Posts tagged Phil Beswick
Live Review : Hollywood Vampires + The Tubes @ AO Arena, Manchester on July 8th 2023

Torrential thunderstorms around the UK and particularly here in Manchester threaten to wreck the evening before it gets underway with a half hours delay in starting, allowing more time for the drenched and sopping wet people to purchase a 2 pint pot of beer, grab the nibbles and take up a seat in the sold out show tonight.

Just after 8.00 pm the lights go down, and an enthusiastic cheer echoes around the AO Arena signalling the entrance of The Tubes. Dressed in rather colourful suits, the 1970’s San Francisco quintet kick tonight off nicely.

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Live Review : Dare + FM + Tyketto @ Academy 2, Manchester on May 21st 2023

You could think of far worse ways to spend a beautiful sunny day in Manchester on a Sunday evening. It wasn't just the heat outside that needed turning down, the heat is turned up to boiling point inside the Academy 2 with blistering performances all-round from perhaps some of the most underrated AOR and melodic bands still performing and going strong some 30 plus years after their inceptions. It’s certainly a mouth-watering affair and one that goes down better than the obligatory pint of overpriced lager from the bar. If value for money is your thing, then you’ve certainly got that in spade loads on the music on offer tonight.  

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Live Review: Bad Wolves + Hollowstar @ Academy 3, Manchester on December 11th 2022

There’s a healthy crowd in early for the upbeat and energetic Cambridge based openers Hollowstar. They go down very well with their fresh modern NWOCR sound full of punchy riffs, catchy choruses and songs that capture your imagination. There’s a nice cover of Skynrd’s ‘Simple Man’ thrown in there ensuring a rousing sing song from those old enough to remember it first time around and the generations since.

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Live Review : The L.A. Maybe + A'Priori + Unknown Refuge @ Waterloo Music Bar, Blackpool on December 7th 2022

The small venue with the massive attitude serves as a worthy backdrop on this bitterly cold December evening. The L.A. Maybe are perhaps one of those bands you may or may not have heard of, and I confess to being one of them. A couple of You Tube videos later and I can report back being suitably impressed by this American quintet. One video, a beautiful power ballad called ‘When I’m Done’ blew me away. Apparently, the new singer is the old singer who doesn't sing that tune on the video. Would they play that tonight? I’m ready to find out.

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Live Review : The Dead Daisies + Graham Bonnet Band + FM @ O2 Ritz, Manchester on December 4th 2022

It’s certainly more than worth missing the footy for this evening with such a mouth-watering mix of brilliant rock to suitably whet the appetite instead. There’s a long queue outside and for some reason, a near half hour delay in getting those doors open, but not to worry though as a certain Doug Aldrich is busy hanging out at the front posing for pics and chatting with the freezing cold punters, with many in disbelief it’s actually him. Saying that, other various band members from tonight’s line up were also spotted loitering with intent including FM’s Pete Jupp making his way back in doing his best to save money by bringing his own ale in for the chaps to sup after their earlier than usual start.

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Live Review : Skid Row + The Treatment + Enuff Z'Nuff @ O2 Ritz, Manchester on October 27th 2022

Well what an exciting slice of music we have to look forward to this evening! It’s a mouth-watering mix of classic and rejuvenated ‘80’s American rock, with a hefty slice of noise from current NWOCR Gods The Treatment sandwiched in-between. It is indeed enough to make you proud that you are of an age to remember when both Skid Row and Enuff Z’Nuff released absolute stonkers of debut albums way back in ’89. Time has thrown varying degrees of mixed fortunes at both bands yet here they still are, still rockin and delivering some serious shit in the form of their latest releases. I am indeed salivating at the prospect.

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Live Review : Samantha Fish + Wille and the Bandits @Academy 2, Manchester on October 16th 2022

It’s always nice to watch bands in a busy venue, and by the time I make it into the Academy 2, tonight’s support band Wille and The Bandits are already a good way into their set. Glancing round, it is indeed a near full house and it’s great to see. It’s also great to see these chaps having a blast up on the stage creating a wonderful atmosphere for everyone. Singer and frontman; ironically called Wile, is busy wringing some lovely sounds from his lap steel guitar and the crowd are thoroughly enjoying their powerhouse set.

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Live Review : Florence Black + Häxan + Crude Virtue @ Rebellion, Manchester on October 10th 2022

There’s a flag being vigorously waved at the moment for the New Wave of Classic Rock, with lots of new, exciting and upcoming bands in there. Tonight at the Rebellion one of those bands firmly at the head of the pack are back in town having recently returned from a string of German stadium dates as guests to Böhse Onkelz. The buzz that Florence Black created led to further dates and now they are on their own UK tour in support of the album “Weight of The World” released 12 months ago to critical acclaim. It’s no wonder then the Rebellion is busy for a Monday night.

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Live Review : Uriah Heep @ The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester on October 3rd 2022

Uriah Heep are in town this evening celebrating a 50 year career with the ‘Lockdown to Rockdown’ tour postponed from November 2020. A band that has by and large escaped my musical radar over the years, there’s absolutely no disputing just what a colossal contribution these giants of rock have made to the world of music. The Bridgewater Hall provides a fitting venue to host the celebrations, with its beautiful seated auditorium and choir circles that spiral their way up towards the ceiling. It’s the perfect backdrop to enjoy a relaxed evening’s music now spanning more than 5 decades.

