ANVIL head back to the UK for a 17 date tour March 2020

ANVIL head back to the UK for a 17 date tour March 2020


Of course there are bands that have garnered higher chart positions, sold more albums and filled bigger venues than Anvil. Yet there are few metal acts that have earned as much respect from their colleagues as the Canadian act surrounding vocalist/guitarist Steve ´Lips` Kudlow, Robb Reiner and Chris Robertson.

The most renowned Anvil aficionados include, among others, international stars such as Metallica and the late Lemmy of Motörhead, who have expressed their unreserved admiration time and again.

Expect a romp around the country in sold out, sweaty, hard rocking/metal shows to tell your mates about from these living legends that are an inspiration to many.

Tickets go on sale 24th September and will be available from the venues and various ticket outlets as listed on the band’s website Here

Special guests are yet to be announced.

March 2020:
4th Bannermans, Edinburgh
5th Flowerpot, Derby
6th Tivoli, Buckley
7th Nightrain, Bradford
8th Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes
9th Academy3, Manchester
11th Limelight 2, Belfast
12th Voodoo Lounge, Dublin
13th Queens Hall, Nuneaton
14th Lantern, Halifax
15th Cobblestones, Bridgwater
17th Level 3, Swindon
18th Exchange, Bristol
19th The Haunt, Brighton
20th The 1865, Southampton
21st O2 Academy, Islington
22nd Y Llew Coch & Y Plas Machynlleth

http://www.anvil-metal-pounders-union.com/
https://twitter.com/AnvilMetal666
https://www.instagram.com/anvil.metal/

Dinosaur Pile Up announce extra date

Dinosaur Pile Up announce extra date

O2 PRE-SALE – WEDS OCT 2nd
For early access pre-sale sign up here:
VIA http://www.dinosaurpileup.com/

GENERAL SALE – FRI OCT 4th
VIA MYTICKET

DECEMBER UK HEADLINE TOUR
**SOLD OUT**

Dinosaur Pile-Up have announced a landmark headline show at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town on April 3rd. Tickets are available on O2 pre-sale on Wednesday October 2nd, and go on general sale on Friday October 4th via MyTicket.

Regarding the show frontman Matt Bigland says, “We’re blown away to be headlining the Forum. Just so so pumped. Some of the best shows I’ve ever seen have been in that room, and we’ve supported countless bands there, and the fact that we’re now going to headline that stage is something we’re really grateful for and super f***ing excited about. It’s our turn, and I can’t wait to play on that stage.”

They announce the Forum on the back of selling out their forthcoming UK headline tour in December in support of the critically acclaimed new album Celebrity Mansions out now on Parlophone.

The new album has seen Dinosaur Pile-Up lay claim to 2019 as one of the UK’s most exciting and talked about rock bands.

Dinosaur Pile-Up recently completed a monumental nine week US tour, which saw them play 37-dates, as they toured arenas across the country with Shinedown before embarking on their first ever headline tour of the country.

On return to the UK the band jumped straight into Reading & Leeds Festival where they performed as the specially requested guests of Radio 1’s Dan P Carter.

Celebrity Mansions’ singles ‘Back Foot’, ‘Thrash Metal Cassette’ and ‘K West’ have all received great support from Radio 1, so much so the band made a ‘Back Foot’ jingle for the Breakfast show following the song being added to the Radio 1 playlist. The singles have also made the playlists of Radio X and ‘Back Foot’ is now proving a hit in the States and is the highest UK entry in the Active Rock Chart at No.5.

Before embarking on their forthcoming UK headline tour, the band are heading back across the Atlantic to play arenas in Canada on a 14-date tour with The Offspring and Sum 41 next month. Full Dinosaur Pile-Up tour dates can be found below:

DINOSAUR PILE-UP TOUR DATES

CANADA (W) THE OFFSPRING & SUM 41
NOVEMBER
12th – Halifax, Scotiabank Centre
13th – Moncton, Avenir Centre
15th – St Catharines, Meridian Centre
16th – Sudbury, Sudbury Arena
17th – Laval, Place Bell
19th – Sault Ste Marie, GFL Memorial Gardens
21st – Winnipeg, Bell MTS Place
22nd – Moose Jaw, Mosaic Place
23rd – Medicine Hat, Canalta Centre
27th – Cranbrook, Western Financial Place
29th – Penticton, South Okanagan Events Centre
30th – Abbotsford, Abbotsford Centre
DECEMBER
2nd – Kamloops, Sandman Centre

