Got tickets today for Richard Ashcroft at Cardiff Castle next July.
It’s going to be a lads ‘n’ dads day out with a mate and our sons.
Halestorm at the NEC whateveritscallednow in Brum last Sunday night. Taken me a few days to recover.
Fantastic. Never anything less than 110% from Lzzy Hale. What an amazing voice.
They had a band called Bloodywood as a support - so much energy. The mosh pit for a support band was intense (I diligently took a few steps back, as my glass back can't handle that sort of thing these days). I've never seem anything remotely like them - Indian Nu-metal band. Insane. 
Volume crept up to 112db!
tbh, I was pretty flabbergasted.
i haven’t experienced that kind of sonic assault since seeing nomeansno at kingtuts back in 2001?
I was less than impressed with the pair of Magicshine Monteer 40,000’s shining into the audience. I had to make a detour to actually see the band.
but I’d happily see them again.
Had a few gigs over the past couple of months.
Last Dinner Party - album launch, good music but didn't like the venue - the Level in Notts is a bit squashed and weird low ceilings around the edge
Omega Nebula - awsome energetic funk / dub - the older crowd were bouncing
JayaHadaDream - up and coming grime - a bit like Little Simz
English Teacher - fantastic as usual, great to see them in the bigger Rock City
The Wailers - played lots of old hits. They still got a couple of the original members and they looked to be having the best time.
Off to see Pet Needs tomorrow for some bouncy punk in Bristol
First night of Dirty Three’s first UK tour in a long time at Glasgow last night.
Completely brilliant.
Regretted not asking Warren Ellis if he knew the history of the venue - the Classic Grand, formerly a mucky films cinema - I think he would enjoy that detail.
Cryptopsy are playing at Glasgows ‘Slay’ (Glassford St), Tue Jan 20, 2026.
Sheer sonic brutality may ensue 😂😂😂
Wolfsbane supporting The Almighty last night at Rock City.
Blaze Bailey is always good value, and I think there were more Wolfsbane T shirts in the crowd than everything else combined.
Had to retreat to the back after about 20 mins of Almighty - just too loud so close to the front to the point where the guitar is pretty much lost. Much clearer when at the back. Good gig, good atmosphere... but got to say, given the choice I'd take last week's Halestorm show every single time offered. Sorry Ricky !!!
Jesca Hoop at Twyford Church, Winchester. Lovely venue and sat on the balcony for a better view. Not really familiar with her, other than her historic association with Shearwater, one of my favourites. Very distinctive guitar playing and songwriting , clear and impressive voice in both tone and range. Stage presence at times a little diffident but not lacking warmth. Nice evening.
First night of Dirty Three’s first UK tour in a long time at Glasgow last night.
Completely brilliant.
Regretted not asking Warren Ellis if he knew the history of the venue - the Classic Grand, formerly a mucky films cinema - I think he would enjoy that detail.
I was there too - been tempted to replicate his suggested Back in Black work out ever since. What a guy: clearly having an absolute ball.
How have i never heard of the Dirty Three before?? love me a bit of Warren Ellis.
The Almighty at the Barrowlands last night, with Wolfsbane like robertajobb mentioned. Wasn't going to go to this (went to the last 2 years) but we got cheap tickets at the last minute.
Weirdly I've never seen or even listened to Wolfsbane in like 35 years of being a metal/rock fan, I only knew Blaze from when he was in Maiden but what a voice, and such a talented set of players. Honestly thought they should tone it down a notch, there was basically no time when they weren't all absolutely shredding and it got a bit much, like "I cannot hear this epic bass playing because of the epic guitar and epic drumming" But I like this sort of unapologetic "this is what we do" thing.
Which of course is also why I love the Almighty, I mean Ricky Warwick is pretty much a walking cliche and it'd look absurd on most people but it's so from the heart. They were literally the first band I ever saw under my own steam in 94 and still pretty great. And still got that weird metal/punk/cock rock disconnect, "This is a song entirely about my penis" "This is a song about fighting the man" "This is a song about religion being evil" "Yeah this one's about my penis again" No new songs, no new schtick, about 45 minutes of Ricky shouting WILD! and us all going AND WONDERFUL!. Class. No Crucify though, and no Just Add Life Stuff 🙁
Also always nice seeing parent and child teams, case the kids at their shows they'll have kids of their own and these singalong songs will be our scriptures
Saw Kula Shaker (Again…) at The Sugarmill in Stoke on Sunday. A shorter set of some rarely played songs. The Charlatans this Sunday and BRMC on 13 December.
Bizarrely @Northwind, I have been mountain biking with Blaze. He was a strictly wheels on the ground type of rider.
Went to Lacuna Coil a weekend or so back, 3rd? time seeing them, great bit of gothic metal, supported by an American band, Nonpoint, entertaining!!!
Gone a bit mental on tickets, everything is on sale!!!
