

When Little Matador opened for Nine Inch Nails at Belsonic they garnered a few inquisitive nods of appreciation. Yes, they are not typical hard rock/metal, but they do lay on a guitar-orientated heavy sound.

Connolly, speaking in the summer to one of the rags that passes for a newspaper described the Little Matador sound: “It’s louder, dirtier, a little bit sleazier.  A healthy respect for noise.  It’s always weird describing music because everyone hears something different.”

We, like more than a few others will be making sure we're settled in early to make an assessment on Little Matador before passing further judgment. And then there's QOTSA with a setlist that includes the likes of Burn The Witch, Better Living Through Chemistry, The Vampyre of Time and Live and of course A Song for the Dead.

Review to come after the QOTSA show, but don't forget to look out for the reviews of tonight's Distortion Project/Belfast Music Week six-band attempt to tear down the Ulster Hall

Why Friday 15th November is a date you MUST not miss

TOMORROW (Friday 15th November) is a date you MUST not miss if you are a fan of hard rock and heavy metal. That is when the venerable James Loveday and his Distortion Project join forces with Belfast Music Week to bring six local heavy bands to the Ulster Hall.

Hand your kids over to social services, rent your house out, make public transport arrangements, have an early dinner, get the neck muscles limbered up and reserve your spot in the venerable old hall - you must not miss this.

Yes, we can always say that about any gig, but this one is special.

Firstly, hard rock and heavy metal have always been the awkward kid of Belfast Music Week, lurking around the edges while extravagant fringes, talentless samplers of other people's music and assorted shoe gazers take the plaudits.

But being given the opportunity to bring metal to the Ulster Hall with six Northern Ireland acts is a unique opportunity to show the sneering cynics that there is a vibrant local hard rock and metal scene. We've known that all along, but they need to be reminded...

And what a line up that has been assembled...In order of appearance:

• Rabid Bitch of the North;
• Skypilot;
• Zombified;
• Triggerman;
• Sinocence; and
• Stormzone.

With doors opening at 5pm and running until 11pm - all for a measly £10 - why would any self-respecting fan of local heavy music not go along. Of course there may be one or two of the acts you might not have a taste for, but there is plenty on offer for you to toast and celebrate this evening.

The second main reason is to help celebrate The Distortion Project. For 13 years James has been the bulwark of the local scene, bringing international acts and offering opportunities for almost every genre of heavy music to take to the stage.

This isn't us here on this blog brown-nosing, we're are simply stating fact. While we always acknowledge and celebrate all promoters and backers of rock and metal, The Distortion Project has been the constant factor for 13 years. Even if you are not a fan of any of the six bands hitting the Ulster Hall you must attend tomorrow night to raise a toast to the 13 years.

Finally, the Ulster Hall is a city centre venue with an impressive and auspicious place in Northern Ireland history, with protests, gospel meetings and all manner of events taking place there that are part of the footnotes of the past.

It has also a special place in rock history. From the first ever live airing of Stairway to Heaven when Zeppelin played there, through to Rory Gallagher's regular annual appearances, and the boom days of the late 80s Ulster Hall shows when Metallica, MSG, WASP, Slayer and many other graced the stage it has unique claim on metal hearts.

Come tomorrow night, as the six bands play in front of the epic organ that is a backdrop to the stage, the ghosts of power chords of yesteryear will be in the air - mingling with the cheers of the many who will assemble there. Will you join us?

We can always promise to go to an event on Facebook and then through other commitments, family pressures, lack of beer tokens, or sheer forgetfulness manage not to attend, but on Friday you must make the effort.

Tickets will be available on the door £10...

As if that was not enough if you people remember a wee song called Killing Time, Raymie Haller will be joining the Sinocence lads to a wee run through of this classic...

Win tickets to Machine F**ckin' Head!

WE'RE too generous, we know it, and the good folks at Shine/CDC are way too generous. We have two pair of tickets up for grabs to see the awesome, the wonderful, the heavy as a ten-ton hammer Machine Fucking Head in Belfast.

