Category: Gig Reviews
Autarkh/Farer/Alkahest – Haarlem, Patronaat – 12 January 2025
One thing that’s pretty great about being in a social group where everyone takes their support of bands quite seriously is that there’s a never-ending stream of recommendations that get thrown your way and Autarkh was the latest of them for our man Jase W. As such he landed back in Haarlem for them heading up Patronaat’s Stage Three! Along for the ride were Farer and Alkhahest to round off an evening of noisy Dutch metal. Jase has been doing as much as he can to get stuck into the local bands since moving here so this was another chance to get that little bit more familiar with the underrated metal scene in the Netherlands.
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‘Motorcultor Festival Across Europe Tour’ – Tilburg, 013 Poppodium – 10 January 2025
So, 2025 is here and Jase W was wasting absolutely no time in getting back into the thick of things by hopping on a train to the other end of the Netherlands to Tilburg’s 013 for a pretty stacked show, featuring five bands, topped off with Infected Rain headlining on 013’s NEXT stage. People might have still been letting the dust settle from the holiday activities but this restless metalhead absolutely bloody wasn’t…
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Bad Manners/Max Splodge – Manchester, Academy 2 – 19 December 2024
A quick jaunt across for his last Manchester gig of the year saw DJ Astrocreep take in ska legends Bad Manners for the first time, despite the band being active longer than he’s been on the planet!
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DOOL/Lifeless Past – Amsterdam, Melkweg – 19 December 2024
This is it folks, the final show for Jase W this year to wrap up 2024 before he signs off from work until the new year and get stuck into far too much booze and stodgy food on my return trip to Blighty. What a year it’s been and what a way to end it in true Dutch style with absolutely fucking awful weather and one of the Netherlands’ most interesting up and coming bands, DOOL.
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The Jesus and Mary Chain/Ciel – Liverpool, Content – 15 December 2024
DJ Astrocreep’s last scheduled home town gig of the year saw him take in Scottish shoegaze troubadours JThe esus and Mary Chain for the first time, whilst also in a new venue for the first time. Content is based in the old Cain’s Brewery complex and is almost like a Tardis – you don’t realize just how big it is until you’re inside and the room just keeps on going! Acoustically, the venue is great, with well laid out speakers meaning the sound is loud without needing to be ramped right up and destroying the clarity. Brighton’s Ciel were our only support for the evening, which hinted at great things to come.
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Briqueville – Amsterdam, Paradiso – 15 December 2024
The Netherlands certainly does seem to do what Jase W would consider more unusual show setups and this was one of them. Briqueville, another band on Pelagic Records’ roster, were the opening act for an all-day event at Paradiso and certainly seemed to be a bit at odds with the other acts on the bill but in this instance our man was there solely for Briqueville. It was probably just as well because he was fucking shattered!
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Those Damn Crows – Cardiff, Utilita Arena – 14 December 2024
David O celebrates the fact that #RockAndRollAintDead as he catches the Cardiff hometown heroes flying in for their biggest ever headline show…
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Oh Hiroshima/Ništa – Haarlem, Patronaat – 13 December 2024
A mere 24 hours from his last jaunt to Patronaat in Haarlem to get screamed at by a bunch of loud bands, Jase W was back again to get his face melted again but in this case by one of Pelagic Records’ finest, Oh Hiroshima. It’s only been a short few months since our man in Europe saw these earlier this year at Pelagic Fest in Maastricht and he wasn’t going to pass off round two in a hurry.
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Can Of Worms – Haarlem, Patronaat – 12 December 2024
One of the best things about buggering off to another country as a music fan is discovering a treasure trove of bands that you would have never heard of prior to them getting big enough to visit where you lived prior. Tonight’s show at Patronaat in Haarlem, Can Of Worms, is headed up by two bands Jase W had come across through going to shows this year, Throwing Bricks and Ontaard.
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Scarlet Rebels – Crumlin, The Patriot – 22 November 2024
Having experienced a phenomenally successful few years, with their last two albums reaching high in all charts from the “official” listings to the rock charts, this was an early Christmas/end of year celebration for the Llanelli four. My previous reviews have spoke of the band’s humility and appreciation for the fans and their support to get them this success, and this a theme continued in this grassroots gig. The room was packed to capacity and not only because it was an “Christmas show” (albeit at the end of November), and there were many familiar (and family) faces in the crowd. David O will own up to having forgotten about this review with so many competing commitments at the time, but better late than never, eh?
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Gaye Bykers On Acid/Hugh Reed And The Velvet Underpants – Manchester, Rebellion – 13 December 2024
A potentially penultimate jaunt of the year across to Manchester saw DJ Astrocreep take in Grebo legends Gaye Bykers On Acid for the first time. There were two supports labelled – a Buzzcocks tribute band, who had to pull out with late notice, and Hugh Reed And The Velvet Underpants. With names like we have for the bands, it can surely only be a night of chaos and weirdness, right? It seems the big lad knew absolutely nothing of what was to come…
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dayseeker/Rain City Drive/Heart Of Gold – Manchester, Albert Hall – 10 December 2024
What better venue to close out an unforgettable year of live music than Manchester’s Albert Hall? With its historic charm and dreamy acoustics, this quaint venue was the perfect setting for the emotive performances of Heart of Gold, Rain City Drive, and of course, dayseeker. With this tour featuring three bands instead of the usual four, there was a longer gap between doors opening and the first act hitting the stage. This gave concertgoers plenty of time to make it from their day jobs to the Albert Hall, and allowed the crowd to pack in early, perfectly timed for Heart of Gold to kick things off, as their opening set was certainly not one to be missed.
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