DECEMBER UK HEADLINE TOUR **SOLD OUT**
6th – Bristol, Exchange
8th – Birmingham, Institute
9th – Glasgow, Garage (Attic Bar)
10th – Manchester, Academy 3
11th – London, Scala

APRIL
3rd – London, O2 Forum Kentish Town

Gun Announce Best of and tour Dates

Gun Announce Best of and tour Dates

Scottish rock veterans GUN are thrilled to announce the release of their best of album “R3L0ADED”, due out on 29thNovember via Silver Lining Music. In addition the band will launch the first single “Superstition”.

“R3L0ADED” is a real declaration of intent. GUN are looking to the road ahead, to new challenges, unfulfilled ambitions. While the album is a celebration of the band’s illustrious past, it also forcibly underlines that their focus is fixed firmly on the future. There’s a real feeling of optimism and creativity… of so much more to be achieved.

Whilst celebrating the 30thAnniversary of “Taking On The World”, the band’s 1989 debut album, the double record gathers in one collection GUN’s best singles, taken from their award-winning career spanning three decades. “R3L0ADED” is presented as a double album, Disc 1 features singles from the band’s seven albums, such as first chart hit ’Better Days’ (1989), ‘Steal Your Fire’ (1992), ‘Don’t Say It’s Over’ (1994) and ‘Favourite Pleasures’ (2017).

Guitarist Giuliano “Jools” Gizzi comments: “R3L0ADED is a collection of our best singles.  We wrote a bunch of songs – the best we could do and had no idea if they’d be successful or if people would connect with them.” He then continues: “They are the soundtrack to a lot of good times and bad.  Now, people come up to us to say how these songs have touched them or made an impact, however small, in their lives. In 1989, we WERE taking on the world. We still are.”

Frontman Dante Gizzi adds: “Taking On The World really put us on the map.  Thirty years ago, our dream was simply to sign a record deal, release an album and maybe go on tour, no more than that. So it’s great to recognise something which means so much to us, and also to the people who have stayed with us over the years.“

Disc 2 is a collection of cover songs, which includes ‘Word Up’ by Cameo (1986), for which the band won the prestigious MTV Europe Music Award for Best Cover.  The band have recorded new versions of ‘Every 1’s A Winner’ by Hot Chocolate (1978), ‘(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)’ by The Beastie Boys (1986), ‘Union City Blue’ by Blondie (1979), ‘Rock The Casbah’ by The Clash (1982), ‘Everybody Knows’ by Dixie Chicks (2006), ‘Diamonds’ by Rihanna (2012) and ‘Take Me To Church’ by Hozier (2013).  Firm proof GUN can also pull some real musical aces from the pack are the inclusion of the classic ‘Superstition’ by Stevie Wonder (1972) and ‘Success’ by Iggy Pop (1977).

Jools reveals: “These tracks are our favourite songs by acts we’ve grown up with.  But we tried not to pick the obvious ones. Our aim was to make heavy rock versions of these great songs.  It’s what we do.  It’s become one of our strengths both live and in the studio.”

Dante continues: “There are many people out there who still want to hear GUN… We have an incredibly loyal fan base, so we owe it to them – as well as ourselves – to keep shooting for goal. Everything is a challenge or a pressure… but it’s a good challenge or a good pressure.  We’ve never had it any other way.  You always want to march on.  But the feeling is that there is still so much more to be done.  We’re far from finished.  R3L0ADED is just the beginning… the start of a new chapter.”

To coincide with the album release and the 30thanniversary of seminal debut album “Taking On The World”, the band will embark on a full UK tour alongside other two rock legendary names: FM and Dan Reed Network.