Let's face it Machine Head have practically defined heavy metal in the 21st Century with lead breaks to die for, guitar harmonies to sear your face, intelligent and challenging lyrics and most of all they love Belfast. Why else would they keep coming back.

Machine Head, with Evile play the venerable Ulster Hall on May 28th. If you haven't got your tickets yet, then why not?

If you have already got your tickets then enter this competition and help a friend discover Machine Head's heavy glory. Better still buy your tickets right now, and enter this competition to share in the heaviness with a couple of friends.

So what do you have to do to win one of these heavy as fuck tickets?

The question: name Machine Head's latest album. Email us here with your answer and full name.

Winning answer will be drawn on 19th May.

Belfast Rocks...well we know it does!

BEFORE the balls that was the MTV EMA mime-fest Belfast Music Week laid on a Friday evening event in the Ulster Hall entitled Belfast Rocks.

Well readers of this page sort of knew that anyway...But it is also worth pointing out that Belfast does indeed rock to the sound and fury of hard rock and heavy metal every week. However, that would be just crass to mention that. Ooops just did!

And, credit where credit is due, Belfast City Council put their money behind the Belfast Music Week, and not just the MTV shenanigans. And for Belfast Rocks night they brought together a line up that showed the diverse offerings that Norn Iron can offer.

Opening were La Faro with ther rumbunctious punk sounding metal, warming up for the main attractions.

Therapy?'s set was greeted with enthusiasm, more than matched by the verve, dark humour and spiky authoritian domination of the stage by the County Antrim trio. If Therapy? sometimes deliver a soundscape for the apocalypse then only in this country will we be laughing all the way to annihilation.

As the show was being recorded for the BBC Mr Andy Cairns decided not to use sweary words on stage...better to get the audience to shout out the sweary words.
The Answer gave a tight set, airing equally what are by now old standards with new material from Revivial: even going so far as to play Piece by Piece from the bonus disc, but as it was on various cover mounts they get a by-ball in that one.

So what did we learn from the Belfast Rocks night? La Faro are a prospect for the future once they hone their sound and identity; Therapy? are still the nasty thorn in the side of smiley types with laughs amid the darkness; and The Answer are the standard bearers for a wave of Norn Iron hard rockers...well that's satisfying enough!

Now Belfast City Council, congrats for your work on Belfast Music Week, and let's see a lot more rock and metal next year!

Is it just me...

STIFF Little Fingers received the Northern Ireland Music Awards (NIMA) ‘Legends’ award at the biggest event yet on Wednesday 2nd November, and proceeded to show the young whippersnappers just how a proper band delivers a live performance.

Later that same evening I had the privilege, together with my son, to see another legend in the shape of ex-Guns ‘n’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan deliver another solid, stonking set at the Spring and Airbrake with his current touring outfit Loaded. These two legends are worthy of the status in a world where hyperbole is the norm and every numptie who can play two or three chords is given a wow factor.

Attending the Northern Ireland Music Awards was a mixed blessing – the chance to see SLF again being uppermost. But while one must accord congratulations to AU, Oh Yeah and Belfast City Council for organising the event, I was left feeling very much confused for what the mainstream passes off for music. Is it just me? Am I getting too old? But all bar And So I Watched You From Afar left me cold, and for large parts bored.

General Fiasco are an obvious favourite amongst the many teenagers and twentysomethings in the crowd, but even my son was bored by what was a performance that seemed to me to lack depth. Wearing ties and looking like they had just come out of a prep school party.

As for Cashier No. 9...well it was difficult to tell whether they were Byrds wannabes, or some sort of take on reviving the eclecticism of the 60s and 80s. Dogged by technical problems (errr guys even if everything goes down sing something! Or rehearse properly with your gear!) they left in a huff after two songs.

