Category: Live Reviews

By Darren McIntyre Images by Scott Anderson Lucie Sue is a ferocious singer-songwriter from Biarritz, France, dragging grunge and hard-edged rock kicking and screaming into 2026. A child of the MTV generation, raised on the uncompromising sounds of Metallica and PJ Harvey, Lucie’s musical fire is matched by a sharp artistic vision [more…]

Dementia Aware Fest 2026 was more than just a showcase of rising rock talent – it was a powerful, loud, and heartfelt celebration of music with purpose. Held under the banner Red by Night, the festival brought together a diverse lineup of bands from across the UK (and beyond), each delivering their [more…]

Review by Darren McIntyre. Images by Scott Anderson As part of this year’s Celtic Connections, St Luke’s played host to one of the most compelling live performers working today. Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz, better known as Fantastic Negrito, brought his funk-laced, soul-drenched blues to a packed venue, and from the moment the house [more…]

Review By Darren McIntyre Images By Scott Anderson Dom Martin is a Belfast born multi award winning singer / songwriter / musician who burst onto the music scene with a unique guitar style & voice that captivated audiences everywhere. Dom brought us debut album Spain To Italy and was described as a [more…]

Review By Darren McIntyre, images by Scott Anderson James Bruner is a singer/songwriter/musician from Springfield, Illinois, who began singing early in life and playing guitar at age 15 and became the frontman for a rock band from 2018 till 2019. After discovering his joy of writing songs, he decided to move to [more…]

Review By Darren McIntyre, images by Scott Anderson Penny Panagaris, aka Orianthi, is a singer/guitarist/songwriter from Adelaide, Australia, who originally came to our attention in 1999. Orianthi has been playing in bands since she was 14 and performed her first stage show for Steve Vai aged 15. She met and jammed with [more…]

Live Review: Joanne Shaw Taylor at Buxton Opera HouseBuxton, Derbyshire — 26 January 2026 Review and Images by Ali Burman On a cold Monday evening in January, beneath the gilded balconies and vaulted ceilings of the historic Buxton Opera House, Joanne Shaw Taylor delivered a performance that was equal parts brave and [more…]

Review By Darren McIntyre Images By Scott Anderson The Laurettes are an all girl band from Scotland who have been described as a powerful Indie / Folk Fusion band with a Celtic rock twist. The girls have been extremely busy on the festival circuit including Tiree Music Festival, Islay Whisky Festival, Mull [more…]

15th January 2026 Words by Phil Ingham Manchester Academy was already healthily full for the first of tonight’s three bands. This doesn’t come as a surprise though. The opening band is Stick to Your Guns, the Californian hardcore/metalcore stalwarts known for their blistering live sets. They did not disappoint, treating the growing [more…]

Troon Town Hall – planBReview by Darren McIntyrePhotos by Scott Anderson lineupsAs Winterstorm rolls confidently into its ninth year, the seaside town of Troon once again proves why this festival has become a must-attend event on the UK rock calendar. Since launching in 2016, Winterstorm has consistently delivered world-class line-ups within an [more…]

Troon Town Hall – planBReview by Darren McIntyrePhotos by Scott Anderson line-ups lineupsWinterstorm has long since cemented its reputation as one of the UK’s premier rock festivals, and as it reaches its ninth year, the Troon Town Hall once again becomes a sanctuary for rock fans from across the globe. Since 2016, [more…]