The Big 3-0 Tour Dates
9thDecember – Bristol – o2 Academy
10thDecember – Southampton – Engine Rooms
11thDecember – London – o2 Shepherds Bush Empire
13thDecember – Wolverhampton – KK’s Steel Mill
14thDecember – Norwich – LCR UEA
15thDecember – Nottingham – Rock City
17thDecember Newcastle – o2 Academy
18thDecember – Leeds – o2 Academy
20thDecember – Manchester – Academy 2
21stDecember – Glasgow – Barrowland

The Bar Stool Preachers, Rich Ragany & The Digressions, Social Experiment Sat 21st Sept Clwb Ifor Bach

The Bar Stool Preachers, Rich Ragany & The Digressions, Social Experiment Sat 21st Sept Clwb Ifor Bach

Social Experiment hit the stage at the early time of seven-fifteen due to Cardiff seemingly giving up its city to the busiest night in a long time as the Stadium Across the road having seventy thousand petrol heads in for a show but the clued in people of South Wales braved the gridlock for the main event happening on one side of Womanby Street. Puddle is quite the striking frontman with his wonderfully pert mowhawk as he belted out the words to their songs stalking the front of the stage like a caged beast the four-piece sound tight and deliver their hardcore punk with gusto.  Tackling social issues and hammering out tracks drawn from their most excellent album ‘Rumours Of Our Demise Are Not Greatly Exaggerated’. The only local boys on tonight’s bill kick things off with a really impressive set they’re hard to ignore and certainly prove to be a tasty chaser for tonights session.

 

Rich Ragany and The Digressions have battled horrendous motorway traffic and vuvuzela brandishing speedway maniacs to make their Welsh debut tonight. So, after all that just as they launch into the sublime late summer sounds of ‘Little Let Down’ and guitarist Gaff’s amp decides to go up in flames, I must admit my heart kind of sinks a little bit for them.

Fear not though (power)pop pickers as after a quick on-stage tactical reshuffle this little hiccup is quickly put to one side and the remaining Digressers set about delivering a finely woven set of songs largely drawn from the ‘Like We’ll Never Make It’ album, Rich’s debut solo release.

Highlights? Well, there’s the rambunctious ‘Scotty Thompson’ which crops up mid-set, which is a song that could very easily out Cockney tonight’s headliners in its composition. Then there’s the bristling energy of ‘Your Distance’ where Rich along with rhythm guitarist Kit Swing combine their voices to lift even the hardest of hearts in attendance tonight.

Having already supported the likes of alt-rock legends The Lemonheads and The Rolling Stones buddies The Dirty Strangers it’s easy to see why Rich Ragany and The Digressions have such a broad church appeal and I must admit I was enjoying myself so much along with most of the rest of the audience that I didn’t really scribble down anything else. Then again isn’t this what Saturday nights are supposed to be all about?

With the good decision to take this to the main room it was time for headliners The Bar Stool Preachers to stand tall and show the good people of this city exactly what all the fuss is about.  Without fanfare they didn’t so much hit the stage but gave it a right seeing to with a size ten. The energy and enjoyment oozing from the band is a joy to see and they waste no time at all winning the crowd over who have come to dance and have a seriously good time.

Without the blink of an eye this (now) five piece really work the stage and audience alike and their love of the music wins over even the hardest cynic and with ‘One Fool Down’ coming fairly early on in the set is a real blast.  There are plenty of people singing every word as the songs from their first two studio albums get peeled off the bands hard work ethic is really paying off as they might be a guitar lite they are still tighter than a pair of soaking wet rizlas the three out front lock-in and move like its been choreographed or rather a well-oiled machine who’ve toured their backsides off in Europe and America over the last few years.

There was time for a few new songs as well which even on first or second time of hearing already sound like the band has taken another step up the ladder thats not to say songs of the first two are weak because they are absolutely not but this is shaping up to be next level stuff. older sounds are welcomed like old mates songs like ‘Ballad Of The M1’ and ‘Start New’ are fresh and ‘DLTDHYOTWO’ sounded magnificent and Tom was (Bar Stool) preaching to converted as he expressed his feelings towards the current unwanted encombant of Number 10.  It’s great to hear a band so driven and right up for it and bloody well enjoying every second of their journey and its a journey I’m more than happy to jump on board with.  One of the best bands the UK has to offer right now and if you get the chance to see them play a club show anytime soon then take it because when the next album comes out you’ll be having to see them headline venues the size of the University across town and who knows from there.

One of the most enjoyable night’s entertainment for a long long time with three quite different bands but all with a common bond – they love music and play with their hearts on their sleeves and leave nothing behind (well apart from a Bass guitar), They have something to say and say it well – with passion, conviction and enthusiasm that’s infectious and great to see.

