Live Review : Kickin' Valentina + God Damn Smile + Sweet Electric @ The Waterloo Music Bar, Blackpool on May 31st 2023

Sweet Electric are the new outfit from Massive frontman Brad Marr having only been together for six months or so, and as the lights go down and the floor toms kick in, the band hit the stage in a Technicolor explosion, it’s fascinating to see the direction that Brad has taken his new musical endeavour. There’s a distinctly 70s glam vibe about Sweet Electric, with glitter, zebra print and lycra in abundance. No longer fettered by the guitar duties he undertook as part of Massive, Brad is having the time of his life, careering from one side of the stage to the other with a wild abandon. Resplendent in gold lycra and declaring “I feel as good as I look!”

Live Review : Gin Annie + White Raven Down + A’Priori @ The Waterloo Music Bar, Blackpool on May 19th 2023

It’s an unseasonably warm evening in Blackpool and if it’s hot outside, the temperature inside the Waterloo Music Bar, is through the roof, both literally and metaphorically.

An air raid siren intro announces the arrival of local heroes A’Priori to the stage, the first of the three bands that make up tonight’s bill. Boasting a somewhat unusual line-up configuration of guitar/vocals, drums and keyboard but no bass guitar, A’Priori ‘s sound is equal parts familiar and unusual all at the same time.

Live Review : Fury + Crowley + Luke Appleton @ The Waterloo Music Bar, Blackpool on Friday 14 April 2023

Kicking tonight’s proceedings off in fine style, is last minute substitute Luke Appleton drafted in at the eleventh hour when illness forced Promethium to withdraw from tonight’s show. No stranger to the UK scene, tonight Luke was in much more reflective form than we are accustomed to seeing from him in his other bands, taking to the stage alone with just an acoustic guitar for company. With Luke’s latest release “Forever Viking” only being released on the day of the gig, half of the set comprised, unsurprisingly of tracks from this EP.

Live Review : Tygers of Pan Tang + The Loose Cut @ The Continental, Preston on March 12th 2023

As I walk through the doors of The Continental on this damp March night, it strikes me what a gamble it can be catching the 21st century version of a band you’ve followed and liked for decades. Best case scenario, they play a blinding set and confirm your long-time faith in them; on the flip side if they don’t, you can tarnish a life time of memories. Which of those would come to pass tonight remained to be seen, but before Tygers of Pan Tang showed if they were still worth the price of admission were openers The Loose Cut.