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Live Review : Myke Gray + Ashen Reach @ Waterloo Music Bar, Blackpool on July 24th 2022

It’s hard to imagine sometimes exactly where the last 30 years have gone isn’t it? If we think back to those days, say every time we listen to Planet Rock, it immediately transports you back through time and the music we listened to, or probably still listen to, and how it has woven in and out of our lives through the good, the bad and the indifferent times.

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Live Review : Phil Campbell and The Bastard Sons + Gorilla Riot + Unknown Refuge @ Academy Club, Manchester on May 17th 2022

In these days of media driven celebrity drivel- where everyone wants to be famous for 5 minutes for exposing their breasts, telling some seedy kiss and tell ‘story’ or dancing like a twat and sharing it for some unknown pointless reason on Tik Tok in the vague hope that someone will give them ‘likes’ and comment and praise them into thinking they are talented, real talent often goes amiss and shockingly overlooked. As does the term legend. Again, too often loosely thrown about, bestowed by corrupt media on any such non entity they deem deserved of that title.

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Live Review : FM + Grand Slam @ Academy Club, Manchester on April 2nd 2022

British AOR rock Gods FM are back in town in support of their new album; the recently released “Thirteen”, and with Grand Slam supporting, there promises to be somewhat of a classic and AOR rock party to look forward to, and with a wonderful blend of old and new material from both bands, it was certainly a case of value for money for a Saturday evening in Manchester.

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Live Review : Kris Barras Band + Florence Black + Ashley Sherlock Band @ Academy 2, Manchester on March 16th 2022

He’s rather a nice chap that Kris Barras fella; on the tour to support their latest album “Death Valley Paradise, he’s been offering an opening slot to local bands as a way of giving promotion and exposure, and tonight Manchester’s very own Ashley Sherlock Band has the unenviable job of opening the show.

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Live Review : Smith / Kotzen + The Dust Coda @ The Academy 2, Manchester on February 27th 2022

The Dust Coda open this evenings show. The London based 4 piece play a short set that gets the burgeoning crowd jigging about nicely. Playing tunes from both their albums to date; “The Dust Coda” and the recent “Mojo Skyline”, there’s lots of bluesy soul and melodies with that new wave of classic rock sound, which they seem to do rather well, combining that with some classic Led Zeppy riffs and vocals with the kind of swagger and anthemia power of Guns ‘n’ Roses or Velvet Revolver,

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Live Review : King King + The Damn Truth @ Academy 2, Manchester on February 17th 2022

The last time Glaswegian blues rock stalwarts King King played here was exactly 3 years ago; and a lot has changed since that date- the comings and goings of various members, an album, and the welcome addition of a certain big brother into the fold. Having last caught the chaps back in October at the Leeds Stylus, I knew just what a treat the crowd of mainly middle aged folks were in for if they hadn’t seen the new expanded line up before. First though, we needed to welcome The Damn Truth to open proceedings and it was quite a stir they proved to make.

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Live Review : Bad Touch + Bastette + Shape Of Water @ The Bread Shed, Manchester on February 11th 2022

The start of Bad Touch’s Better Late than Never tour has apparently been postponed some 5 times over the past 18 months or so, and tonight, it finally gets underway. There’s an added bonus too with local band Shape of Water added to the bill opening the show.

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Live Review : FM + Mad Haven @ The Live Rooms, Chester on November 11th 2021

British AOR and melodic rock giants FM are in town with their first UK dates in nearly two years. It’s been a long time to wait since they last graced the stage on their Big 3-0 tour with Dan Reed Network and Gun, and tonight the tour that was postponed in support of their twelfth studio album 2020’s “Synchronized” finally gets underway.

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Live Review : Wayward Sons + Anchor Lane @ Academy 3, Manchester on November 9th 2021

Oxford Road’s Academy 3 welcomes the Wayward Sons back to Manchester this evening for their eagerly awaited headline shows of 2021. With the recent release in October of third album “Even Up the Score to promote, and with a ridiculously low ticket price of £12 and quality T shirts for just £15, where else would you rather be on a wet Tuesday in November?

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Live Review : VEGA + Revival Black + JOANovARC @ The Waterloo Music Bar, Blackpool on October 29th 2021

To say the music scene has taken a battering over the past eighteen months or so is somewhat of an understatement at the very least. So much so that this iconic bastion of the North West almost closed its doors for good; but like the proverbial phoenix rising from the ashes, thankfully it didn’t and appears to be bigger, better and bolder than ever before with a new stage and mixing desk and the ‘small venue with a massive attitude’ continues to throw its doors open to welcome a variety of international and local acts. With its impressive array of memorabilia and posters adorning its walls and ceilings, selection of real ales and good food, it’s exactly the sort of place to enjoy a gig such as this one this evening. Headliners VEGA need no introduction to those familiar with this hard hitting melodic 6 piece, those who have seen Revival Black pop up on numerous support tours for the likes of Mason Hill will no doubt have been suitably impressed.

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Live Review : FM + GUN + Dan Reed Network @ Academy 2, Manchester on December 20th 2019

Way before the days of all things grunge and everything else since, there was a time that we all remember rather fondly. Well, the ones like me that are now above a certain age do anyway. Back in 1989, music was just as strong as it is now, especially if you where a rock and metal fan. It was the tail end of the ‘Hair or Poodle Metal’ days, the land of big shoulders, long sparkled coats, mullets, denim, leathers, cowboy boots, sequins and blokes applying make-up playing pink pointy guitars. 

Aah, those where the days!

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