This was The Bar Stool Preachers third time in South Wales and their first headline show and they totally owned it and looked so comfortable like they’d been headlining for years and years.  Come the revolution if there’s to be a soundtrack then these boys will provide it.

Author: Dom Daley & Johnny Hayward (who reviewed Rich Ragany)

EVIL SCARECROW hit the road for ‘Lost In Antartarctica’ shows beginning tomorrow

EVIL SCARECROW hit the road for ‘Lost In Antartarctica’ shows beginning tomorrow

EVIL SCARECROW hit the road for their final run of their fabulous ‘Lost In Antartarctica’ shows and kick off their run in Oxford this weekend!

Final run of ‘Lost In Antartarctica’ tour dates:
28th September, O2 Academy, Oxford
31st October, Asylum Birmingham
1st November, The Face Bar, Reading
2nd November, Corporation Sheffield
9th November, MACMILLAN FEST Bristol
7th December, The Live Rooms Chester
2020
4th January, Yadbirds, Grimsby

EVIL SCARECROW’s album ‘Chapter IV: Antartarctica‘ was released at the end of 2018.
Evil Scarecrow’s fourth album saw them take another giant leap forward with the release of the sumptuous monster of a record, blending metal and melodies with riffs, roars and razor wit, it was everything you would expect from these multi-talented and exceptionally creative musicians. Chapter IV: Antartarctica sees this unique band keeping their own surreal space-time continuum moving ever onwards & upwards, running as smoothly as only Evil Scarecrow can.

Follow the band on social media

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Jim Jones And The Righteous Mind/Ming City Rockers – York, The Fulford Arms – 19th September 2019

Jim Jones And The Righteous Mind/Ming City Rockers – York, The Fulford Arms – 19th September 2019

It only seems two minutes ago that Jim Jones And The Righteous Mind released their fantastic sophomore long player ‘CollectiV’ on the world. But after a three month break they are back with a new stand alone single entitled ‘Get Down Get With It’ on hot pink 7” and they are doing a run of live dates to support its release. The first date happens to be at my favourite local gig venue The Fulford Arms. Having only witnessed this band in full flow supporting in larger venues and festivals, it would be rude not to attend a full headline show, right?

 

Immingham’s finest exports Ming City Rockers open the evening’s entertainment in fine form to an already packed out room. The core of singer/guitarist Clancy and guitarist Morley seem to be keeping the good ship Ming flying, yet it seems every time I catch them they have a different rhythm section. That seems to be beside the point though, as whoever they have on bass and drums this week are pretty much up to scratch. The band’s sound is raw and ramshackle, but tight and punchy as fuck. In fact this is the best I have seen them and playing to a full room where the temperature is rapidly rising, can only be helping.

It’s not long before Clancy is stripped to the waist and shouting in-between songs at the crowd like Zed from Police Academy. The garage punk cool of ‘Sell Me A Lemon’ and ‘She’s A Wrong Un’ go down well and are perfectly delivered with the style and attitude that many of their peers can only dream of.

Clancy demands a volunteer from the audience to come and play his guitar for the final number or he will jump in and pick someone himself. Luckily some hapless punter steps up to the challenge, removes his shirt and straps on Clancy’s guitar as the smiling singer disappears into the crowd to sing the final song and bring their set to a chaotic climax.

They came, they saw, they conquered. Someone give these dudes a support tour sharpish.

The atmosphere is electric and the anticipation high as the headliners finally takes to the stage and Jim Jones peels off the opening riff to ‘Boil Yer Blood’. The familiar tribal beats fill the room as the song builds and the singer has the attention of every man, woman and child in the room. To his left Matt Millership bangs the keys, to his right Gavin Jay brings the low end, and just out of sight guitarist Mal plays some sweet pedal steel.

‘No Fool’ follows, drummer Andy Marvel beats out the most powerful of regimental beats as the frontman matches with dirty guitar and a deep bluesy hollerin’. If you thought Jim Jones And The Righteous Mind needed a gig or two to brush off the cobwebs after a 3 month live hiatus, you would be sadly mistaken. Dressed all in black, with matching turtlenecks and necklaces, the band fire on all cylinders for the next hour and a half and the energy levels do not diminish whatsoever. Even the claustrophobic confines of The Fulford Arms cannot hold back the raw power of the JJATRM machine.

