Category: Interviews
Steelhouse Festival – Aberbeeg, Hafod-y-Dafal Farm – 30 July 2023
Well, it had to happen, didn’t it? After two days of reasonably clement weather, with only the odd dark cloud overhead and the occasional spit of rain, we awoke on Sunday morning to find it absolutely teeming it down. As we say in this part of the world, it was meeting itself coming back up again… but, that wasn’t going to dampen our spirits as we headed back up the potholed path to the top of the mountain for the third and final day of rock ‘n’ roll action.
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BST – London, Hyde Park – 30 June 2023
It was not the first time DJ Astrocreep had taken the long trip down to London, but certainly the first since Covid became a thing, yet it garnered the big lad the chance to see Guns N’ Roses live for the first time… well, needs be what needs must! Some things are worth that extra effort for and catching one of the seminal ’80s hard rock bands live would be in amongst that discussion for sure.
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Trevor’s Head – ‘A View From Below’ (APF Records)
Having found Trevor’s Head on their sophomore release, ‘Soma Holiday’, DJ Astrocreep was massively stoked to see a new album invade the ÜR inbox. Boasting a rather intriguing mix of punk, rock and stoner, they’re not any type of standard fare that you may encounter in droves, such is the volume of music produced these days, but something a lot more heady. Time to dive into the first listen, then…
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Night Demon/Mortal Backlash/Unmaker – Belfast, Voodoo – 10 May 2023
It had been more than a few hot minutes – some three-plus months in fact – since Monk and DQ had last climbed the narrow stairs to their favourite Belfast venue and watering hole for an evening of mad midweek metallic mayhem… but, then, with often competing shift patterns, the bosses have to pick and choose what gigs they’re able to attend, and this was one they definitely (and defiantly) weren’t going to miss, as Californian power trio Night Demon made a very welcome and overdue return to UR’s home city \m/
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HRH Prog XIII – Sheffield, O2 Academy – 14/15 April 2023
It was Friday night and the first night of Prog XIII, for what seemed to be the least troubled of the recent HRH promotions. Anyone who keeps even half an eye on social media will know the controversy and travails with which the franchise has been beset over the past few months months, with numerous allegations about fake bookings, false advertising and unpaid appearance fees being flung in the direction of the HRH management. It’s a debate in which we at ÜRHQ have chosen not to participate, as there are always three sides to every story and anything we print would be based on third party commentary. But, it has to be admitted that most, if not all, of these allegations have gone unanswered by the accused party, who have soldiered on defiantly, as this weekend proves. And so, we hand over to our colleague Bona to comment on what actually happened over the weekend…
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Tragedy/Nanowar of Steel – Carlisle, The Brickyard – 21 April 2023
Jonny B made his way up to that renowned rock ‘n’ roll outpost Carlisle for his first ever visit to The Brickyard to catch a band that he’s been waiting for the best part of a decade to see – Nanowar of Steel on their first extended visit to this country. Accompanying Tragedy on a ÜK-wide tour, the bands hit Hull (former city of culture) the previous night before heading to the opposite side of the country where our man in Cumbria met up with them for a Friday night of silliness and metal; frankly neither he nor we could wait!
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Vive Le Rock Awards – London, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire – 6 April 2023
Originally scheduled just as the country fell into lockdown back in 2020, the return of the Vive Le Rock Awards has been a long time coming, as has the return of the event’s star attraction, Lords Of The New Church. But as it turned out, it was well worth the wait…
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Über Rock Introduces… Rexoria
Swedish melodic power metallers Rexoria are about to release their third album, ‘Imperial Dawn’, so we thought we would catch up with the band – vocalist Frida Ohlin, guitarist/bassist Jonas Gustavsson, second guitarist Cristofer Svensson and drummer Martin Gustavsson.
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The BIG Uber Rock Interview: Dead Space Chamber Music
Just before Christmas, DJ Astrocreep got to sit down with Ellen and Tom from Dead Space Chamber Music, a band he found only recently from their support slot with HackeDePiciotto. He had a great half hour chat with them both, discussing everything from their musical roots, where their name came from, how they would describe their sound, how working in a graveyard helps guitarist Tom create music and why they incorporate visual aspects into the live performances…..
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Über Rock Introduces… NTH RD
The pandemic of 2020/21 crippled most of the world, but perhaps one country which suffered more than many others was Australia, where repeated, extended lockdowns and what could be seen as some of the most prohibitive restrictions imposed anywhere brought life to a virtual standstill for much longer than, for example, here in the ÜK. But, humankind has always battled against aversity, and among the heartiest soldiers of our breed, especially over the past few years, have been musicians, many of whom somehow found a way to be even more productive than they normally might have been… Among the many bands from the land down under (sorry – NOT!) who didn’t let the small matter of being confined to barracks for months on end were Melbourne melodic metalcore mob NTH RD. The quintet have just released their latest single, the hugely reflective and emotionally draining ‘I Watched You Fade Away’. So, what better time to have them introduce themselves to the wider Überverse? So, Monk hooked up with bassist Lucas Banim and drummer John Mihaloudakis to delve into their back story and explore their plans from hereon in…
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Über Rock Introduces… Crown The King
When you look at the Irish rock and metal scene, on both sides of the border, you cannot but revel in the diversity of sounds which it represents, from the most brutal of blackened and deathly hallows (sic) through NWoCR powerhouses to chilled ambience. However, one mien which has been sadly under-represented is pop punk, with relatively few bands prepared to stick their heads above the parapet and present us with their take on this most divisive of sub-genres… Until now, that is, as we welcome the ambitiously named Crown The KIng, a band formed just as we moved into the teeth of the recent pandemic, not that they let that little glitch stand in their way, as they released an excellent EP in the form of the aptly titled ‘Groundhog Day’ (didn’t every 24 hours feel like that during lockdown?), which they have just followed up with new single ‘Reel To Reel’.
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The BIG Über Rock Interview – Chip Z’Nuff
Hair metal legends Enuff Z’Nuff are currently nearing the end of a run of dates which has seen them revisit favourite haunts all over the Über Kingdom, Ireland and continental Europe, as well as visit a few new locations they previously have missed out on previous treks. Our Spanish correspondent, and resident glunk/power pop expert, caught up with one of his musical heroes and influences, in the form of charismatic frontman Chip Z’Nuff, when the tour pulled into the historic city of Valencia.
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