Returning after some much needed refreshment we came across what seemed to be a distorted guitar riff...only to find it was a sample – The Japanese Popstars where on stage. Ohh dear me, Satan must be reserving a very special place in hell for people who ‘perform’ with a couple of samplers and their Apple Mac laptops open. Sure they can mix other people’s music and add yet more samples of other people’s music and other people’s music (getting the theme here) what’s the point. Go programme computer games soundtracks or play Call of Duty, but don’t pass it off as a performance. If you can’t write music...

Is it just me? Am I getting too old?

Salvation was at hand however. Having no real live experience of And So I Watch You From Afar it was a delight to have an edgy, over the top instrumental wall of guitars, bass and drums: the bastard child of alt rock and Mastodon, there was something electric on stage. And for a change it was no faux angst. Tony announced he was leaving ASIWYFA before diving into the crowd. Due adulation, ecstatic scenes among the appreciative and the thrown down guitar... One cannot tell what the future is for ASIWYFA and Tony, but well worth tracking it down.

Radio Ulster’s Rigsy and Emma Fitzpatrick of Citybeat did an admirable job as hosting the event, but special mention must go to Stuart Bailie for organising it, and for Belfast City Council for being so open to Northern Ireland music for being among the backers (can’t figure out the Invest Northern Ireland link, but hey perhaps local bands should be applying for a special rock grant!).

BBC Northern Ireland’s Mike Edgar gave a glowing accolade to SLF, complete with a video charting their history (and some fashion mistakes). But what can you really say. Off stage they could be a group of middle aged men gathered round for a natter and wee bit of craic. But onstage there is a fire and an intensity that few can match even when they are only there for a 20-minute blast through.

Suspect Device, Strummerville, Wasted Life - all delivered like the fury of the late 70s and early 80s was still burning in Jake Burns heart. And with a new – long-awaited album follow-up to Guitar and Drum promised one can only see the Stiffs go from strength to strength.

This is beginning to read like a GCSE attempt at a review rather than a serious journalistic analysis, but what the hell:

With the final chords of Alternative Ulster echoing it was a quick dash to the Spring and Airbrake, thanks to the kind folks at CDC Leisure, to catch the last half of Duff McKagan’s Loaded. Laconic, every bit the Californian superstar punk, heavy rock icon, Duff’s set was almost like he was the resident act for the venue. Chatting to the front row as if with old friends.

But make no mistake about it; this is not a man on nostalgia trip. Yes the Gunner’s It’s So Easy was punched out to the crowd’s delight, while Attitude summed up a lot about the man. The acoustic version of Wasted Heart, however, showed that this is a man and a band prepared to see what comes next rather than resting on past glories.

So, why in the world did it take so long for SLF to be accorded Legends status? Why was the Spring and Airbrake not rammed to the rafters for Duff? And why was local hard rock and metal talent not received accolades and awards in the Ulster Hall? Trucker Diablo, Last Known Addiction, Million Dollar Reload, Worldsend etc etc etc may have small flaws each, but those flaws are tiny, minuscule compared to the flawed fashionable ones.

I posit two reasons: first, fashions fickle fingers swaying from the arms of the playlists of BBC, (un)Cool FM and Citybeat and the pages of AU. The second one is related, but all the more serious: airplay.

The rock and metal scene exists despite being blacklisted from the radio stations and print media. With the right airplay on mainstream stations I have no doubt that hard rock venues and album sales would enjoy a resurgence. Mime-along acts enjoy their allotted scandal rag half hour of fame and sell-out the Odyssey for their pre-pubescent fantasist girls and their mums, but the conversion of the 12,000+ that went to Iron Maiden and Metallica in the Odyssey from weekend rockers to regular attendees for local acts is but an airplay step away. One can but dream that next year’s Northern Ireland Music Awards will offer due recognition to hard rock and metal acts, and SLF get another Legends award, to paraphrase a certain cosmetic advertisement: Because They’re Worth It!

Savage head!

Sweet Savage have been confirmed as support for Motorhead's Belfast and Dublin dates in November; the latest in a series of high profile supports for the band.

With new material due soon after this gig, Sweet Savage will more than make up for missing out on The Damned, who are supporting 'Head in rest of UK, but will it make up for not seeing NWOBHM contemporaries Girlschool who are also on the UK line-up?