‘Till It’s All Gone’ is all mad tribal percussion, maracas and cool as you like full band backing chants.

Jim and Mal ring seven shades of shit from their guitars, licks and riffs are peeled off with ease as the pair and the bassist aim their instruments to the crowd and to the ceiling for the majority of the set.

This is how live rock ‘n’ roll should be; raw, loud and sweaty… sublime. None of this Liam Gallagher ‘staring at the floor’ shit! This band gives everything they’ve got and they deliver songs, without pausing for breath, like they are unloading the magazine of an AK47 on an unsuspecting crowd.

 

The likes of ‘Satan’s Got His Heart Set On You’ and ‘Sex Robot’ from the recently released ‘CollectiV’ fit the set perfectly,  as the singer struts the stage and hollers from the depths of his soul, channelling rock ‘n’ roll from another era. The aforementioned new single ‘Get Down Get With It’ is suitably raw and powerful and a highlight of tonight’s frantic set.

I thought I had already witnessed the hottest gig of the year, but tonight Jim Jones And The Righteous Mind turned it up another notch. You could say tonight was a near religious experience, but whether Jim and his band took us to church, or towards the gates of Hell is up for debate. One thing’s for sure though, tonight was a lesson in how to fucking deliver and raise the stakes for all who follow.

Author: Ben Hughes

FLAMIN’ GROOVIES HIT THE ROAD FOR FALL 2019 EAST COAST TOUR!

FLAMIN’ GROOVIES HIT THE ROAD FOR FALL 2019 EAST COAST TOUR!
Look out East Coast USA the kins of cool are coming to Shake Some Action on the East Coast through October.
FLAMIN’ GROOVIES 2019 EAST COAST TOUR DATES:

Wed. 10/23 – Northampton, MA – Iron Horse Music Hall (w/ The Figgs)
Thu. 10/24 – New Haven, CT – Café Nine (w/ Dust Hat)
Fri.  10/25 –  Somerville, MA – Once Ballroom – w/ Richard Lloyd, Tiger Bomb)
Sat. 10/26 – New York City – The Cutting Room (w/ Wreckless Eric)
Sun. 10/27 – New York City – The Cutting Room (w/ Walter Lure and the Waldos)
Tue. 10/29 – Philadelphia, PA – City Winery (w/ TBA)
Thu. 10/31 – Charlottesville, VA – The Southern (Halloween party for WTJU w/ New Boss, etc.)
Fri. 11/1 – Washington DC – City Winery (w/ Muck & the Mires)
Sat. 11/2 – Baltimore, MD – Creative Alliance (w/ The Stents)
Originating in San Francisco in 1965, and reunited for a tour of Australia in 2013, the FLAMIN’ GROOVIES have been touring and performing consistently for the last six years, exceeding all expectations, presenting their own unique and infectious style of rock ‘n’ roll with such cult classics as “Slow Death,” “Teenage Head” and of course, “Shake Some Action.” The current lineup features founding member Cyril Jordan with Chris von Sneidern on guitar, Tony Sales on drums, and newest member Atom Ellis on bass.
Expect a completely different show than their previous tours, featuring a repertoire that spans the band’s career, emphasizing both 1971’s “Teenage Head” album (associated with more old time rock ‘n’ roll, rockabilly, Stones and Yardbirds influences), as well as the power pop period (Beatles and Byrds influenced) more associated with the band’s three albums on Sire Records in the late ’70s.  Their place in history is well established as one of the all-time greatest bands from San Francisco (and the world) and as progenitors of real rock ‘n’ roll.
Chris von Sneidern has recorded a dozen albums as a solo artist, and is a highly-regarded name in the power pop genre. He and Tony Sales have been members of the Groovies for the last two years and things could not have worked out better. Tony Sales (whose father and uncle formed the rhythm section in David Bowie’s band, Tin Machine, and on some of Iggy Pop’s finest work) is an in demand session drummer, and just recently released the first album by his band, Ardent Sons. Atom Ellis has toured with many notable artists including Link Wray, Todd Rundgren, The New Cars, The Tubes, and as a member of Pyschefunkapus and Dieselhed.
Having recently completed a month-long tour of Europe the band is is top form, and great spirits.  They can’t wait to get back to the East Coast and some of the best cities and best fans in the world.