Fatboy slim, on Brighton beach July next year
All points East to see Twentyone Pilots, Ren, Nova Twins, Wunderhorse.. August next year
And just grabbed Evanescence supported by Poppy at the O2 in September 😀
Saw Bad Omens with The Ghost Inside and Bilmuri supporting. Not fully my jam, but a good evening had with friends.
A few of us got presale tickets for Jimmy Eat World at Piece Hall next summer. Very much looking forward to that gig!
Just got tickets to see Pigs x 7 next May.
Saw halestrorm 24th November. They were excellent. She has a great voice.
Going to see Sabaton this Friday at co-op arena. Looking forward to it as I've always missed them when they used to be on at the academy.
Then seeing Black Rebel Motorcycle on 12th December.
Lots more gigs to book as well.
Porridge Radio at Koko in Camden last night.
their last performance in London, managed to pick up a resale ticket otherwise I would never have got to see them. A beautiful performance and a beautiful venue that was ideal for them.
Ritzy and Rhydian, The Joy Formidable, doing an intimate semi-acoustic gig in Bristol earlier this evening. Bloody good it was, nice to not have crowd barriers, and to be able to talk to the band, which was part of the point of the tour. New material and a full tour next year.
Xiu Xiu coming to Brighton again in January. Love those crazy bastards, so got tickets for that. Don't like seated gigs, but I do like the Attenborough Centre where they're playing. 🙂 Man/Woman/Chainsaw is the day before. Gonna be a good week 🙂
Blimey, just seen a description of what I just bought tickets for...
"ERASERHEAD XIU XIU is a new live concert with accompanying film that uses field recordings, concert specific homemade instruments, organ, modular synths, vocals, flashlights, electrical interference and elements of musique concrete to express the bizarre emotionality, conflicted sexuality, relentless darkness and singularly unsettled moonscape of this most incredible of midnight masterpieces.
The original sound design and score by Alan Spelt and Lynch serve as guide wires to Xiu Xiu's sonic expansion of how they have been affected by them as fans and musicians. The original film gives birth to Xiu Xiu's visual lens through which to be baffled and pummeled by the band's imaginary unused auxiliary footage."
Interesting! 🤔
And still got that weird metal/punk/cock rock disconnect, "This is a song entirely about my penis" "This is a song about fighting the man" "This is a song about religion being evil" "Yeah this one's about my penis again" No new songs, no new schtick, about 45 minutes of Ricky shouting WILD! and us all going AND WONDERFUL!. Class.
this made me laugh, but you're spot on.
they all looked like they were really enjoying the gig, and I actually think of the three years at the barrowlands, this year was a better performance and crowd.
see you next year....apparently. we'll see what comes.
Had some great seats in the Barbican to see Gogo Penguin last night, hadn't heard any of their output at all beforehand and still can't decide if they are my thing but my god they were impressive, oddly enough I think I might prefer a recording rather than live performance.
Top tip - avoid their support act at all costs, wife put her earplugs in & I made a valiant attempt at going to sleep.
Wolf Alice at the O2 with my daughter last night, didn't have the highest expectations as a bigger venue etc and first gig I have paid to attend in about 15 years, but to be honest was blown away.
The sound was great where we were and my god can Ellie sing! I am regretting not taking my plugs today.
Off to see Million Dead (and deus furioiouxiouxues and the Meffs) in about 1 hour at QMU. Quite excited! Slightly worried it might all be curious frank turner fans rather than rabid old hardcore psychos but then I'm probably a bit too old and brittle for that sort of shenanigans these days. I mean I'm having a mild sulk about how crap parking is round there, that's not very hardcore.
Last minute decision to see Divorce at Papillon in Southampton tonight. I was oblivious to their existence but a mate said they were all over 6 Music. Obviously not paying attention then
Asked the wife, but she said she wasn’t interested… am I missing a subtext here?
vd, Divorce, she’s a lucky lady! 🤣
Saw Divorce ("we want Divorce!" Lousy name for a band) with friends and a v into it audience maybe a year ago. They're clearly talented musicians and ambitious as a band. Not my thing fwiw, but what surprised me about the gig (and perhaps shouldn't have as it's far from unusual for bands to beef up their sound a bit - those earpieces aren't just monitors) is how much it was being run off the keyboard player's laptop, to the extent when the pixie bass player (think Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby) put her bass down to sing, her bass carried on playing...
Syd Minskey recommended, if you can catch him on this little tour.
Great gig. Really liked Divorce - crap name agreed. Support were very good. Curiosity Shop. Think Fleet Foxes, Aztec Camera, Grizzly Bear. Acoustic guitars x2, stand up bass and harmonium/keys. Excellent musically.
French motorik-psychedelic uber-hipsters the Limiñanas in Glasgow tonight - absolutely brilliant, I love this hot streak of ace gigs I’m in at the moment!
Took Tyred jr the younger who was excited (well a 17 year old’s approximation of excited) at the sight of their 12-string Jag and got the roadie to take photos of the pedal boards for him at the end.