Sweet Savage are still at the top of their game and Girlschool are putting out 'My Mates and me' albums.

'Head heading for Belfast - welcome back Lemmy!

Motorhead have confirmed a return to Belfast date in November. Lemmy and co are playing the Ulster Hall on 9th November.

Hope this gets a great response from the local fans. Motorhead played several times during the worst of the Troubles, when a lot of bands couldn't be arsed pencilling an ultimately not very profitable date in this wee country.

The now defunct Maysfield Leisure Centre and the Whitla Hall (yeah that one beside the QUB Lanyon Building) hosted some spectacular Motorhead nights. I still can't figure out how they managed to fit The Bomber rig into the Whitla Hall without the roof caving in!

The tour will be promoting, amongst other things, the re-issue of 'No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith' - a live recording that is amongst the most genuine live recordings of a metal act available. The production wasn't perfect, at times the sound was muddy, and the playing wasn't note perfect. Still it reached the upper echelons of the UK album charts in the days when you really had to sell a shedload of albums to make it!

Welcome back Motorhead!

Time for The Answer to headline

Tonight (Monday) The Answer storm into town to thank loyal local fans as during a very brief break from their continent spanning support slot to AC/DC.

For those not able to get along to the Mandella Hall...fear not.

Northern Ireland's favourite hard rockers have announced a headline 'Everyday Demons' tour, which will end at The Ulster Hall on December 14th.

And don't forget to vote for The Answer as Belfast British Act in the Metal Hammer Golden Gods!

SLF interview

Top bloke, leading light and co-founder of one of the most infuential punk bands on the planet - he is Stiff Little Fingers' Jake Burns. Later this week we'll be publishing some snippets from an interview with Jake.

In the interview Jake explains his favourite track of recent SLF platters, why European touring is hazardous to phone bills, and what exactly are the Nefarious Fat Cats...and why he had to re-learn the Rory Gallagher and Thin Lizzy riffs.

SLF are playing Belfast's Ulster Hall on March 16th

Attention all rockers and metalheads – the Ulster Hall needs you!

Belfast’s most historic venue is currently undergoing a massive £7.43 million refurbishment, and is re-opening at the beginning of March 2009.

When it does so, it will house an interpretative exhibition telling the Hall’s story through words, pictures and sound.

Organisers are now asking anyone who has a special memory of an Ulster Hall experience to contribute by sharing their unique stories or personal memorabilia.

As Tim Husbands, Managing Director of Belfast Waterfront and the Ulster Hall, explains:

“The Ulster Hall stands out as one of Northern Ireland’s most impressive cultural icons with a history of staging live events that is unrivalled by any other Belfast venue. We want to explore and reveal people’s own special experiences and recollections of the Ulster Hall for everyone to share.

“We all have our own stories and there are really no limits to the kinds of information and memorabilia we are looking for. It could be a special memory of a concert or sporting event, seeing an idol on stage, people you used to meet at the Ulster Hall or even something special that happened while you were there.”

“It could even be a ticket or a programme that you still have. We are keen to see any memorabilia that you may have tucked away. It’s up to you! The Ulster Hall holds special memories for so many of us. Don’t keep them to yourself!”

So, metalheads, do you have a special memory of your favourite gig? Were you there when Led Zeppelin played ‘Stairway…’ for the first time? Or the night Cliff Burton ripped the roof of the joint so shortly before his tragic passing? Do you have that precious Motorhead backstage pass tucked away in a drawer somewhere? Or that Megadeth T-shirt you can’t quite squeeze into anymore?

Don’t worry if any of your memorabilia has sentimental venue – it will all be safely returned.

If you would like your Ulster Hall story to be heard, or would like to pass on any memorabilia (don’t send any at this stage), get in touch by emailing ulsterhall@belfastcity.gov.uk, with ‘Ulster Hall Memories’, in the subject line.

Article by Monk from our associate
The Pied Piper Agency