Subhumans – Crisis Point (Pirates Press)

Subhumans – Crisis Point (Pirates Press)

The first new record from Lucas and his Subhumans in a while (Twelve Years?) and with the current global situation its not like Lucas has had writers block or lacking the inspiration.  Everywhere you look there’s a meltdown – climate change, government leaders lying, despots taking over, smiling, lying and cheating yet it seems OK to the public. Nobody loses their jobs its all fair game. Summed up nicely on ‘Fear & Confusion’. A more polished sounding record that their last outing ‘Internal Riot’ but it every bit as sharp and relevant.

To be fair Subhumans have always released intelligent records their Anarcho leanings have always been dressed really well in big riffs, tight time changes and some sharp as fuck punk rock. ‘Crisis Point’ seems apt as Lucas starts the war cry with the flurry of opening punches on ‘Terrorist In Waiting’ great lyrics (as usual) thunderous drumming and riffs raining down on the listener with an energy and excitement that sets the album up really well.

throughout the albums eleven tracks the ebb and flow is excellent.  I love the attitude on ‘Atom Screen War’ emanating from the riff as it pounds away but it’s nicely pinned by the bass thats rumbling away underneath.  To be fair the sound is reminiscent of the last few UK Subs albums. ‘Follow The Leader’ takes that edginess up a notch as the album has warmed up and is really taking flight. Strange land has the feel and sound the band had back in the ’80s with that flange riff and repetitive beat its a really good tune and one that shows how bloody good a band Subhumans are.

Its no good looking for a weakness because there isn’t one.  Its a really consistent album its focused and as you’d imagine thought provoking with excellent lyrics and a great production. ‘Crisis Point’ is ticking all the boxes whats not to like? If you want fast no nonsense heads down punk rock then Subhumans do that ‘Poison’ if you want intricate musicianship Subhumans can do that for you, if you want lyrics that are well constructed and thought provoking to prick your conscience subhumans can do that. They were a big part of that early ’80s punk explosion and are still going strong along with the Subs,  they always turned in better records than Crass and Conflict in my humble opinion and this record is proof that they are as relevant now as they always were. ‘Crisis Point’ can cover all your modern punk rock needs as well as you old school punks wondering if Dick has still got it.  Of course he has. My advice is get hold of ‘Crisis Point’ now and get on board its never too late. Buy it!

Pick up a Copy Here 

Author: Dom Daley

 

THE WILDHEARTS & BACKYARD BABIES announce co-headline UK & German 2020 tours

THE WILDHEARTS & BACKYARD BABIES announce co-headline UK & German 2020 tours
The Wildhearts and the Backyard Babies announce a 7 date co-headline UK tour, with The Wildhearts closing and CKY opening. The UK tour starts at the O2 Academy in Newcastle on Tuesday 28th  January and concludes at O2 Institute in Birmingham on Tuesday  4th February. Tickets go on sale on Friday 13th. Preceding the UK dates, The Wildhearts are also playing 4 shows in Germany with the Backyard Babies & The Bones.

 

“I’m surprised we haven’t done this already but it’s finally happening a tour with The Backyard Babies. Its gonna be full-on and we are sharing a bus, what could possibly go wrong? Come out and see us, dance, drink, sing and have your faces torn off… ROCK! ” – CJ Wildheart.

 

“This will be a badass tour. We’ve been talking about touring with The Wildhearts since the early 2000s. Finally, it happens! If you don’t like loud guitars, great songs, amazing riffs, and High energy Rock N’ Roll music….  Well, just don’t buy a ticket.” – Dregen / Backyard Babies.
“CKY is beyond stoked to return to the UK with the legendary Backyard Babies and The Wildhearts! The rock and roll runs deep on this batch of shows. Don’t miss it!” – Jess Margera / CKY.
The Wildhearts & Backyard Babies tour dates
January 2020
Thu 23th Tante Ju,  Dresden  DE
Fri 24th Wizemann Stuttgart  DE
Sat 25th Live Music Hall Cologne  DE
Sun  26th Batschkapp Frankfurt  DE
Tue 28th O2 Academy Newcastle
Wed 29th Limelight Belfast
Thu 30th  QMU Glasgow
Fri 31st O2 Ritz Manchester
February 2020
Sat 1st  O2 Forum Kentish Town London
Mon 3rd  Tramshed Cardiff
Tue 4th  O2 Institute Birmingham
The Wildhearts are also proud to announce the release of the Diagnosis mini album on October 4th through Graphite Records. This six track mini album, features five brand new songs and is released as a limited edition special white vinyl with pale blue powder splatter 10’’ (to look like a pill) and as a regular black vinyl 10” and CD.  All 3 physical formats will also include an exclusive bespoke inner gatefold comic strip illustrated by the award winning Hunt Emerson, who last worked with the band on the Earth Vs’ cover and their classic logo.
The Diagnosis mini album follows the success of Renaissance Men, their first full-length studio album in 10 years, which gave the band’s classic line up of Ginger, CJ, Ritchie and Danny, their highest chart entry since 1994’s P.H.U.Q, when it debuted at number 11.
“Well fuck me we dropped our first new album in 10 years back in May and blow me down if we didn’t drop a humdinger of an album full of monster riffs and razor sweet melodies. Well, we’ve not only gone back in to the studio to record 5 new songs that will be released as the Diagnosis mini album in October, we’re hitting the road too. We have some great supports confirmed already, The Professionals and Janus Stark and I know there are some other amazing bands to be added to the rest of the tour.  
You’re going to love the new mini album and the surprises we have on there and the tour is going to be one you should not miss. You can’t keep a good band down.” – C.J Wildheart.
The lead track Diagnosis is about “mental health institutions and the medical health profession in this country, and about how it’s letting people down. How the system is broken, and how the suicide rate is not getting any less. 
Depression and mental illness isn’t an issue that attacks any one type of person. Whether you’re homeless or if you’re rich,  this illness is taking people out on a regular basis. The government has pulled most of the funding into mental health research, and as a result people are still ignorant about it.
Education is everything. And the more people talk about depression, the more need there’ll be for education, and the more people will want educating about an issue that doesn’t just affect the people suffering from it, but it affects everyone around them. 
And when someone is in a desperate position and their hope is taken away, then they’re at the mercy of an illness that wants them dead. There’s nothing more important in the world than education on mental health issues.” – Ginger Wildheart
To coincide with the release of Diagnosis, The Wildhearts’ play a10 date UK tour. This tour will start in Brighton at the Concorde 2 on Saturday 5th October and concludes at Booking Hall in Dover on Tuesday 22nd October.
“Can’t wait to get back out on tour. I’m one of those people that could live in a tour bus” – Ginger Wildheart

 

Creatively brilliant, The Wildhearts play a distinctive fusion of hard rock, perfectly complimented by contemporary melodies. With a career spanning 30 years The Wildhearts helped change the landscape of British rock through the 90’s, and to this day they haven’t shown any sign of slowing down. Miss these shows at your peril.
The Wildhearts Renaissance Men tour part 2
with special guests The Professionals+, Ferocious Dog^ and Janus Stark* on selected shows
October 2019
Sat     5th         Concorde 2 Brighton +*
Sun    6th         Sub 89 Reading +*
Mon   7th         Live Rooms           Chester +*
Tue    8th         Welly Hull +*
Thur   10th      Picturedrome Holmfirth
Tue    15th      Junction Cambridge ^*
Wed   16th      Komedia Bath *
Thur   17th      Engine Room Southampton
Mon   21st    KK’s Steel Mill Wolverhampton
Tue    22nd     Booking Hall Dover
November 2019
Fri 29th TivoliBuckley
European shows 
October 2019
Fri 11th      Helsinki             Virgin Oil and Co. Finland
Sat  12th     Stockholm        Fryhuset              Sweden
Sun  13th  Oslo  Pa Bryn Norway   Sold Out
Thu 24th      Amsterdam        Q Factory          Netherlands
Fri  25th      Essen                Turock Germany
Sat 26th      Paris                 Backstage France
Sun 27th      Ooestende         Manuscript Belgium
November 2019
Sat 30th      Madrid Sala Spain
Tickets and ticket bundles with new album pre-orders are available Here 

Ryan Hamilton’s Songs & Stories Show– Otley, Bloomfield Square – 25th August 2019

Ryan Hamilton’s Songs & Stories Show– Otley, Bloomfield Square – 25th August 2019

Currently touring the UK supporting Clem Burke’s band The Tearaways, Ryan Hamilton pencilled in a couple of intimate, acoustic songs & stories shows in between touring duties. So following a Saturday night in the company of Frank Turner’s acoustic album release show at The Brudenell, we take a Sunday evening drive to the idyllic, sleepy town of Otley, just a few miles away from the masses nursing hangovers and sunburn at Leeds Festival.

Bloomfield Square is the coffee shop come print shop owned and run by Terrorvision frontman Tony Wright.  He sometimes hosts gigs, this is one of those. It’s certainly the most intimate gig I have attended, more of a house concert than an acoustic gig. It’s sold out, and there are maybe 25 people here.

The two sealed their friendship a couple of years back by recording a Country album together. ‘Grand Ole Otley’ (get it?) You should! Unfortunately there no Country collaboration with the two tonight, Tony is serving drinks while Ryan sings songs and plays guitar, accompanied by a couple of his Harlequin Ghosts, i.e. bassist Rob Lane and keyboard player Carol Hodge.

 

“Im sweating like a blind whore in a cucumber patch!” Says Ryan after an extra chilled one-two of ‘Bottoms Up’ and ‘Records and Needles’ opens the set in fine style. Yep, as the man says, it’s very hot in here.

Carol’s harmonies are the perfect accompaniment to the be-hatted Texan songwriter, the likes of ‘Feels Like Falling In Love’ and ‘Won’t Stop Now’ are full of emotion and the band sound great. So intimate it almost feels wrong to join in singing. But as the heat rises and the drinks flow, we lose our inhibitions and sing along. The songs float by like a summer breeze, it’s a shame they can’t actually conjure up a summer breeze in here!

This is not like a normal gig, this is just like watching your mates jam at a house party. Tony comes down the stairs with a fan to help cool Ryan’s ass, “What the fuck’s going on in this country? Global warming…don’t tell my president, we just tried to buy Greenland!” says Ryan at one point.

The laid back rock ‘n’ roll of ‘Get Down’ works well and ‘Never Should Have Moved To LA’ with its “See You Next Tuesday” refrain is high energy euphoria, just as it is on record.

 

Never afraid to expose his bad luck stories and experiences we get tales of cheating, drug addiction and drunken drummers, and of course his ongoing fascination with English swear words. All told as he swigs from a bottle of red wine. It’s highly amusing and very entertaining.

The most fascinating of those stories is the tale of Smile Smile. The story of the former band he had with his fiancée is truly fucked up and I realise this is something he is still dealing with and what a large majority of his lyrics are actually relating to. I won’t go into details, you can find out more if you look about, but there could well be a documentary on the way, so look out for that.

‘Truth On Tape’ is a Smile Smile song and documents his fucked-up former life. A song he emailed to his ex as a diatribe, which she then wrote melodies to and sent back to him. They did that a few times, had enough for an album, then they toured it. Now that’s fucked up! It’s a heartbreaking ballad that takes on new meaning when you know the background to it.

Springsteen style, he tells some of the back story mid-song and goes into how Rolling Stone called them out for sounding like a U2 song, then he breaks into ‘With Or Without You’…same chords and melody, yeah!  They then mash it up, the Truth On Tape chorus with Carol singing the U2 backing vocals, clever stuff and a highlight of the evening.

‘Be Kind Rewind’ incites the most enthusiastic crowd response. That poptastic, sing-along chorus gives summery vibes, the instrumentation is taken down to minimum accompaniment for the “nah nah nah nah” refrain and we sing like a beautiful choir, albeit a small one. The bass and piano pick back up to take the song to its conclusion.

How often do you get to see a Texan singer/songwriter sing songs with no PA, in a coffee shop in Yorkshire run by the singer from Terrorvision? Not very often is the answer! But life throws out these opportunities and you have to grab them while they last.

Like witnessing a gig in your own front room, Ryan Hamilton and a couple of his Traitors played a special, intimate show that succeeded in capturing the essence of where live music originated, and what it should be about.

Author: Ben Hughes